I started serious Investing Journey in Jan 2000 to create wealth through long-term investing and short-term trading; but as from April 2013 my Journey in Investing has changed to create Retirement Income for Life till 85 years old in 2041 for two persons over market cycles of Bull and Bear.

Since 2017 after retiring from full-time job as employee; I am moving towards Investing Nirvana - Freehold Investment Income for Life investing strategy where 100% of investment income from portfolio investment is cashed out to support household expenses i.e. not a single cent of re-investing!

It is 57% (2017 to Aug 2022) to the Land of Investing Nirvana - Freehold Income for Life!


Click to email CW8888 or Email ID : jacobng1@gmail.com



Welcome to Ministry of Wealth!

This blog is authored by an old multi-bagger blue chips stock picker uncle from HDB heartland!

"The market is not your mother. It consists of tough men and women who look for ways to take money away from you instead of pouring milk into your mouth." - Dr. Alexander Elder

"For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them." - Aristotle

It is here where I share with you how I did it! FREE Education in stock market wisdom.

Think Investing as Tug of War - Read more? Click and scroll down



Important Notice and Attention: If you are looking for such ideas; here is the wrong blog to visit.

Value Investing
Dividend/Income Investing
Technical Analysis and Charting
Stock Tips

Monday 31 July 2017

Yield Comparison???


Walau! Can like that compare meh!

Comparing dividend yield among stocks and S-REITs is dumb without comparing dividend yield and dividend payout ratio as a PAIR!

Hey! Not All Self-Employed (Own Boss) Can Suka Suka! (2)


Read? Hey! Not All Self-Employed (Own Boss) Can Suka Suka!

Uncle88888 met this taxi driver neighbor again in the late morning.

CW: Today, no drive?

Neighbour : Bo 车. Return Taxi to Comfort.

CW: What happen?

Neighbour : Last month tio heart attack. Rest for two months and see how. 

....

....

He stayed in B2 and spent total $27K. 

$10K by govt subsidy and $17K covered by medisave and insurance claims.




Monthly Expenses Update For Jul 2017

To save more is to avoid travelling.

To spend more is to travel a bit more.



Sunday 30 July 2017

Telcos Are Retail Investors' Favourite Defensive Stocks For Dividend Income


Read? When a Giant Gain Causes Pain (5)

M1 still defensive in view of incoming stronger competitor?

It is not unexpectedly to talk about M1 when they have the chance to ask your fellow retail investor.

Uncle8888 is not vetted in any Telcos yet.

Market is up, up and UP; but M1 is down, down and DOWN!

This is NOT emotional selling from retail; but systematic selling by BBs. Right?



Saturday 29 July 2017

When a Giant Gain Causes Pain (5)


Read? When a Giant Gain Causes Pain (4)


Last night; one ex-vendor and ex-colleague jio Uncle8888 for dinner at the famous Clementi Satay. Of course; when they have dinner with Uncle8888; one of the thing to talk about will be on investing.

This ex-vendor is amazed at Uncle8888's decades of holding multi-bagger stocks and seriously he wanted to learn from him on how to hold multi-bagger stocks over the next market cycles.

His biggest regret of unable to hold winning stocks and this he must learn from Uncle8888 for the next bear market.

Uncle8888 bought DBS at $7.53; but he bought DBS at lower than Uncle8888 at $6+.

The biggest regret is that he sold DBS far too early; otherwise he will be one telling better story of high yield of 9% multi-bagger blue chip - DBS.


The Moral of the Story

It is easy to hold losing stocks forever; but to hold winning stocks over market cycles is far too difficult to execute.

So what is Uncle8888's strategy?

Like or not. Long-term investing is a Game of Strategy. We need these strategies to win the Game!

How to overcome the pain of sitting on giant pain when market seen to start correcting or pull back?



Amazon Prime Now delivery unavailable for second day after launch




Read? Amazon Prime Now delivery unavailable for second day after launch

Lack of drivers!!! 

CW8888: Smaller courier companies or agencies tio hit liao! Good news to full-time deliverymen with car! Your human asset up one level. LOL!

Saw this

Hi All, Amazon is opening up another round of recruitment for Project Speed!

Please send me the below particulars today via Facebook PM if you are interested. As they need Drivers urgently. Start work next week.

Name :

Nric :

Hp no. :

Email :

Phone Model :

Car Reg no. :

Model of Car :

*”Project Speed”*

*Payout:* $25 + $5 bonus / hour

*Working hrs:* 9am – 9pm

*Working days:* You can decide how many working days you want for that month. Maximum up to 15 days. 2 days work, 2 days rest (alt). Total max 15 working days / month

This STI Bull Still Has Long Leg???



On Blog Leave from 2 to 8 Aug 2017


No BMW!

No advance detailed travel plan

Just join local day tours!

































A good death

Read? A good death

It would be foolish to think that we can control when our time is up. But neither should we face that moment unprepared. Not only for our sake, but for the people we leave behind.

THE only certainty in life is death. But this is not something we like to think about - not when we are at our prime, our careers powering ahead, and the future bright. In fact, as you flip through the papers, about to tuck into a nice brunch with loved ones, you may even question why we want to mention it at all, potentially casting a pall on a perfectly good weekend. The reality is, there are just as many ways to die as there are ways to live. It can come like a thief in the night, sudden and without warning. For others, death comes as an impending train - relentless and closing in. Or sometimes, long after the body and mind have withered, death still does not come. As the ultimate human experience we all cannot run away from, it matters how we approach death. How we live the rest of our days depends on it.

What a good death means

A good death is hard to define. In many instances, the process of dying is described as a battle to be won, a fight between life and death. Rage, rage against the dying of the light, wrote poet Dylan Thomas.

But doctors intimate with death tell The Business Times that this struggle to extend life without thought to its quality is not necessarily what people want.

Dr Ng Wai Chong, chief of clinical affairs, Tsao Foundation, is a physician who is well acquainted with death. To him, a good death is the ultimate challenge. "It is one with a good mind, one that is peaceful, one that has closure. All the big questions in life have been answered... To prepare for a good death, you need to live a life that is responsible and with a clear conscience."


Those who are prepared are typically contented, accepting and also grateful, says Dr Ng. For Dr Neo Han Yee, a palliative care consultant at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, a good death means a life of little regret or guilt, and being at peace knowing that loved ones will be taken care of. "It is difficult to achieve zero suffering, but on a spiritual aspect, these people feel that their lives have been worthwhile and they are ready to move on."

A good death also has a social dimension, he explains: People with the "foresight" to invest their time and effort in relationships, in turn, receive support in their last days from family and loved ones. They are the ones with the wisdom to prepare early and help family members cope with their impending passing, he says.

Planning for the end

A good death doesn't come by accident. It takes planning and preparation in many aspects - financial, legal, psychological, social, medical, and even spiritual - to make it happen. This is not just to ease one's passage, but also to ease the burden on loved ones.

If the end-of-life process is a long drawn out one, the stakes are even higher. For example, if you become mentally incapacitated due to your illness and your children have no idea what your last wishes are, they could end up spending tens of thousands trying to treat you, in the hopes of extending life.

Not only could this increase your distress in your last days (though with no ill intention), the lack of clarity is likely to result in conflict among family members, and financial issues. Such a scenario may seem like the stuff of TV dramas, but it is a lot more common than you think, according to experts that BT spoke to. So, rather than wait for a crisis to strike, it may be prudent to plan ahead when things are hunky dory and you still have sound presence of mind. This could prevent unnecessary expenditure, heartache and headache for others further down the road.

Alfred Chia, CEO of financial advisory firm SingCapital, says that procrastination is one of the biggest mistakes that people tend to make regarding their finances. He is also the co-author of Last Wishes: Financial Planning, Will Planning and Funeral Planning in Singapore. "Planning for death should not be viewed as taboo or negative. In fact, it is a celebration of our life in this world," Mr Chia says. He advises people to plan for retirement early to avoid "huge financial stress" later. Work out the amount needed each month for the ideal lifestyle post-retirement and the number of years you expect to provide for, he says. The right insurance policy can also help achieve your goals in a more cost-effective way, he adds.

Other mistakes he has observed others make is to fall prey to financial scams, and to invest in instruments that don't suit their risk profile. He says: "There is a saying that when I pass on, I have not spent all my money. While that is a regret, it will be even more regretful if I have spent all my money, and yet am still alive with no capacity to earn an income."

On the flipside of the coin, those who are extremely wealthy have even more compelling reasons to plan. To manage their wealth, they often turn to family offices - private wealth management advisory firms.

Mr Chia says that planning ahead for the wealthy can help keep family unity and prevent squabbles over inheritance. Family offices can also spread the distribution of wealth over an extended period so that the children won't be "spoilt" with the sudden wealth, he adds.

Working with the law

When life ends, a host of issues crop up for loved ones, that can only be properly resolved within the confines of the law.

Most people know the significance of wills, but there are other considerations such as trusts and Lasting Power of Attorney, or the LPA.

A will is for the distribution of assets after one's death, while an LPA is for the appointment of a person or persons (known as the donee) to make decisions for you on "health and wealth" before your death.

Doris Chia, litigation partner of David Lim & Partners, saysthat most people with elderly parents would want to do an LPA, so that they are able to access their parents' bank accounts or assets to pay for their parents' medical bills when their parents are unable to do so.

One thing to bear in mind is that the LPA only kicks in in the event of loss of mental capacity. So although you may do an LPA now, it may only be valid decades later, says Ms Chia. Or, it may never come into effect at all if the person who appointed the LPA remains mentally healthy.

Ms Chia also warns that the LPA comes under the Mental Capacity Act, which means it can only be made by a person of sound mind. Once there is an onset of a mental issue such as Alzheimer's or senile dementia, it will be too late to make one.

The consequences can be serious. She cites an example where the mother of one client became mentally incapacitated and then fell ill, and the client was unable to sell a private property that she owned jointly with her mother.

Without an LPA, she had to apply to the court for deputyship to sell the property, to fund her mother's medical needs. This process cost "tens of thousands of dollars", according to Ms Chia.

"A person applying to be a deputy has to file several affidavits in court. This also costs money. You can save all this heartache now by doing an LPA. What's the harm?"

According to the Office of the Public Guardian, the fee for LPA certificate issuers ranges from S$25 for a general practitioner to S$500 for a psychiatrist - still much more affordable than applying for deputyship.

Another group of people that Ms Chia urged to apply for LPAs are singles, and people who identify as LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender).

"For LGBT people, it is essential to do an LPA as it allows the partner - and not family members, if that is your choice - to make decisions on your personal welfare and property and affairs. Otherwise, legally, your partner has no say over such matters in such circumstances."

Where there's a will

Aside from the LPA, the will is another matter to be considered seriously. For non-Muslims who die without making a will, distribution of assets will be according to the Intestate Succession Act. For example, the surviving spouse will get 50 per cent of assets, with the rest divided among their children. For singles, the assets will go to their living parents. Otherwise, it will go to their siblings.

Muslims follow the Muslim intestacy law, the faraid. Only one-third of their assets can be willed away, with the rest distributed according to the faraid.

For those who don't want to follow the standard distribution rules, making a will is vital. Some people, Ms Chia has observed, don't trust their spouses too much and prefer to give everything to their children.

The existence of a will gives much quicker access to assets. For people who die with a will in place, a Grant of Probate allows the process to move much faster compared to the Letter of Administration for those who die without a will, says Ms Chia.

Even so, the existence of a will is no guarantee that it will be carried out. It may be hidden, or lost, or challenged. It's important that the executors of the will - those who will administer and distribute your estate upon death - know where the will is, together with proper instructions on bank accounts, assets and insurance policies.

Details make all the difference. "I always say to my clients, do a will that can last many years," says Ms Chia. "Don't say Property A goes to one son, and Property B goes to another son. If you sell Property B and you forget to amend your will, one son will end up with nothing."

Instead, she recommends that the executor be instructed to sell all assets and for the proceeds to be distributed according to percentages.

State of mind and health also matter. It's better to make a will when you are healthy and of sound mind so that there will be no dispute later, Ms Chia advises. She observes that most people do not think about end-of-life decisions until they are forced upon them. But wills are sometimes contested if the person had made it when they were very old or very sick.

Giving the assets in a trust, as opposed to in a will, prevents challenges by family members, says Ms Chia. Often used for succession planning, a trust protects family assets for the good of beneficiaries who are either too young, financially immature or vulnerable until they either come of age or reach a certain maturity.

The assets put into a trust are a gift made in a person's lifetime, and not upon his death. Once the assets vest in the trust, they no longer belong to him. The assets will not form part of his assets at the point of his death and hence, a trust cannot be contested, explains Ms Chia.

Having a trust could also mitigate the heavy taxes applicable to estate duty in certain overseas jurisdictions, or safeguard assets from the possibility of lawsuits by creditors.

One particular group that can benefit are family members with special needs, she adds. Setting up a trust with that particular person as the beneficiary is a way to plan for a day when one can no longer care for him or her in person, says Ms Chia.

A conversation about care

Perhaps, due to cultural mores, or perhaps the need to "protect" their parents, some children refuse to even talk about death with their elderly parents, even as it is looming.

Sometimes, the severity of their condition - or even the amount of time they have left - is deliberately kept from them by well-meaning family members, thinking that mentioning it will result in emotional instability.

TTSH's Dr Neo observes: "Quite often, when a person is so sick, family members are pushed into a corner. They don't know how to broach the topic."

But doctors and healthcare professionals are actively trying to change this mindset with the introduction of the Advanced Care Plan (ACP). It is a voluntary discussion on future care preferences between an individual, his or her family and healthcare providers.

While not legally binding, it describes the type of care the person would prefer, if he or she is to become very sick and unable to make healthcare decisions in the future. Compared to the Advanced Medical Directive (AMD) which has a very narrow scope of criteria, the beauty of the ACP is in the conversation, says Dr Ng from the Tsao Foundation.

"The goal is to respect a person's rights to self-determination. It encourages people to think about existential issues and helps the people conducting it to get into the value system of the person. Scenarios might change, but the general drift is there, so it will bring some clarity."

Otherwise, caregivers who don't know what patients want will end up going on the "path of least resistance", which often means over-investigation of treatment, says Dr Ng.

An AMD allows you to register in advance your wishes not to have any extraordinary life-sustaining treatment to prolong life in the event that you become terminally ill and unconscious and where death is imminent. However, the definition of a "terminal illness" is extremely specific.

Among the wealthier and more educated patients or caregivers, Dr Ng has also observed a sub-group of people who approach medical conditions with a consumer attitude. Instead, he advocates having a doctor as a lohealth partner that you can trust, with a relationship built over a long time.

"I see people over-treat, over-investigate, but a primary care doctor is a better way of managing health. The person can help you clarify your purpose, your goals and the best strategy to proceed. Along the way, he can even do your ACP with you and be a facilitator when it comes to complex family dynamics."

Beginning with the end

It is not just the medical aspect of health that people should take into account in their last days. There's also the need to think about the social, emotional and psychological state of the person.

TTSH's Dr Neo explains that the intensity of pain is often heavily coloured by one's emotions. To cope with the end of life, people must build up psychological preparedness and fortitude, he says.

To him, thinking about death is constructive for thinking of life.

He observes: "Life is impermanent. You treasure people around you a lot more, you don't waste time on things not worth it. You invest your time and effort in things worthwhile. You know how to value relationships much more, so when the time comes, you will be wiser as you have thought about it for a longer period of time."

To build psychological maturity, he advises people to find a higher meaning in life, or a certain "calling". Singaporeans tend to forget this, he notes, as we trudge along in our work and family life. Happiness is always projected in the future, instead of finding meaning in one's current existence.

At the crux of it, people are too busy trying to beat each other or accrue financial gain to think about their own vulnerability, says Dr Neo.

"We live in a very illusory world. Only when a crisis hits then will the person be shaken and realise that life is fragile. If we don't make mental, emotional and financial preparations before, you will find it hard to cope with the situation. We often underestimate how much we can prepare for death."

No one can predict how much time we have left on this Earth. But if we put in as much thought about how we want to die as much as we think about how we want to live, surely our days here - limited though they may be - will be all the more precious and meaningful.

What you need to know

Will

Make sure your executors can find it. Ms Chia from David Lim & Partners cites an incident when a client made a will and was so secretive about it that his family couldn't find it after his death. Be aware also that:
The will is sometimes contested if it was made at a time when the person was very old or ill.
CPF nominations and insurance policies with a named beneficiary are not part of the will.
Property - private or HDB - held in joint tenancy will automatically go to the survivor and hence cannot be part of the will for distribution.

Lasting Power of Attorney

Can only be used when the person who makes it (the donor) loses mental capacity and is only valid when the donor signs it when he is of sound mind.

One fear that people have about LPAs is that their children or donees can "help themselves" to the donor's money when he or she is mentally incapacitated. Ms Chia debunks this: The money can only be used for the person's welfare and medical expenses, and they will need to submit accounts to the Office of the Public Guardian, which serves to safeguard the interests of individuals who lack mental capacity and are vulnerable. In addition, more than one donee can be appointed to guard against dishonesty.
Trust

Anyone can set up a trust, says Ms Chia, but the costs are higher compared to arranging a will, or even setting up a private interest foundation, an entity which has the characteristics of both a company and a trust. "If the trust requires professional trust managers to make investment decisions or payments over several generations, this will cost money to administer. One needs to weigh the asset value against the cost of administering the trust," she says.
Advance Medical Directive

Legally binding, but very narrow definition of "terminal illness".

The AMD registry is only accessible during office hours. A doctor facing an emergency situation in the night will be unable to retrieve and verify an AMD. In fact, the AMD Act Section 15 has also been frequently interpreted as an offence for a doctor to query his patient about his AMD, according to Dr Neo of TTSH.

Advance Care Plan

Puts everyone on the same page, as it describes the type of care you would prefer, if you become unable to make healthcare decisions in the future. U For people with an ACP, the palliative care is much smoother for everyone involved as they don't feel burdened with tough decisions, says Dr Ng of Tsao Foundation.

Not legally binding, and can be changed and reviewed, preferably with your primary care doctor or the main doctor tending to your advanced illness.

Friday 28 July 2017

Bye Bye Before Retirement???


Life can be unexpectedly shorter!

Uncle8888 met his neighbour on the way to take lift and during the short chit chat she told him that her husband already bye bye for 4 months. 

Strange! How come Uncle8888 not aware of the wake in his block?

Oh! The woman has arranged the wake at her mother's place.

Read the news that ex SGX CEO also passed away at 55.

While we can plan well ahead for our retirement; we must also be fully aware that we may bye bye before retirement. Life is fragile so don't squeeze ourselves so hard for retirement planning!

Thursday 27 July 2017

Worry Or Serious Concern Over Adequacy To Meet Their BRS or FRS For CPF RA???


You may NOT like or agree! It is okay!

If someone has to worry or have serious concerns over adequacy to meet their BRS or FRS for  their CPF RA over their lifetime of working till 55; they should be focusing on enhancing or extending their work-life to 62 to 67 and above. 

It is cold hard fact that person or persons are NOT ready to build sustainable retirement income for life!

If we have to worry over BRS or FRS; it is far better to focus on our jobs and becoming better human asset to our employers.






Tuesday 25 July 2017

Becoming Recognizable Face


Uncle8888 was reading his Whatapps message while walking towards Plaza Singapura and he felt someone was blocking his way and not moving off and then he heard a voice saying "You are Uncle CW. I can recognize you!" 

Har!

Turned out to be another fellow blogger. Small world. LOL!




Monday 24 July 2017

SRS - Annualized Return Over 3 Years! (2) - Revisit


Can't Monkeys see. Monkeys do!

Be an old wise monkey?

Okay man!

Read? SRS - Annualized Return Over 3 Years! (2)


Using dividends to provide a stable income


Read? Using dividends to provide a stable income

Those positive results do not mean that the income is guaranteed, of course, as share prices can also drop.

Investors who put money into Keppel Corp in 2014 when the share price was more than S$11 in order to get a high dividend, for example, have seen the share price fall to just over S$6 and annual dividends drop from 48 cents per share to 20 cents.

CHOOSING SHARES

Individuals investing in shares for their dividends will need to select them carefully so that they balance the potential returns with the risks of investing.

Simply picking shares which have the highest dividend yields is not a particularly challenging process, as investment advisory firm The Motley Fool observes.

However, investors need to look beyond the yield and consider the company’s financial performance as well as its rate of dividend growth.


CW8888: Another theory and concept writing!

Who has the wisdom eyes to look years ahead?

Writers?

Our investing experience is very personal and practical on the ground; you don't make money or lose money during your time of investing and that doesn't mean other EARLIER or LATER investors will have the same outcome as you.


Read? Invest In Fallen Angels For Lifelong Dividend Income???

Over decades; our investing outcome will depend on

Method. Mind and Money Management

Market timing and Position Sizing will eventually determine our investment performance outcome and set us for future sustainable retirement income from our net worth.






Saturday 22 July 2017

TIP - To Insure Performance? Not Really For One Time Effort Job


Read? TIP - To Insure Performance


Uncle8888 also into this uncommon tip receiving service.

TIP - To Insure Performance?

This is how he thinks.

For one time effort job and most unlikely to happen again to the same person to receive the service. Why do some people still choose to give tip either by keeping the change or pulling out that dollars from their wallet?

So far he has received tips from $1 to $20 and men are more likely to give tips!

These gentlemen are more generous by nature! Right?

Up to now he has observed that those staying in expensive house and estate may NOT be the one who are likely to give tips. 






Keppel O&M and SembMarine To Merge???


Will Ah Gong steps up to say it?

Real competitors are from South Korea and China!


Work or Further My Studies? - Revisit


Read? Work or Further My Studies?

What if Uncle8888 has spent $1XX,XXX for his MBA. He is likely to continue working to recover that $1XX,XXX "investment cost" instead of retiring at 60. Highly possible!


Invest In Fallen Angels For Lifelong Dividend Income???


Read? Will History Repeat Itself???

MAY few of these fallen angels eventually become your guardian angels for lifelong dividend income. It is blessing or damn lucky!

There are the same stock and corporation riding the market and economic cycle of Boom and Doom and the investment outcome year after year over past decade is drastically different. 

Practical on the ground is NOT what we continuously hear or read from theorists or concepts authors on lifelong investing.

Updated for KepCorp H1 2017

Multi-bagger?

Second bite of cherry too!








  

Friday 21 July 2017

M1 : Panic Selling Or Speculators Getting Out???


$0.052 XD on 27 Jul 17

More and more sellers giving up on dividend income?




Wednesday 19 July 2017

Tuesday 18 July 2017

Monday 17 July 2017

Don't Ask Such Question Or Advice?


1. Don't ask Barber whether you need a haircut when you really feel your hair is long.

2. Don't ask Frugal persons whether they drink Coffee at Starbucks when alone.

3 Don't ask investment bloggers for advice when they are holding that share and especially they are NOT losing any money on that share

Why?

Their answer is obvious and expected!


Former US$2 billion private equity fund now nearly worthless: WSJ


CW8888: It is extremely hard to look far into the future! Then in 2013; the forecast of oil price into $150 and above

Wells Fargo and a number of other lenders are negotiating to take control of a hedge fund previously valued at more than US$2 billion that is now worth close to nothing, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

REUTERS: Wells Fargo and a number of other lenders are negotiating to take control of a hedge fund previously valued at more than US$2 billion that is now worth close to nothing, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

EnerVest Ltd., a Houston private equity firm that focuses on energy investments, manages the private equity fund that focused on oil investments. The fund will leave clients, including major pensions, endowments and charitable foundations, with at most pennies on the dollar, WSJ reported.

The firm raised and started investing money beginning in 2013 when oil was trading at around US$90 a barrel and added US$1.3 billion of borrowed money to boost its buying power. West Texas Intermediate crude prices closed at US$46.54 a barrel on Friday.

"We are not proud of the result," John Walker, EnerVest's co-founder and chief executive, wrote in an email to the Journal.

Only seven private-equity funds worth more than US$1 billion have ever lost money for investors, according to data from investment firm Cambridge Associates LLC cited in the report. Among those of any size to end in the red, losses greater than around 25 percent are extremely rare, though there are several energy-focused funds in danger of doing so, according to public pension records.

Clients included the J. Paul Getty Trust, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur and Fletcher Jones foundations, which each invested millions in the fund, according to their tax filings, the Journal reported. Michigan State University and a foundation that supports Arizona State University also disclosed investments in the fund.

The Orange County Employees Retirement System was also an investors and has reportedly marked the value of its investment down to zero.

Sunday 16 July 2017

Is there such a thing as a 'recession-proof' portfolio?


Read? Is there such a thing as a 'recession-proof' portfolio?

Good reminder to us to build 'recession-resistant' wealth or net worth!

Uncle8888 fully understood this concept of 'recession-resistant' wealth building concept and not all into investment for higher return at all times.

Uncle8888's Three Taps Solution model should be one of those  'recession-resistant' wealth building concept or type.




One Unique Test That Easily Lets You Know How Good You Are At Building Wealth


Read? One Unique Test That Easily Lets You Know How Good You Are At Building Wealth

Interesting!

Read? Speaking And Sharing With Track Records!!!


Let see how Uncle8888 has performed in illustrated diagrams.




Saturday 15 July 2017

HOW MUCH MONEY CAN YOU WITHDRAW FROM YOUR CPF AT 55???


If we need to know how much money we can withdraw from our CPF at 55; we MAY have failed in our retirement planning unless we already plan to retire after 55.

So far what Uncle8888 knows from his peers who are 55 and above; NONE of them bother about how much they can withdraw at 55 as they plan to touch their CPF only after their retirement at 62/65 to 67. 

So how much can we withdraw at 62/65 to 67?


No worry!

By then; it is already done deal!

It is whatever we have in our CPF SA and CPF OA. It is just that simple!




You Love Your Job But Your Company Doesn't!!! (2)


Read? You Love Your Job But Your Company Doesn't!!!


Uncle8888 met his ex-ex-ex colleague in the same MRT's train after X decades. We are now senior citizen roaming the street. After a short chat; he said he was retrenched this year and now in retirement mode.

Hard truth and sad truth. Older human assets are expensive so they are good as cost cutting tool during bad time or when necessary for companies to reduce staff costs.


Keppel Corporation Retail Shareholders' Day.

Eng eng ok lah!


You have successfully been registered for the Keppel Corporation Retail Shareholders' Day.

Please see details of the programme below:
Date: 16 August 2017
Time: 7.30pm to 9.00pm
Location: SGX Auditorium
Address: 2 Shenton Way, SGX Centre 1, Level 2, Singapore 068804
Fee (Member): S$0
Fee (Non-Member): S$0
Fee (Student member): S$0

Registration starts half an hour before the event.

Note: This is an auto-generated email and details of the event may be changed. Kindly look out for a 'Confirmation Email' to be sent to you 3 days before the event date. Please print the "Confirmation Email" and bring it along with you on event day for registration. Thank You.

We look forward to seeing you!


Contributing or Topping CPF MA???


Our CPF MA has immediate use when necessary. It will NEVER be enough based on Uncle8888's personal experience with his older close relatives so it is right thing to top up our CPF MA. Never enough!

This is only CPF account that Uncle8888 will advocate topping up. 

Other voluntarily topping up. Hmm .... case by case hor!

Don't be seduced by social media loud voice. What good for some may be poison for some in later part of their life journey when sudden unplanned sharp needs for liquidity arises! Don't be caught in asset rich. cash poor before 55 and 65. Life sucks!


Uncle8888 has been doing monthly contribution of $50 to his CPF MA as self-employed and may be can qualify for Workfare next year.

Friday 14 July 2017

No Short Cut In Retail Investing. Our Own Hard Earned Money!!!



The reason for no short cut or Holy Grail is written below:




Overcoming emotional rides over market cycles is not teachable through courses as it is always easy to say: Do this and do that; but it is extremely difficult to follow as retail investors. 

One has to personally ride the emotions and finally discover what is right for oneself to ride future market cycles.


Tuesday 11 July 2017

Temasek delivers 13% return for the year; Record net portfolio value of S$275 billion; Up S$111 billion over the decade


CW8888's Well known investors CAGR Table

Temasek : 44 years (1974 to Mar 2017) is 15%
Temasek : 20 years (1998 to Mar 2017) is 6%
Temasek : 10 years (2008 to Mar 2017) is 4%




































































One-year return to shareholder of 13%

10- and 20-year return to shareholder of 4% and 6%, respectively

15% return to shareholder, compounded annually since inception in 1974

Dividend income of S$7 billion, or about 19 times our interest expense for the year

Invested S$16 billion and divested S$18 billion, resulting in net divestment

Singapore, Tuesday 11 July 2017 – Singapore-headquartered investment company Temasek today published its annual Temasek Review, reporting a record net portfolio value of S$275 billion1, and closing the year in a net cash position on 31 March 2017.

Temasek’s one-year Total Shareholder Return (TSR) was 13%.

Longer term 10-year and 20-year TSRs were 4% and 6% respectively. TSR compounded annually since our inception in 1974 was 15%.

Dividend income from our portfolio was S$7 billion for the year ended 31 March 2017. This was about 19 times our interest expense for the year.

Temasek Chairman, Mr Lim Boon Heng, commented:

“While the global recovery is gaining momentum, there are still uncertainties, both in the medium as well as longer term. We have maintained an investment stance that is disciplined but nimble, and built a balance sheet that enables us to capitalise on opportunities and withstand shocks.

We have continued to rebalance our holdings towards longer term macro opportunities such as the transforming economies, as well as emerging new trends such as the digital enablers for new businesses. The strength of our balance sheet also enables us to undertake large projects which may have longer gestation periods, such as the Mandai rejuvenation.”



Monday 10 July 2017

GIC prepares for protracted uncertainty, low returns

It asks to be prepared for underperformance relative to market indices, posts 20-year real return at 3.7% for FY17

AT a time of heightened uncertainty and "investor complacency", Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC is expecting steady long-term returns, and says it has to be prepared to take underperformance against relative benchmarks, with some stretching into several years.

The comments came as GIC reported a 20-year annualised real rate of return of 3.7 per cent above global inflation on its portfolio for the period ended March 31, 2017. This is a dip from the 4 per cent in the 20-year annualised real rate of return reported a year ago.

This means the purchasing power of funds invested with GIC in 1997 has more than doubled, with GIC currently having well over US$100 billion in assets under management. GIC is estimated to be the 10th largest global public investor in the Asia-Pacific, according to think tank Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum.

The portfolio returned 5.7 per cent per year in US-dollar terms over the past 20 years on a nominal basis.

GIC noted that the last 20 years have included two periods of very pronounced cycles. The first was the tech bubble in the late 1990s to early 2000s, while the second was the global financial crisis in 2008.

This year's decline in the 20-year real return was largely due to the drop-off of the high returns at the beginning of the tech-bubble period, while the ensuing collapse in values remains within the 20-year period. GIC expects this effect to continue for a few years, dampening the rolling 20-year figure.

In a statement, GIC chief executive Lim Chow Kiat said: "We are prepared for a period of protracted uncertainty and low returns."

He said a key part of GIC's investment strategy in such an environment is to ensure the portfolio remains robust across a range of plausible scenarios, translating to diversification across asset classes, regions, return drivers and risk thresholds.

"As a long-term value investor, we remain cautious and recognise that to generate good real returns over time, we have to be prepared for periods of underperformance relative to the market indices, some even for a stretch of several years," said Mr Lim.

A combination of stretched valuations, high policy uncertainty and unresolved economic imbalances confronts investors today. Notably, the current market pricing does not reflect heightened uncertainty. Mr Lim said: "We are concerned about that. It seems to suggest that there is investor complacency."

Given this environment, GIC has guided that it expects one to 2 per cent real return over the coming decade.

GIC continues to build investments into infrastructure, with PwC estimating US$1.7 trillion in global infrastructure spending through to 2020. GIC was part of a consortium that bought and delisted UK water utility company Kelda Group in 2008. In 2016, it bought 19.9 per cent of United States' largest independent electric transmission company ITC Holdings from Canada's Fortis Inc for US$1.23 billion.

But Jeffrey Jaensubhakij, group chief investment officer of GIC, noted that for many countries, many infrastructure projects still remain owned by the governments, leaving little room for private investors.

In places such as Australia where there is more active privatisation in the infrastructure market, sky-high demand for the assets is translating to very expensive prices.

"In emerging markets, most of the assets are still government-owned and operated. We still need to see a period of time where governments decide to privatise the assets," he said.

GIC continues to see opportunities in the student-housing market where it is among the top global investors. GIC and Singapore's Mapletree Investments have helped to push acquisitions in student housing to a record US$16.2 billion last year, data from Real Capital Analytics Inc, as cited by Bloomberg, showed.

GIC pursued more investments this year. In March, GIC with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and The Scion Group jointly acquired three US student-housing portfolios for about US$1.6 billion.

Mr Lim noted that there remains more focus on the student-housing segment in developed markets, as students head to top schools in certain parts of the world.

"We are always on the lookout for assets which can help us to produce a different kind of return stream and student housing is one of those. We expect to continue to be active in the student-housing market," he said.

Mr Lim said in the technology space, GIC is clear there is a "winner takes all" outcome that makes picking the right asset more important and more difficult as well.

In the last few years, the valuation of tech assets has gone up substantially compared to other sectors, though Mr Lim said there is no "bubble territory" for the sector, overall.

GIC's proportion of investment in its six asset classes was fairly unchanged from a year ago.

Investments through private equity stood unchanged at 9 per cent. Likewise, investments in real estate were maintained at 7 per cent, and investments in inflation-linked bonds kept at 5 per cent.

The share of investments in emerging-market equities fell to 17 per cent from 19 per cent, while investments in nominal bonds and cash rose to 35 per cent from 34 per cent. Investments in developed-market equities made up 27 per cent of the total asset mix, up from 26 per cent a year ago.








CW : Not easy to make money from investing!

GIC forgot to employ our "Gurus" who boast 15% return 
to be their advisers?


Sunday 9 July 2017

Highlights from Sumiko Tan's new book Sundays With Sumiko

Quote : LOVE, UNEXPECTEDLY


5. By the time I was 46, I was reconciled to being single for life – and then I unexpectedly got married. This piece wasn’t actually in The Sunday Times but appeared in Life on a Friday. 


Some real lessons to be learnt from her as Uncle8888 remembered that she wrote few Sundaytimes articles on "nice" part on her singlehood. 

Then at 46 got married and found getting married is truly nice and but not those day of "nice".

Better late than never!


Read? Highlights from Sumiko Tan's new book Sundays With Sumiko


Home Is NOT Just For Living But For Dying Too


How many of us fully understand this?




Should I pay down home loan using CPF OA and/or Excess Cash??? - Re-posted


It will eventually end up in a way that is NO BIG deal from either way we have chosen. 






Zhuangzi told this story to his disciples to make a point.


Once a zookeeper said to his monkeys: "You'll get 3 bananas in the Morning and 4 in the Afternoon." 

All monkeys are upset. 

"OK. How about 4 bananas in Morning and 3 in the Afternoon?" 



Hearing this, the monkeys are content. 


Read? Should I pay down home loan using CPF OA and/or Excess Cash???



Does CPFIS serve its purpose for RETIREES???


Uncle8888 will decide next year on the fate of his CPFIS based on confirmation of CPF withdrawal rules.


Saturday 8 July 2017

Why there are few advantages to paying off your flat early???


Quote:


The main reason most people want to pay off their flat is psychological: It might give you peace of mind to know that your home – a major debt – is paid up. But what if we told you that peace of mind can easily be shattered, and turned into a prolonged nightmare?

1. You cannot easily convert your flat to cash during emergencies
2. You may not be making sufficient preparations for retirement
3. You could be paying off your debts in the wrong order


Walau! When Uncle8888 read this article in the cyber world. KNS!


Uncle8888 paid off his housing loan in five years after working for more than ten years i.e. at least 15 years worth of CPF OA money to clear his housing loan. His cash saving is unused for his housing loan! Uncle8888 is not a dumb saver or dumb investor.

The writer just assumed that those could afford to fully pay up their housing loan early are either dumb saver or dumb investor. 

Some writers don't write educational articles based on real people, real life experience; but they write on concept and theory. How useful and practical can it be?


What Uncle8888's  experience on real people, real story on the ground on their housing loan is different.


Quote : It might give you peace of mind to know that your home – a major debt – is paid up. But what if we told you that peace of mind can easily be shattered, and turned into a prolonged nightmare?




On retrenchment: Anybody can be sure that they don't be the next one to be retrenched!


The FACT on real people on the ground: When those who have significant outstanding housing loan; their dream and peace of mind is shattered and prolonged nightmare may be waiting if they are in their late 40s or 50s.


But; for those who have cleared their housing loan; they said heng ah!

Read? Will You Try To Pay Off Your Housing Loan ASAP If You Have One? (7)

Read? Home for Living and not for profit taking - Part 2

Read? debt-free — and that, to me, is richness enough

Read more?



Free Delivery Service???


Sometime; Uncle8888 read in the cyber world when someone emphasizes FREE delivery service when he or she bought something online or order from the shop and have the order delivered FOC to his or her home. They are so happy to emphasize FREE delivery service when sharing in the cyber world. Naive. Got free delivery service meh?

Many of these home deliveries are done by free lance delivery agents/couriers. Do you think these people are doing it for charity? 

Delivery fees are charged on per trip basis and then add on surcharge based on timing; location zoning e.g. CBD, Tuas, Bukit Timah, etc; tier surcharge based on weight (3 kg, 5 Kg, 8 Kg, 10 Kg, 15 Kg, 20 Kg, 25 Kg, etc AND size (L+H+W) 60 cm, 90 cm, 120 cm. 150 cm. etc

Why weight AND size? It is fair charging scheme.

So that light but large item will cost more in delivery fee.

Got FREE delivery meh?



Thursday 6 July 2017

Hard Thing To Bear. It Can Be Unbearable For Many Of Us


It is ..... Waiting for it to happen; but you can't do anything to make it happens sooner. 

So it is painful to wait and yet NOTHING to do!

This guy asked Uncle8888 how?


Wednesday 5 July 2017

1997 Asian Financial Crisis: 20 years on


You don't think it is necessary to think and plan ahead financially. May be you haven't live through real hard time of your life yet.

GFC was no where near the suffering of retail investors in AFC where Government hasn't learnt the hard lesson to ring fence retail investors from their Greed. CPFIS fund all hooted tua tua into the stock market. Why gave chance?

Read? Don't Laugh At Ants When They Looked Far Ahead Of Their Time




Tuesday 4 July 2017

Simple Pleasure By Looking At LongKang and LongKang Fishes!!!


Uncle8888 learnt something new while waiting for his bus arrival at the bus stop.

When the bus stopped; one senior woman came down from the bus first and then help her mother/mother-in-law who slowly get down from the bus with her walking stick.

Once the old lady was firmly on the ground; she pointed to LongKang. Slowly; the senior woman guided the old lady to the LongKang. 

The old lady held on the LongKang's railing and seen to be enjoying the moment looking at the LongKang. Both women chatted and then the senior woman pointed down the LongKang (probably at some fishes) and old lady seen to be delighted.

After a while; the senior woman walked back some distance and took her out handphone to snap some pictures and video shots at the old lady.


Simple pleasure by looking at LongKang and LongKang's fishes and that moment of pleasure by old lady is worth capturing!

Yeap. The Government is doing it right with beautifying our water way (Long Kang) program for simple pleasure especially for those older folks.

Thumb up!




What Happen After No More Company Provided Medical Benefits???


After 40 years (Aug 1977 to Jul 2017); first time Uncle8888 went to Hougang Polyclinics to seek medical consultation for persistent cough and running nose after finishing those leftover medicines from the last consultation with his company's doctor. 

He booked 9.30 AM slot; arrived at 9:13 AM and left at 10:25 AM. It is about one hour and cost after govt subsidy is $17.10

Affordable!


When You Really Have Nothing Better To Do? (2)


Read? When You Really Have Nothing Better To Do?

Read? What will you do AFTER retirement?

Some "retired" from their full-time employment to become SAHM or SAHD e.g. Auntie8888.

After all her children are grown up; the house is seldom messy that requires lots of cleaning effort so she had too much free time and try to keep herself occupied with more gardening. But; staying in high-rise HDB flat; there is limitation on the scale of gardening she can do. 

How much more time can you spent on gardening? So what next?

She took up part-time job as assistant teacher for 22.5 Hours Work Week (Mon, Wed, and Fri) and that is why you can lim kopi with Uncle8888 on evening of Mon, Wed and Fri) LOL!





Monday 3 July 2017

When You Really Have Nothing Better To Do?


Do this!

Easily 2 to 3 hours passed away like that. Sunset liao!

Simple and easy pastime!



















Punggol End's Jetty


Sunday 2 July 2017

Fake Audience Members in China Make $120 Per Show By Crying and Laughing


Read? Fake Audience Members in China Make $120 Per Show By Crying and Laughing


Fake and scam is everywhere!

How to trust and verify what you read, see and hear?


Will History Repeat Itself???


In investing or trading; most of us are likely to be guided or steered by our own good and bad personal, family or close relatives investing or trading experience; and then we MAY remind ourselves what to avoid. 

Generally; it is better to regret NOT making more then to feel sorry about losing it back all and more.

So Uncle8888 doing 守株待兔 as he is strong believer in market timing based on his own investing experience.

There are the same stock and corporation riding the market and economic cycle of Boom and Doom and the investment outcome year after year over past decade is drastically different. 

It is NOT easy for him to escape from self-trapping into this investing bias. 


So he may be foolish?

Will History repeat itself and allow him to pick up the next batch of multi-bagger yield stocks?

He is betting it by doing 守株待兔!



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