MERDEKA GENERATION - FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR THE - Advice by MoneyOwl
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FINANCIAL
PLANNING
FOR THE
MERDEKA
GENERATION
Author
MoneyOwl Solutions Team
CONTENTS SYNOPSIS 3 CHAPTER 1 YOUR HOME 4 CHAPTER 2 SHOULD YOU RETIRE NOW? 8 CHAPTER 3 CPF PAYOUTS- YOUR SAFE RETIREMENT INCOME FLOOR 11 CHAPTER 4 ADDITIONAL INCOME IN RETIREMENT 15 CHAPTER 5 A MEDICAL SAFETY NET 20 CHAPTER 6 ESTATE DISTRIBUTION 28
SYNOPSIS
We all know someone from the Merdeka Generation perhaps a parent, neighbour,
colleague or even yourself. Born in the 1950s, each has a story to tell - stories of how one
lived through the independence struggle of the nation, joined the workforce early and
experienced serving National Service as one of the earliest batches. These are men and
women who contributed to the early nation building of Singapore.
As a tribute to our nation builders, MoneyOwl has put together this e-book to help you
better prepare for retirement. A common worry you may have is retirement adequacy,
i.e. whether there is enough money for living expenses and medical needs in your golden
years. The question of “enough” is a subjective one and is dependent on your financial
situation and expectation. However, regardless of your expectation, a good retirement plan
should provide you with these 3 Must-Haves:
$
A home to stay in Monthly retirement Medical safety net
income for life
In this e-book, we will explore each of these Must-Haves, as well as highlight the planning
considerations you may face. In line with MoneyOwl social mission to help the man on
the street achieve greater financial security to live fulfilling lives, we consciously integrate
national schemes into our planning approach. Hence we will also discuss national schemes
like CPF LIFE, MediShield Life, ElderShield/CareShield Life, Lease Buyback Scheme and
how they can support your retirement needs. We wrap up with how you can distribute
your estate to your loved ones according to your wishes upon demise. This is an important
step as it will end your financial journey on a good note.
1
CHAPTER 1 | YOUR HOME 5
YOUR HOME
1.1 A FULLY PAID HOME One option is to monetise your property, i.e.
unlocking it to supplement your retirement
needs. There are a few ways to go about
We all need a place to stay, a place we call it and the ultimate decision boils down to
home, where lives and memories are built. personal preference.
All thanks to our housing policy, most
households here (more than 90%) owns
a property.
1.2 MONETISE BY RENTING
A 3-room flat in Toa Payoh in the 1970's
was only around $8,000. Even with one's
OUT SPARE ROOM OR
meagre salary, he/she will be able to WHOLE FLAT
fully repay the home loan quite easily.
Some, however, continue to upgrade their Do you have a spare bedroom or have
houses and added more to their loans alternative accommodation arrangement
in the process. The guess is most of the such as staying with your children? If so,
Merdeka Generation would have repaid renting out the excess space for income is
their mortgages by now, but if for some not a bad idea. Renting out excess space
reasons one has not, the immediate goal rewards them with the extra money to
is to review the finances and try to pay it enjoy their retirement. A spare room can
off as soon as possible in preparation for typically fetch about $600 to $1,200 in
retirement. There is psychological bliss, a rental income depending on location
peace of mind, from being debt-free. and condition.
What if there are difficulties in clearing the The benefits of this option include keeping
loan? Or if one is caught in an asset-rich, your property (and your neighbours),
cash-poor dilemma? What should you do? receiving rental income and continuing
to participate in the appreciation of your
There are no easy answers but suffice to property value.
say that you need to review your assets,
optimise your savings, CPF and estimate
how much is needed for your retirement.
We will cover more of that in the
next chapter.
CHAPTER 1 | YOUR HOME 6
1.3 MONETISE BY Besides receiving extra money from down-
sizing, you could also save on running cost
DOWN-SIZING from lower conservancy charges, property
tax and lower upkeep of a smaller unit.
But what if you do not wish to share your
property with others? Or find that the
current house is now too big to upkeep 1.4 MONETISE BY LEASE
as your children or family members have
moved out. In such cases, perhaps down- BUYBACK SCHEME (LBS)
sizing or right-sizing is a consideration. This
option allows you own the entire unit, albeit Finally, what if you prefer to age in place,
a smaller one, but with extra money from because you love the neighbourhood or you
the exercise. just cannot accept the idea of renting out
your rooms? In that case, there is the Lease
One affordable option of a smaller flat is the Buyback Scheme (LBS).
2-room flexi unit from HDB. You can select
how long a lease you need. The shorter the In LBS, you are essentially selling the tail-
lease, the smaller the property price. end lease of your flat back to the HDB for
money. In this way, the lease of your flat
Seniors who are aged 55 and above can is now shortened. There are conditions
take up a lease of between 15 and 45 years on the sales proceeds, which requires one
as long as it must cover the age of the use the money to first do a top up into
applicants up to 95 or more. your CPF Retirement Account (RA); any
remaining balance would then be available
Such a flat is quite attractively priced. for cash spending. The whole idea of the
According to HDB as of April 2018, such top-up is for you to join CPF LIFE which will
a flat is priced around $150,000 in the then provide a stream of income for your
matured estate and $90,000 in the non- retirement for life.
matured estate for a 40-year lease1. These
flats are getting quite popular in recent Perhaps the following example from HDB
years and HDB has been ramping up supply website2 can help us understand how the
of such units to meet demand. LBS works.
How can Mr & Mrs Lim unlock the
value of their flat with the Lease
Buyback Scheme?
Couple profile
Mr & Mrs Lim both 65 years old
Joint owners of fully paid 5-room flat
CPF
RA
Flat value: $520,000 Mr Lim $20,000
Lease left: 65 years Mrs Lim $5,000
1. Source: HDB data dated 24 Apr 2018, https://www.hdb.gov.sg/cs/infoweb/various-options-for-seniors-to-monetise-hdb-flats
2. Source: http://www.hdb.gov.sg/cs/infoweb/img/top-up-worked-example.jpg
CHAPTER 1 | YOUR HOME 7
In this example, Mr & Mrs Lim, both age 65, own a fully paid 5-room flat, valued at
$520,000 with a remaining lease of 65 years. Their CPF-RA savings stand at $20,000
and $5,000 respectively. With such low CPF savings, their combined CPF LIFE payout
(assuming Standard plan) is about $1603 monthly. This is obviously insufficient for their
retirement needs if that is all they have.
Suppose they decide to participate in LBS, this is how it works:
• Sell off 35 years of their flat’s lease to HDB for $219,300
• Sales proceeds to top-up their respective CPF-RA up to the
Basic Retirement Sum of $88,000
• $151,000 is required to do the top up; ($88,000 – $20,000 + $88,000 – $5,000)
• Net proceeds left after CPF top-up is $68,300 ($219,300 – $151,000)
• Receive a $5,000 LBS Cash Bonus, since the CPF top up is more than $60,000
Total value unlocked by Mr & Mrs Lim
LBS CPF LIFE Payout LBS
Cash Proceeds (per month, for life) Cash Bonus
$68,300 $1,000 $5,000
Based on $151,000 top-up to
the couple's CPF RA account
Mr & Mrs Lim both 65 years old, retains their flat with 30 years of lease remaining.
Benefits of LBS
The couple could now receive a lump sum cash payout of $73,300(LBS cash proceeds
$68,300 + LBS cash bonus $5,000) and a monthly income stream from CPF LIFE of $1,000.
Not bad considering that before this, the couple could only enjoy about $160 monthly from
their CPF LIFE.
The key drawback of LBS is the once in the scheme, you are not allowed to sell the flat in
the open market or rent out the whole flat. In other words, you are not able to participate in
the potential appreciation of the property value.
What if you outlived the lease period, e.g., beyond age 95? HDB assures you that in such
a situation, you will not be left without a home. HDB will review your circumstances on
a case-by-case basis taking in factors such as family support, health conditions and
financial status and work out an appropriate housing arrangement with you.
For more info on LBS, please check out
https://www.hdb.gov.sg/cs/infoweb/residential/living-in-an-hdb-flat/for-our-seniors/
lease-buyback-scheme
Source: This amount is estimated from the CPF LIFE Estimator. Mr Lim is estimated to receive $$126 to $133 monthly and $29 to $31 monthly for Mrs Lim.
2 SHOULD YOU RETIRE NOW
2
CHAPTER 2 | SHOULD YOU RETIRE NOW 9
SHOULD YOU
RETIRE NOW?
The second Must-Have in retirement is a monthly
retirement income for life to cover our expenses.
It is no coincidence that those belonging to expectancy of 84 years – that is as long as
the Merdeka Generation are at one of the half our economically productive years!
important milestones of their retirement
planning – crossing the statutory retirement In 2018, more than 53% of those aged 60
age of 62, CPF payout eligibility age of to 69 are employed.4 Some may continue
between 63-65 and re-employment age working due to lack of choice, but perhaps
of 67. many do so to remain physically, mentally
and socially active. If you have ever taken
But before we talk about retirement income, a gap year in your work, you would realise
let us talk about whether one should seek how quickly one runs out of things to do
to retire in his or her 60s. after a few months and the emotional and
psychological complexities of that.
You’ve worked and saved hard for most
part of your life and finally, retirement is Indeed, what is often underestimated is the
in view. But retirement is not a destination emotional journey of a retiree.
but rather another phase of your life. According to the New Retirement
Retirement can stretch for as long as 15- Mindscape II study (Ameriprise Financial
20 years in view of today’s average life Inc), there are six stages in this journey:
IMAGINATION HESITATION ANTICIPATION REALISATION REORIENTATION RECONCILIATION
6 to 15 years prior 3 to 5 years prior 2 years prior Retirement day and 2 to 15 years after 16 years or more after
to Retirement Day the year following
3. Based on MOM’s Labour Force Survey, 2018 (Table 4)
CHAPTER 2 | SHOULD YOU RETIRE NOW 10
As a member of the Merdeka Generation, What this means is that your employer
you may be either in the Imagination can choose to terminate your employment
stage, where you might feel unprepared without compensation when you turn 62
for retirement or the Hesitation stage, years old. But in view of our tight labour
when you are actively seeking advice and market, decreasing fertility rate and
the ability to cover your healthcare costs increasing life expectancy (60 is the new
becomes a particularly important concern 50), the Re-employment Act was passed
for you. This is also why the Merdeka in 2012. With this in place, your employer
General Package focuses on help for will need to offer you (subject to eligibility
medical expenses, the coverage of which criteria) re-employment beyond 62 years
is our third Must-Have, of which we will old, on an annual basis, up to age 67. There
write more in a future part of this series. are also recent policy changes to increase
Or, you might be in Anticipation, which is CPF contribution rates and an additional
the happiest stage of the six stages. A few 1% interest rate is now paid on CPF
might have just retired and the Realisation savings for workers aged 55 and above.
or feeling of being a little let down can be
hard, the most difficult being the loss of In addition, the government also announced
income, and this emotional stage improves that the Tripartite Workgroup on Older
only upon some Reorientation. Workers will be looking into further
changes to the CPF contribution rates. As
Retirement is thus not all sun, sand announced in Budget 2019, the Workfare
and laughter, emotionally or otherwise. Income Supplement Scheme will also
Retirement can only be truly fulfilling if be enhanced from 2020. The qualifying
you are active and doing something that income cap will be raised to $2,300 and the
is of meaning to you. Financially also, you maximum annual payouts will be increased
need to consider if you would benefit from by $400. So, if you continue to work, you
delaying retirement. As you are your Most can potentially get up to $4,000 per year in
Important Financial Asset , don’t discount income supplements.
how you can still contribute to your own
well-being monetarily or otherwise. With Nonetheless, whether you choose to
the $100 top up to your PAssion Silver Card continue working, knowing that you have
from the Merdeka Generation Package, a retirement plan in place will provide you
don’t miss out on the various courses and with a peace of mind. Based on a recent
activities that you can sign up for at your survey of baby boomers, the top three
local community centre. sources of retirement income are CPF
(78%), savings/investments (55%) and
The Government has been improving the work (37%)5. We will explore these
infrastructure to help those who are able sources of retirement income in our next
and willing, to work longer. The statutory few chapters.
retirement age in Singapore is 62 years old.
Example of sources of income
Payout
Work
Savings/
Investment
CPF
Age
4. Manulife 3-Gen Survey, Nov 20183CPF PAYOUTS: YOUR SAFE RETIREMENT INCOME FLOOR
3
CHAPTER 3 | CPF PAYOUTS: YOUR SAFE RETIREMENT INCOME FLOOR 12
CPF PAYOUTS:
YOUR SAFE RETIREMENT
INCOME FLOOR
In this third chapter, we explore how CPF, specifically,
CPF LIFE forms the foundation of your retirement
plan by providing you with a stream of income for life.
A retirement income that covers daily expenses is the
second Must-Have in retirement, alongside a home to
stay in and a medical safety net.
The age at which you can start your CPF monthly payout is based on your year of birth.
Year born 1950 - 51 1952 - 53 1954 and after
Payout eligibility age 63 64 65
Arriving at the Payout Eligibility Age comes with a list of decisions. These are:
• Should I join CPF LIFE if I am on the Retirement Sum Scheme?
• Should I start my CPF LIFE payouts now?
• Should I make a lump sum withdrawal from my Retirement Account (RA)?
• Which CPF LIFE plan should I choose?
To answer these questions, it would be useful to have a gauge of what percentage of your
retirement needs would be funded by your CPF savings and consequently, how much you
may need to supplement with other income sources.
At MoneyOwl, we advocate that all retirement plans comprise an annuity as a base. An
annuity is a stream of income that pays for life and hedges against longevity risk, i.e., the
risk of outliving one’s assets. CPF LIFE is the best annuity in the Singapore market, all else
being equal, in terms of payout versus capital, return and risk. It is thus well placed to form
the Safe Retirement Income Floor for all Singaporeans. This Safe Retirement Income Floor
is a “die die must have” level of income to fund a basic level of retirement lifestyle.CHAPTER 3 | CPF PAYOUTS: YOUR SAFE RETIREMENT INCOME FLOOR 13
Based on the Household Expenditure If you do not own a property, you should
Survey 2012/13, we know that a retiree have the Full Retirement Sum (FRS) that
household in the second quintile of is double of BRS, because the need to
expenditure spends on average $518 rent a room on top of paying for basic
per month in 2013 on food, transport necessities can cause monthly expenses in
and other goods and services excluding retirement to double. For those whose Safe
accommodation. This is enough to Retirement Income Floor is even higher,
support a basic standard of living there is the option of topping up your RA to
(excluding rental of a place to stay) and is the Enhanced Retirement Sum (ERS) which
the basis on which the Basic Retirement provides an even higher level of payout.
Sum (BRS) under CPF LIFE is set – the BRS
provides for a payout under CPF LIFE that For CPF members who turn 55 in year
is close to $518 in 2013 dollars, adjusted 2019 (who are not Merdeka generation),
for inflation. This is also the reason why the current BRS, FRS and ERS are $88,000,
you can choose to set aside the BRS $176,000 and $264,000 respectively. In 10
only if you own a property as the payout years’ time, these would provide payouts
corresponding to BRS assumes you do not that are, in today’s dollars, roughly $600+,
need to rent a place to stay. $1,100+ and $1,600+.
For Merdeka Generation members who turn 65 this year and start their payouts, the
amount you need to have in your RA to generate a corresponding monthly income today is
shown in the table below:
Monthly lifetime payout
$600 $1,100 $1,600
from 65 years old
RA balance required at $100,000 - $200,000 - $300,000 -
65 years old $110,000 $210,000 $310,000
*Payout figures are estimates, based on the CPF LIFE Standard Plan and computed as of 2019. If you choose
to top up to your RA, the top up limit is the current Enhanced Retirement Sum less your RA savings excluding
interest earned and government grants.
You can use the CPF LIFE Payout Estimator on the CPF website for your own projection
based on your current RA balances.
Now that you have a sense of how much your CPF savings will contribute to your
retirement income, we can start to address these questions.
3.1 SHOULD I JOIN CPF LIFE IF I AM ON THE RETIREMENT
SUM SCHEME?
Before CPF LIFE, CPF members receive their monthly payouts from the savings in their
Retirement Account until it is depleted under the Retirement Sum Scheme (RSS). With
Singaporeans living longer, the risk of retirees outliving their savings is becoming very real.
Hence, CPF LIFE, our national annuity plan, was introduced in 2009 and made mandatory
in 2013 to protect against this longevity risk. If you are born 1958 or later and have at least
$60,000 in your RA when you turn 65 years old, you will be placed on CPF LIFE instead of
the RSS.
If you are on the RSS, you can also choose to join CPF LIFE before your 80th birthday. The
question is, should you? Ideally, you should have a retirement plan that pays you for life
because the last thing you want is to go back to work when you are in your 80s or hope
that your children can support you when they are already in their 60s. It would be better to
age with dignity with assurance of a lifelong income. Nonetheless, there are scenarios that
CPF LIFE is not suitable, i.e., very old members or those with very low RA balances, as you
may end up with a very small monthly payout that is not meaningful. In comparison, the
RSS gives a minimum payout of $250 per month.CHAPTER 3 | CPF PAYOUTS: YOUR SAFE RETIREMENT INCOME FLOOR 14
3.2 SHOULD I START MY CPF Based on a current payout of $600 a month,
making a 20% withdrawal will reduce your
LIFE PAYOUTS NOW? payout to $490 per month on the Standard
plan. It is important to decide if the reduction
Since 2016, you can choose to defer your of the monthly payout is worthwhile and
payout start age up to 70 years old. For would lend to a more meaningful life. In
every year you defer, your monthly payout addition, you don’t have to withdraw the
will increase by 6 – 7% more. For example, 20% in a lump sum, it can be done so in
if your payout is $600 per month if you start parts and even after your Payout Eligibility
at 65 years old, delaying the payout till 70 Age. So, if you don’t have immediate use for
years old will increase it to about $800 per the money, why not treat this as some sort
month for life. If you are still working or have of emergency funds instead?
other sources of income, this is one way for
you to increase your payouts without having
to put more money in your CPF.
3.4 WHICH CPF LIFE PLAN
SHOULD I CHOOSE?
3.3 SHOULD I MAKE A LUMP
There are currently 3 CPF LIFE plans you
SUM WITHDRAWAL AT can choose from – the Standard, Basic or
PAYOUT ELIGIBILITY AGE? Escalating plan, each catering to those with
different priorities. For those who want to
If you were born after 1957, you have enjoy the highest payout, Standard plan is
the option to make an unconditional for you. For those who are more concerned
withdrawal of up to 20% of your RA with leaving behind a legacy, Basic plan
balances (excluding top-ups and grants) could be more suitable. Lastly, if you are
when you reach your Payout Eligibility Age. concerned about rising cost of living, you
While such a withdrawal option provides can also consider the Escalating plan which
you with flexibility to fulfil some lifelong starts with a lower payout but increases by
wish upon retirement, the effect of this 2% per year.
withdrawal reduces your monthly payout.
Here is a comparison of the payouts across the three plans.
Standard Basic Escalating
$680 @ 65
Based on $150,000 in RA at
$860 $780 $830 @ 75
age 65 years old
$1010 @ 85
*Payout figures are estimates, based on a male member and computed as of 2019.
All CPF LIFE plans comes with a bequest feature, which means the monies used to join
CPF LIFE which was not paid out to you in monthly payouts by the time you pass on,
will be returned to your loved ones. The payouts, while stable, are not guaranteed as it is
subject to changes in CPF interest rates6 and mortality experiences.
Perhaps the easiest way to decide between the three plans is to check if the $100 per
month difference in payout between the plans is important to you, as the main objective in
any annuity is to provide an income stream. If yes, you may want to consider the Standard
plan to maximise your payouts today or the Escalating plan to maximise your payouts
in future. If no, the Basic plan could be more suitable as it would leave behind a larger
bequest for your beneficiaries.
What if you do not manage to actively take any of the above decisions? Have no fear. If
you do nothing, you will by default start your payout when you turn 70 years old on the
CPF LIFE Standard plan. This combination will give you the highest payout for life based on
your RA balances.
5. Interest on your Special, Medisave and Retirement Accounts is either the current floor rate of 4% p.a. or the 12-month average yield of 10-year Singapore Government
Securities (10YSGS) plus 1%, whichever is higher. The floor rate of 4% is reviewed annually by the government. Current(2019) average yield of the 10YSGS plus 1% is 3.38%.4 ADDITIONAL INCOME IN RETIREMENT
4
CHAPTER 4 | ADDITIONAL INCOME IN RETIREMENT 16
ADDITIONAL
INCOME IN
RETIREMENT
Strategies a Merdeka Generation senior can employ in
building a second layer of retirement income.
THE 5 RISKS FACED BY RETIREES
Retirement planning for retirees is more complicated than for accumulators because of the
combination of 5 risks that retirees need to deal with:
1. Longevity risk – living too long
2. Inflation risk – things becoming more expensive
3. Investing risk – assets value rise and fall
4. Over-spending risk – unsustainable spending
5. Healthcare risk – huge medical expenses
The combination of these risks poses a conundrum for retirees. While an annuity like CPF
LIFE takes care of longevity risk to some extent, rising costs (inflation risk) mean that
a much bigger retirement fund is required to maintain your current standard of living.
Leaving your money in the bank to earn fixed deposit interest rates is unlikely (going/
able) to support your retirement spending and hence there is a need to invest for higher
returns on your savings. However, investing carries risk (investing risk) and too much
volatility on your investment might become uncomfortable for retirees to accept. At the
same time, if left unchecked, excessive spending (over-spending risk) especially in the early
years of retirement could deplete their savings faster. Finally, as we age, our medical cost
(healthcare risk) increases and this will put further strain on the retirement funds.
A good retirement plan needs to try and reconcile these 5 risks for the retiree.
Here are some instruments you can consider using to build an additional layer of retirement
income, on top of CPF payouts:CHAPTER 4 | ADDITIONAL INCOME IN RETIREMENT 17
4.1 INVEST IN SUITABLE LOW-COST, WELL-DIVERSIFIED,
MARKET-BASED PORTFOLIOS TO STRETCH YOUR
SAVINGS, WHILE SETTING WITHDRAWAL RULES
Contrary to popular intuition, you can still invest in markets during your retirement years.
Your investment decision should be a combination of the need to take risk (what return you
need), your ability to take risk and your willingness to do so.
The need to take risk includes your need for income and your need to overcome longevity
and inflation risks. As for your ability to take risk, consider your financial situation, such
as whether you have an emergency fund and the time horizons that are relevant to you.
Given that an average retirement can span 15 to 20 years today, you certainly have the
time horizon to invest at least a portion of your savings that you do not immediately need.
However, you need to be willing to accept some volatility because staying invested is key
to capturing market return.
Unless you have a large enough pool of capital to be able to spend only the return, you
should also set a retirement withdrawal rule at between 2.5% to 4.0% of initial invested
capital, to help mitigate the negative impact of sequence of returns risk in investing. This is
the risk of experiencing negative market returns at the beginning of your drawdown, such
that you would deplete your capital base quickly if you are drawing down a fixed amount
(or an amount that is adjusted for inflation yearly), compared to a situation in which the
returns are positive at the start of your drawdown period. Alternatively, you can bucket
your investments according to different time horizons and invest later “buckets” into higher
risk portfolios earlier “buckets” into low-risk instruments.
Sequence of returns matter in retirement
ACCUMULATOR RETIREE
No withdrawals / Starting value: $100,000 5% annual withdrawal of starting value
($684,848) inflation-adjusted
Annual Portfolio A Annual Portfolio B Annual Portfolio A Annual Portfolio B
Age Age
Return Year-End Value Return Year-End Value Return Year-End Value Return Year-End Value
41 -12% $87,695 29% $129,491 66 -12% $566,337 29% $852,571
42 -21% $69,426 18% $152,281 67 -21% $413,086 18% $967,355
43 -14% $59,707 25% $189,590 68 -14% $318,927 25% $1,168,029
44 22% $72,984 -6% $178,404 69 22% $352,432 -6% $1,061,698
45 10% $80,136 15% $204,272 70 10% $348,431 15% $1,177,105
46 4% $83,595 8% $221,183 71 4% $323,772 8% $1,234,855
47 11% $92,707 27% $281,124 72 11% $318,176 27% $1,525,614
48 3% $95,210 -2% $274,939 73 3% $284,653 -2% $1,452,871
49 -3% $92,155 15% $315,355 74 -3% $232,143 15% $1,623,066
50 21% $111,507 19% $375,272 75 21% $236,215 19% $1,886,771
51 17% $130,129 33% $498,737 76 17% $194,417 33% $2,461,500
52 5% $137,026 11% $554,097 77 5% $194,417 11% $2,687,327
53 -10% $123,597 -10% $499,795 78 -10% $126,543 -10% $2,375,148
54 11% $137,316 5% $526,284 79 11% $90,304 5% $2,450,746
55 33% $182,493 17% $614,174 80 33% $68,219 17% $2,808,226
56 19% $217,167 21% $743,150 81 19% $27,833 21% $3,344,606
57 15% $249,091 -3% $719,305 82 15% $0 -3% $3,182,338
58 -2% $243,611 3% $738,726 83 -2% $0 3% $3,211,664
59 27% $309,629 11% $819,247 84 27% $0 11% $3,503,440
60 8% $335,262 4% $854,602 85 8% $0 4% $3,594,592
61 15% $383,875 10% $938,354 86 15% $0 10% $3,885,017
62 -6% $361,226 22% $1,147,022 87 -6% $0 22% $4,685,527
63 25% $449,727 -14% $986,439 88 25% $0 -14% $3,963,710
64 18% $528,878 -21% $780,941 89 18% $0 -21% $3,070,398
65 29% $684,848 -12% $684,848 90 29% $0 -12% $2,622,984
8% $684,848 8% $684,848 8% $0 8% $2,622,984
No difference Big differenceCHAPTER 4 | ADDITIONAL INCOME IN RETIREMENT 18
To compare 4.2 CONSIDER RETIREMENT Retirement income plans provide a monthly
payout over a fixed period. The payout
the different INCOME PRODUCTS comprises both a guaranteed and non-
retirement
guaranteed portion depending on the
income plans in For those who prefer not to make portfolio performance of the underlying fund. It is
the market, try investments, you may wish to consider important to take note that a portion of
MoneyOwl’s retirement income products offered by local the return is not guaranteed. Compared
Insurance insurers. When CPF LIFE was introduced, to portfolio investments, Retirement
Robo. it effectively killed off the private annuities income products generally present less
market as it was close to impossible to visible volatility as the payouts depend on
match the returns, all else being equal. the insurer’s ability to make the different
Nevertheless, the insurance companies threshold of investment returns in the
have reinvented this product range as insurance fund. In terms of disadvantages,
retirement income products which now you may find the capital outlay large
offer themselves as a complement to CPF relative to the return.
LIFE, especially if you have already hit the
CPF top-up limit.
Retirement income plans
Yearly income payouts
Non-guaranteed
amount
Guaranteed
amount
Payout age Retirement years Age
4.3 PARK YOUR LIQUID FUNDS IN SINGAPORE SAVINGS
BONDS (SSB)
Singapore Savings Bonds are more savings than investment instruments. For retirees (or
anyone, actually), they can be a very good place to park your liquid funds. They are flexible
alternatives to fixed deposit accounts, but without penalty for redemption. These bonds
are backed by the Singapore government and principal is guaranteed.
The SSB has a full tenure of 10 years and its interest is tied to that of Singapore
Government Securities (SGS). You get a coupon every 6 months. You receive less interest
at the start, but the interest steps up over time. The coupons and effective interest rates
you will receive are all announced prior to your investment. If you hold your SSB for the
full 10 years, your return will match the average 10-year SGS yield the month before your
investment.
The difference between SSBs and SGS is that you have the flexibility to redeem the bond
at any time, with a maximum waiting period of one month, without price risks. You always
get back your full principal even if you sell before the 10 years is up. In this regard, SSBs
are unlike Singapore Government Securities (SGS), which have to be sold on the secondary
market if you want to redeem them early. The price at which you can sell the SGS is
dependent on market factors. If the interest on newer issues of SGS has gone up, buyers
will ask for a lower price to compensate for the opportunity cost. If market forces move
the other way, the price of SGS can go up as well. Not so for SSBs. You get back what you
invested, no more, no less, and of course you keep the coupons you have already clipped.
In terms of overall return, an investor who holds an SSB for a given number of years wouldCHAPTER 4 | ADDITIONAL INCOME IN RETIREMENT 19
have an average return similar to that of an SGS of the same tenure. You even know what
this return is ahead of time!
SSBs deal with the risk of investing loss (given that they are not really a traditional
investment), but not inflation or other risks faced by retirees. They can complement your
retirement plan in two ways. The first is to receive the coupons, but these are not high. The
coupon rate for March 2019 issues are 1.95% in the first 12 months and step up to 2.55%
for a 10-year period. Assuming you buy into $100,000 worth of these SSBs and hold it till
maturity, you can expect to receive an average of just under $1,100 in coupons every 6
months. The second way is to draw down your SSBs by redeeming them gradually over set
time intervals or when you have unforeseen emergencies.
INTEREST FOR $100,000 INVESTED IN MARCH 2019 SSB
2550
2480
25000 2390
2300
2200
2130
2050
1950 1950 1970
Annual Interest ($)
2000
1500
1000
500
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Years
You can buy SSBs through one of our three local banks – DBS/POSB, OCBC or UOB, via
the ATM or internet banking. You will need either a CDP account or an SRS account and
there is an administrative charge of $2 per application. The minimum investment amount
is $500, capped at a maximum holding level of $200,000. In months when the SSBs are
oversubscribed, you may not get your full allocation.
4.4 OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME
In an earlier chapter, we had talked about monetising your home for additional income
in retirement. In the event of severe disability in retirement, there may be payouts from
ElderShield or the upcoming CareShield Life to help in long-term care expenses, in addition
to what you may have from CPF LIFE/ Retirement Sum Scheme and investments.
We will cover this in our next chapter.
The saying goes that the journey of thousand miles begins with a single step.
So does a 20, 25 or 30-year retirement. We’ve listed down several ways you can
supplement your income for a more secure and purposeful retirement.
We hope you are encouraged to take them.5 A MEDICAL SAFETY NET
5
CHAPTER 5 | A MEDICAL SAFETY NET 21
A MEDICAL
SAFETY NET
The third Must-Have for Retirement – a strong healthcare
safety net that takes care of your healthcare needs.
Ageing is inescapable and as we age, our body’s healing ability declines significantly,
especially in the silver years. We become more susceptible to illnesses and injuries which
may eventually lead to some forms of disability. The Ministry of Health (MOH) estimated
that one in two healthy Singaporeans age 65 could become severely disabled in their
lifetime and may need long-term care. Furthermore, 3 in 10 severely disabled persons
remain disabled for 10 years or more. With rising medical costs and longer life expectancy,
it is no wonder that healthcare cost is an increasing concern among the seniors.
The cost of healthcare can come from 3 areas;
Outpatient treatments Hospitalisation Long-term care
Retirees should have a strong medical safety net in the form of savings and medical
insurance that can support their healthcare needs without compromising their standard
of living.
With the generous benefits under the Merdeka Generation Package, Merdeka Generation
seniors can now be more assured of their healthcare funding. Let us look at how Merdeka
Generation seniors can manage their healthcare funding in the following areas.CHAPTER 5 | A MEDICAL SAFETY NET 22
5.1 FIRST SAFETY NET – OUTPATIENT TREATMENTS
These are treatments for common ailments (e.g. cough and colds), dental care as well
as chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes. The cost of treatment at GPs or
even specialist clinics are generally manageable but the on-going follow-ups for chronic
conditions can be a burden.
There are affordable options. Pioneer Generation (PG) and Singaporeans with low to
middle-income can enjoy subsidies at clinics participating in the Community Health
Assist Scheme (CHAS). With Budget 2019, this scheme is now extended to all Merdeka
Generation Singaporeans regardless of income:
• Special CHAS subsidies at CHAS GP and dental clinics, which are higher than CHAS
Blue subsidies (the more subsidised of the two CHAS tiers, for persons whose per
capital household income isCHAPTER 5 | A MEDICAL SAFETY NET 23
Age next MediShield Estimated MediShield Life Premium (2019 rates) after existing
birthday Life Premium subsidy based on household income and additional 5/10%
before subsidy discount for the Merdeka Generation
Lower income8 Lower middle Upper middle High income11
income9 income10
61-65 755 453 491 528 717
66-70 815 489 530 570 774
71-73 885 531 576 620 841
74-75 975 585 634 682 926
76-78 1130 565 622 678 1017
79-80 1175 588 647 706 1058
81-83 1250 625 688 750 1125
84-85 1430 715 787 858 1287
The table above is applicable for Singaporeans living in residences with an Annual Value of $13,000 or less, which covers all persons living in
HDB flats.7
The overall discount on the MediShield Life premium for the Merdeka Generation is quite
significant especially for the lower income. You can estimate your MediShield Life premium
by using the Premium Calculator on MOH’s website12 (before the 5%/10% Merdeka
Generation premium discount).
Is MediShield Life adequate for you?
MSHL is catered for those who will stay at Class B2 or C wards at restructured hospitals.
These are heavily subsidised wards with basic amenities and no flexibility to choose your
preferred doctors.
Those who prefer amenities such as air-conditioning, attached TVs and toilets or choice of
own doctors, may upgrade to an Integrated Shield Plan (IP) for:
• Restructured hospital in B1 ward
• Restructured hospital in A ward
• Private hospitals
WITH IP NO IP
Private hospitals A/B1 ward
Interestingly, more than 6 in 10 people in Singapore own an IP and about half of them are
catered for private hospitals. With rising IP premiums, some may find it no
longer affordable.
6. Refer here for subsidies rate for Permanent Residents and those living in larger properties. https://www.moh.gov.sg/MediShield-life/medishield-life-premiums-
and-subsidies/premium-subsidy-tables
7. Lower-income refers to individuals with a household monthly income per person of $1,100 or less.
8. Lower-middle-income refers to individuals with a household monthly income per person of $1,101 to $1,800.
9. Upper-middle-income refers to individuals with a household monthly income per person of $1,801 to $2,600.
10. High-income refers to individuals with a household monthly income per person of more than $2,600.
11. https://www.moh.gov.sg/MediShield-life/medishield-life-premiums-and-subsidies/medishield-life-premium-calculator#CHAPTER 5 | A MEDICAL SAFETY NET 24
Upgrading or downgrading your IP
Before making changes to your MediShield Life or IP, you should consider the following.
A F FOR DA B I L I T Y
The premium for MSHL/IP increases over time. Consider the current and future premium.
Age next MediShield Life Premium range of IPs in the market
birthday Premium (MSHL premium + Additional Insurer premium)
Restructured Restructured Restructured Private hospitals
B2/C ward B1 ward A ward
61-65 755 1063 - 1235 1229 - 1528 1874 - 2712
66-70 815 1292 - 1534 1727 - 2102 2639 - 3589
71-73 885 1610 - 2036 2163 - 2691 3337 - 4635
74-75 975 1834 - 2316 2519 - 3082 3744 - 5376
76-78 1130 2156 - 3042 2877 - 3868 4602 - 6503
79-80 1175 2337 - 3099 3132 - 4143 4924 - 7166
81-83 1250 2525 - 3800 3443 - 4974 5237 - 7780
84-85 1430 2897 - 4001 3884 - 5216 6176 - 8579
(Source: MOH website. The range of premium pertains to IP plans currently available for purchase. The premium does not include any plan
rider.) The MediShield Life Premiums shown above are before any subsidy given based on household income as well as the 5%/10% premium
discount for the Merdeka Generation (refer to the previous table for reference). With these subsidy and discount, the IP premium will be lower
than reflected above.
Note that you can pay the MediShield Life premium fully using Medisave.
Compare IP
For IP, you can only use Medisave to pay the additional insurer premium up to these caps:
plans here:
• $300 if you are 40 years old or younger on your next birthday.
https://www.
• $600 if you are 41 to 70 years old on your next birthday.
moneyowl.com.
• $900 if you are 71 years or older on your next birthday
sg/#/direct
If you must upgrade or downgrade your IP, the golden rule is to make changes within
the current insurer. If you switch to a different insurance company, the new insurer could
impose exclusion on pre-existing conditions that you may have. What this means is that
you cannot make any claims on the IP that is related to the excluded pre-existing condition.
5.3 THIRD SAFETY NET – LONG-TERM CARE
Many will require long-term care due to severe disability in old age. A person is severely
disabled if he or she is unable to perform at least 3 Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
independently, namely, feeding, dressing, toileting, washing, mobility and transferring.
When it happens, caregiving is needed.CHAPTER 5 | A MEDICAL SAFETY NET 25
ElderShield was launched in 2002 to address the financial concern of long-term care.
Being a non-compulsory scheme, a significant number of people chose to opt-out
especially when it first started. The benefits of ElderShield are kept low for affordability.
Monthly payouts are either $300 for up to 5 years or $400 for up to 6 years.
Read our
CareShield Life
commentary From 2020, CareShield Life (an improvement from ElderShield) will be launched. Not only
on CareShield does it provide higher payouts of at least $600 (which increases till age 67 or when a claim
Life here is made, whichever earlier), the payouts are for life as long as severe disability persists.
https://advice. Severe disability can be due to a physical injury, illness or even severe mental impairment.
moneyowl.
com.sg/a- Merdeka Generation seniors who are not severely disabled can join CareShield Life in
singaporeans- 2021. To encourage Merdeka Generation seniors to join CareShield Life, an additional
help- participation incentive of $1,500 is given to join the scheme. This is on top of a previously
singaporeans- announced $2,500 sum, making it a total of $4,000 discount to offset CareShield Life
scheme/ premium. This is in addition to current means-tested premium subsidies.
Your CareShield Life premium is dependent on several factors including your age, gender,
citizenship, monthly per capita household income, residential property and whether you
are currently on ElderShield plan or not.
Estimated CareShield Life Premium Table for selected Merdeka Generation ages
(currently with ElderShield 300 and staying in an HDB flat)
Additional total premiums payable for 10 years - Male
Age Without SC - With all subsidy and incentives^ PR - With subsidy
subsidies
$0 - $1101 - $1801 - Above $0 - $1101 - $1801 - Above
$1100 $1800 $2600 $2601 $1100 $1800 $2600 $2601
62 7313 1374 1697 2020 3313 6344 6505 6667 7313
67 7490 1594 1910 2226 3490 6542 6700 6858 7490
Additional total premiums payable for 10 years - Female
Age Without SC - With all subsidy and incentives^ PR - With subsidy
subsidies
$0 - $1101 - $1801 - Above $0 - $1101 - $1801 - Above
$1100 $1800 $2600 $2601 $1100 $1800 $2600 $2601
62 9699 3125 3554 3983 5699 8412 8627 8841 9699
67 10,200 3608 4040 4472 6200 8904 9120 9336 10,200
Source: MOH website ^
Incentives include both Participation Incentive and Additional Participation Incentive for MG
For a male, age 62, Singaporean, whose monthly per capita household income falls within
the $1,101 to $1,800 range, his CareShield Life premium is estimated at $1,697 after
subsidy and incentives for ten years. This works out to less than $170 per year.
Premium without subsidy is estimated at $7,313, or about $731 per year.
For full details on CareShield Life and estimate your premium using the CareShield Life
Premium Calculator, you can refer to https://www.moh.gov.sg/careshieldlife/about-
careshield-life.
12. https://www.moh.gov.sg/careshieldlife/about-careshield-life/careshield-life-premium-calculator
13. If you have ever opted out and re-joined ElderShield, have a single or 10-year ElderShield premium payment plan or have a paid-up policy, your personalised
premiums will be available closer to 2021.CHAPTER 5 | A MEDICAL SAFETY NET 26
Those who opted out of ElderShield can either wait till 2021 to sign up for CareShield Life
or get immediate coverage by first applying for ElderShield provided they are not older
than 64 and are not severely disabled.
Should I switch from ElderShield to CareShield Life?
Monthly payouts of $300 to $400 under ElderShield are insufficient to meet long-term
care cost, especially as severe disability is likely to last longer than the 5-6 years after
occurrence.
While you may have income from CPF LIFE payouts, it can be a strain to pay for long-term
care costs out of these payouts.
Long-term care options include staying in a nursing home, being looked after by a helper or
family member at home, or a combination of day care and homecare. The cost can easily
range from $1,000 to over $3,000 per month before subsidies. Even after means-tested
subsidies and CareShield Life payouts of $600, there will still be a cost that has to be borne
out of one’s retirement income.
5.3 ESTIMATED COSTS OF LONG-TERM CARE OPTIONS
FOR LOWER-MIDDLE-INCOME SINGAPOREANS AFTER
SUBSIDY AND CARESHIELD LIFE PAYOUTS
Source: ElderShield Review Committee Report, 25 May 2018CHAPTER 5 | A MEDICAL SAFETY NET 27
Source: ElderShield Review Committee Report, 25 May 2018
Given the high probability of severe disability, the duration of disability should it happen
Compare and the strain of long-term care costs on the family, Merdeka Generation seniors who are
long-term care not yet severely disabled should consider joining CareShield Life early to take advantage
plans here of the Participation Incentives, if they are able to afford the premiums. This will provide a
https://www. better safety net for long-term care.
moneyowl.com.
sg/#/direct You can further enhance the payouts by adding a supplementary Long-Term Care Plan (or
ElderShield Supplement) from a private insurer.6 ESTATE DISTRIBUTION
6
CHAPTER 6 | ESTATE DISTRIBUTION 29
ESTATE
DISTRIBUTION
In this sixth and final chapter in the Merdeka
Generation series, we will be exploring estate
planning – one of the most important aspects of
financial planning that may often be overlooked by
seniors and younger people alike. Indeed, everyone
needs to plan ahead and take actions while they
still have mental capacity, as one never knows
when something may happen. For seniors in the
Merdeka Generation, there may be a heightened
sense of urgency as one starts to age.
Estate planning concerns the loved ones left behind upon your eventual passing, how you
can provide them with your hard-earned assets – leaving a legacy for your family and
loved ones, a final act of love.
So, what happens to our assets when we pass on? How would these assets be distributed
and who gets what? These are important questions that should be decided by none other
than you – the owner of your assets – and distributed in accordance with your wishes.
Without proper planning, we could be leaving a financial mess for our loved ones to pick
up after our passing.
Distribution of assets upon death – or estate distribution – need not be difficult. A better
understanding of the estate rules governing common assets such as property, CPF
savings, life insurance, and the benefits of having a will, and taking action thereafter, can
ensure that our assets will go to our intended beneficiaries without unnecessary hassle.CHAPTER 6 | ESTATE DISTRIBUTION 30
6.1 HOME PROPERTY
How your share of the property gets transferred upon death depends on how it is being
held, whether joint-tenancy or tenancy-in-common.
Most How your property will be distributed upon death
properties are
held under When one of the joint tenants dies, the decease's interest
Joint-tenancy
joint-tenancy. in the property will automatically be transferred to the
(Most common)
You can find remaining surviving owners.
out your
property Each tenant holds a separate and distinct share of the
ownership property and can transfer his or her share of the property
Tenancy-in-common
status here. to others via a will or, in the absence of a will, according to
Intestate Succession Act.
Take, for example, Mr and Mrs Tan who are joint-tenants of a property, and if, say, Mr Tan
passes on, the surviving spouse (Mrs. Tan) will inherit and become the sole owner of the
property. As the property is under joint-tenancy, Mr Tan cannot create a will to distribute
away his share. However, if the property is held under tenancy-in-common, Mr Tan could
write a will to distribute away his share to others.
What if yours is a HDB flat?
HDB flat can only be retained if the beneficiaries fulfil certain eligibility criteria including
Singapore Citizenship or Singapore Permanent Residency and are at least 21 years of age;
otherwise, it must be sold.
6.2 CPF SAVINGS
You should make a CPF nomination to specify how your CPF savings should be distributed.
In the absence of a CPF nomination, your CPF savings will be transferred to the Public
Trustee’s Office for distribution to your family under the Intestate Succession Act or the
Inheritance Certificate (for Muslims).
Your CPF savings cannot be distributed via a will.
The process of disbursement via CPF nomination is swift, and I have personal experience
in this regard. When my father passed on a few years ago, the CPF Board disbursed the
CPF monies to my mum (the nominee) very quickly within 3 weeks because my late father
did a CPF nomination. To my mum, it was not so much the money she inherited, but the
expediency of settling such matters did help to bring about a closure sooner.
What does a CPF Nomination cover?
Not all assets involving CPF are covered by a CPF nomination. Those assets not covered
must be addressed separately.
Cover under CPF Nomination Not covered under CPF Nomination
1. CPF savings* in your Ordinary, Special, 1. Properties bought using your CPF savings
MediSave and Retirement accounts
2. Payouts from Dependants' Protection Scheme (DPS)
2. Unused CPF LIFE premiums,
3. Cash and investments held in the CPF Investment Account
3. Discounted SingTel shares under the CPF Investment Scheme-Ordinary Account (CPFIS-OA)
*CPF savings cannot be included in your Will. They 4. Investments held under the CPF Investment Scheme-Special
also do not form your estate and are protected from Account (CPFIS-SA)
creditor claims on any outstanding debts.
(Source: CPF)CHAPTER 6 | ESTATE DISTRIBUTION 31
What are the different types of CPF Nomination?
Before making a CPF nomination, do note there are 3 types to choose from depending on
your needs.
1. Cash Nomination – this is the default option. In this nomination, your nominees will
receive the CPF savings in cash. Download the form here (URL: https://www.cpf.gov.sg/
Members/Schemes/schemes/other-matters/cpf-nomination-scheme).
2. Enhanced Nomination Scheme Nomination – Your nominees will receive the CPF savings
in their CPF accounts. You can decide to transfer your CPF savings to their:
• MediSave account – for their healthcare needs; or
• Special account – for their retirement needs.
Visit any of the CPF Service Centres to make this nomination.
3. Special Needs Savings Scheme Nomination – this allows parents to nominate their
special needs children to receive the CPF savings on a monthly basis. To make this
nomination, you would need to work with the Special Needs Trust Company (SNTC) and
the CPF Board. More information on this scheme here.
6.3 LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES
If there are no beneficiaries named in your insurance policies, the proceeds can be
distributed by way of a will or, in the absence of a will, by Intestate Succession Act.
With effect from 1 September 2009, you can make a revocable nomination or a trust
nomination on your insurance policies for your beneficiaries.
• A trust nomination – it is irrevocable and is meant to benefit your spouse
and/or children.
• A revocable nomination – can name any person as a nominee and can be revoked
anytime by you.
If there are beneficiaries named in your insurance policies before 1 September 2009,
there could be some potential issues:
• If the named beneficiaries are a spouse and/or children, your policy is now under
Section 73 of the Conveyancing and Law of Property Act, essentially you have
created a statutory trust. This cannot be revoked unless the named beneficiaries
give their consent.
• If the beneficiary is anyone other than spouse or children, there may be issues
regarding its validity. Hence it may be prudent to remove the named beneficiary and
do a revocable nomination or distribute it by way of a will.CHAPTER 6 | ESTATE DISTRIBUTION 32
6.4 HAVING A WILL
Other than most circumstances as explored above, the decease's estate of a non-Muslim
will be distributed either by way of a will or, in its absence, according to the Intestate
Succession Act.
Death without a Will – Intestate Succession
Without a will, the distribution of a decease's estate will follow the priority as set out by
the Intestate Succession Act (ISA).
Deceased dies intestate leaving: Distribution
Spouse Spouse 100%
(No parents or issue*)
Spouse, Issue Spouse 50%
(With or without parents) Issue (To be shared equally) 50%
Issue Issue 100%
(No spouse) (To be shared equally)
Spouse, Parents Spouse 50%
(No issue) Parents (To be shared equally) 50%
Parents Parents 100%
(No spouse or issue) (To be shared equally)
Siblings Siblings 100%
(No spouse, issue or parents) (To be shared equally)
Grandparents Grandparents 100%
(No spouse, issue, parents or siblings) (To be shared equally)
Uncles and Aunts Uncles and Aunts 100%
(No spouse, issue, parents, siblings or (To be shared equally)
grandparents)
None of the above Government 100%
*”issue” – includes children and the descendants of deceased children.
Under the ISA, spouse and children take precedence over parents, siblings and other
family relationships. While it may seem logical with some, such a distribution order can be
problematic, such as:
• A married person with children hopes to leave behind something for his or her parents.
Under ISA, the parents are excluded.
• A single person wishes to provide for both his or her parents and siblings. Siblings are
excluded in this case.
These issues can be easily solved by having a will.
Benefits of a will
With a will, you can decide who your beneficiaries are and how much they get. Equally
important is the control you exercise to choose whom you trust to be your executors,
trustees and guardians. Having a will can also avoid the potential conflicts and disharmony
among loved ones who may dispute how the estate should be distributed. Lastly, the
process of administrating the estate is generally faster with a will than without one.CHAPTER 6 | ESTATE DISTRIBUTION 33
Interestingly, many people do not have a will. Common reasons being the high cost of
writing a will, not knowing how to begin, and perhaps the time is not right.
With MoneyOwl’s online will writing service, which is complimentary with a promotional
code, there is no reason to put off will writing any further. The guided will writing process
will help you draft out your will in no time. Get it printed and signed before two witnesses
(who cannot be a beneficiary or the spouse of a beneficiary) and your will is legally
binding. If you need to make further edits, just come back and use the service again.
Start writing your will here More info on Why Write a Will?
Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)
Finally, do consider making a Lasting Power of Attorney while you have the mental
capacity to do so. An LPA basically allows you to appoint one or more people [‘donee(s)’]
to manage your personal welfare and property should you (‘donor’) lose mental capacity
one day.
A donee can be appointed to act in 2 broad areas, whether separately or jointly:
• Personal welfare – such as, where and who should donor live with, healthcare matters,
what to wear and eat.
• Property and affairs – such as dealing with the donor’s property, managing bank
accounts, investing and making purchases of equipment for donor’s needs.
To make a LPA, you need to:
• Fill up a form from the Office of Public Guardian. Till 31 August 2020, the LPA
application fee is waived for the more common LPA option (Form 1).
• Engage a certificate issuer to sign as a witness and certify that you understand the
implications of an LPA. A certificate issuer could be an accredited medical practitioner, a
practising lawyer or a registered psychiatrist. The average fee charged by an accredited
practitioner is about $50.
• Send the form and certificate back to the Office of Public Guardian for registration. If
there are no valid objections in the six-week waiting period, your LPA will be registered.
The stamp of the Office of Public Guardian will be impressed on the registered LPA. The
Office of Public Guardian will send it back to you for safekeeping.THANK YOU!
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