The Importance of Your Family Wealth Structuring: What You Need to Know

As the head of a family or household you’ll understand just how important your finances are. The money you have is what keeps your home – and indeed your personal lives – in order, and without properly managing this you run the risk of getting into monetary troubles.

Knowing exactly what to look out for and how to effectively manage money is quite a challenge – especially if you lack experience in handing your finances. There are a variety of different aspects to consider such as where you should invest your money, how to ensure you have enough money and what’s the best course of action for your financial future – certainly a headache for many of us.

Luckily though, there are alternatives and also ways you can ensure you have a solid family wealth structure. In this post then, you’ll find a number of different examples of financial concerns and expenses and why you need to manage these. Then we’ll discuss what you can do to prevent any problems and offer some useful tips for making the right choices with your money.

Family Expenses

In our day to day lives, we have plenty of different things we need to spend money on each month in order to maintain a decent standard of living. Naturally, this is increased depending on if you have more than one child, and ultimately without keeping these in check you may run into debts. Here is a breakdown of some the main expenses you’re likely to encounter:

  • Rent or Mortgage Payments – regardless of whether or not you own or rent a property, the chances are you’ll have some form of payment to make each month. These are often a significant part of your monthly costs.
  • Food bills – the food you eat is another necessity which can again become more and more expensive over the years with a growing family.
  • Utilities – the bills you have to pay can be spread in different payment plans, but the reality is that every day you’ll be adding to your expenses with your use of gas, electricity and water.
  • Taxes – you’ll also have to pay taxes which more often than not will be taken from your monthly salary, what’s more you can also pay council tax on your home or accommodation.
  • Travel – another typical expense is for your travel. From your commutes to work, to taxiing your family around you’ll have to pay for fuel, tickets and/or fares.

Additional Expenses

These are just the basics though, the wealth management of your family can also cover additional costs like:

  • Leisure – the time you spend enjoying your life or socialising can add up over the month.
  • Clothing – you’ll need to buy new clothes fairly regularly, especially if you have a growing family.
  • Maintenance – there may be unexpected issues with your home or your appliances which need to be fixed.
  • Childcare – if you work full time and have a young family there’s also childcare costs that you’ll need to factor in each month.

All of these are aspects you should be budgeting for on a monthly basis.

Savings and Investments

With the money you have left over, you also need to consider what you’re going to do with it. The most obvious step is to open a savings account, but there are also real investment opportunities you should look at.

Heading to the stock markets is one avenue you might want to go down, but another popular choice is to buy additional properties as lets, or to renovate and sell for a profit. With this though you’ll need a decent understanding of finance and how the markets work to ensure you see a positive return.

The Simple Solution

While you can simply look into the markets yourself, or budget each month to manage your investments, if you feel you lack the expertise needed to keep your money secure there are other simple solutions. A sensible choice then is to put your trust into a financial expert to take care of the responsibilities for you.

There are plenty of companies and firms such as Withersworldwide who offer a variety of financial management services, from offering advice on investments to simply helping you look after your money more effectively. It’s also worth choosing an established company with a long history of success, that way you know they’re obviously doing something right with their services.

The Bottom Line

As aforementioned, the last thing you’ll want is to put your family’s welfare at risk by making poor decisions with your money. Consider the above options with investments, or make the smart move and search for expert advice and leave your finances in safe hands. This way you can count on a more secure future, not just in the present but for many years to come.

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Extremely Wrong Reasons To Buy A Home

If you are updated with the latest in property, you will know that Singapore housing prices are trending down. In fact, the private residential property index decreased by 3.83% (or 3.45% when adjusted for inflation) in Q1 2015. However, the downward shift in pricing does not automatically mean that it is a good time to buy your own space.

Buying a home is one of the greatest financial commitment for most Singaporeans. It is a long-term commitment and responsibility that you must carefully plan for. Start by determining what you can afford as well as what you need to pay for. What you can afford depends on your total income, existing debts, savings on-hand, and loan eligibility.

Upon figuring these things out, examine if you are committing to a home for the right reasons. Otherwise, you will be a victim of these extremely wrong decisions…

1. TO EXHAUST ALL THE CONTENTS OF YOUR CPF ACCOUNT

If you are thinking of purchasing a home because you can simply deduct almost all the expenses from your CPF savings, think again! You can use your CPF savings to pay for a part of the home and to service the loan but not for the monthly expenses (e.g. mortgage insurance or conservancy and management service fees). You need to have sufficient cash to pay for these ongoing payments in addition to meeting your current monthly living expenses (e.g., rent and telecom bills).

A better reason to purchase a home is the fact that you already have savings to cover for the upfront payments such as the down-payment, agent’s fees, and stamp fees.

2. TO SUPPLEMENT YOUR “STABLE” JOB

Are you fond of your current occupation? How long have you been in the organization? Are you confident that your position is stable for the next couple of years?

The truth is, you can never be 100% sure that your job is secure. You can argue that CEOs or founders of the company can keep their jobs for the longest time but then again there’s the case of the Lehman Brothers. When deciding on whether or not you shall buy a flat, consider your current job situation as well as the workplace climate. To be sure, hold off a few years and grow your savings first before making this important investment.

3. TO SATISFY YOUR NEED TO MOVE

If you love the thrill of moving to a fresh nest and constantly changing your neighborhood, you will realize how difficult it is to sell your relatively new home in a short period of time without encountering a big loss. This is because most people prefer homes with better home equity. You cannot build a high value of ownership for your flat overnight!

4. TO COHABITATE WITH YOUR CURRENT PARTNER

As Nelly’s song goes: “Lovers to friends…why do all good things come to an end?”

With relationships, you have little to no certainty about what happens in the future. You may be in the best terms now but who can really be sure that you will end up together forever?

If purchasing a flat together is your solution to fixing an unstable relationship (even if you are engaged), what will you do if your partner suddenly vanishes? Or perhaps if he or she goes unemployed after a few months? You will have to carry the burden of the mortgage and all the monthly costs on your own. This poor reason for housing commitment will affect your credit.

Sources: 1 & 2

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6 Things To Consider Before Buying The More Affordable HDB Flats

1. THE SIZE

When purchasing a flat, put the foreseen future to the equation. For instance, you must consider a bigger flat if you are moving in with your parents or planning to have kids soon. Planning in advance will help ease your stress and avoid the hassle of acquiring another home.

2. THE LOANS

Be open and honest with your credit score as your chances of getting a loan is affected by it. Consider how you can budget your income in order to support your family and pay fully for your loan through the years.

3. THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Your new HDB flat comes with a different environment – study it. You do not deserve to live next to a neighbor who throws parties every night or one who is constantly bothered by loan sharks. You deserve to live in a place where you can come home safely. As much as you can, talk to your potential neighbors and follow your guts about the place.

4. THE INSPECTION

Although you are purchasing a new flat, it does not hurt to have someone inspect it. This is not only to ensure the true value of the home but also to ensure that everything is working perfectly. This helps you save money for unwanted repairs. Look no further for an inspector as HDB provides this service for a price.

5. THE PRIORITIES

As a client, you must determine what you really want in a pad. Are the available facilities and specifications in lined with your priorities and wants? If not, are you ready to compromise? It is difficult to get everything you desire in a flat but your necessities should be on the top priority.

6. THE PRICE

Good news: HDB flats had become more affordable since 2013! According to the Housing & Development Board, the proportion of a household’s monthly income used to repay the loan installment decreased from 24% in 2013 to 19% in 2015. In fact, 8 out of 10 first-time buyers of new flats in non-mature estates were able to fully repay their monthly mortgage installments using only their CPF savings over the past 3 years. In the end of the house hunting, it truly comes down to the price.

It is best to compare the prices of the flats in the area before making a decision. This price must include other factors such as facilities in the building, quality of construction, specifications of the flat, and more. You must understand that the cheapest flat may not necessarily be the most economical option.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

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Basic Guide To Estate Planning In Singapore

Estate planning advice often focuses on the creation of legal documents such as wills and trusts. The choices you make about where your assets will go after you pass can affect people’s lives profoundly. This is why you must familiarize yourself about the basics of estate planning.

DEFINITION

In simpler terms, estate planning dictates how you would like to distribute your estate after your death. Your estate encompasses your properties, savings, and money. It makes sure that the people you love and the causes you care about are covered even after the inevitable event of death.

TRUSTS

As said above, estate planning primarily includes the creation of a will by appointing an executor. For individuals with higher net-worth, they may choose to create a trust in order to transfer their assets to pre-determined beneficiaries. Singapore is a prime financial hub for individuals with higher net-worth to set up their trusts. It is because the country is characterized by:

  • a business promoting environment,
  • a comprehensive legal system,
  • a globally competitive infrastructures,
  • a strategic geographic location, and
  • a robust set of regulations for the financial sector.

As trusts are used as a long-term tool, you must closely evaluate the pros and cons before setting one up. For instance, trusts are a viable option for vulnerable beneficiaries such as minors. However they can be costly and difficult to maintain.

TERMS

Here are the common estate planning terms that may boggle your mind at first:

  1. Alternate Beneficiary is an individual or an organization named to receive the assets in the unlikely event that the primary beneficiaries die.
  2. Co-Trustees are two or more people who had been named to coordinate in managing a trust’s assets.
  3. Durable Power Of Attorney For Asset Management is a legal document that bestows a person full or limited legal authority to sign your name on your behalf in your absence. Its validity ends at death.
  4. Gross Estate refers to the value of an estate before the debts are paid.
  5. Will is a written document that includes the instructions for allocation of assets after one’s death.
    Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

    Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

Sources: 1,  2, 3,  & 4

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Basic Guide To Taxation In Singapore

Individuals, corporations, trustees, and partnerships that are carrying on profession, trade, or business in Singapore are chargeable with tax. Fortunately for you, the country offers one of the lowest tax rates in the world.

Whether you are entering the country’s working scene as a local citizen, a fresh graduate or a foreign worker, you must familiarize yourself with the taxation regulations. Start by reading this guide…

AUTHORITY

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS), formed in 1960, is the statutory board responsible for collecting personal income taxes, corporate taxes, goods & services taxes, property taxes, betting taxes, and stamp duties. In short, it integrates all the revenue collection agencies into one place in order for the processes to be managed better.

The governing laws include Income Tax Act, Goods & Services Tax Act, Stamp Duties Act, and Property Tax Act.

TYPES

For your reference, here are some of the most common types of taxes in Singapore:

  • INCOME TAXES are charged based on the income of individuals and companies.
  • GOODS & SERVICES TAXES (GST) are the tariff paid when you spend on merchandise, services, and imported goods.
  • PROPERTY TAXES are charged to the owner/s based on the expected rental values of the said properties.
  • BETTING TAXES are paid when betting on the lottery, sweepstakes, or alike.
  • STAMP TAXES are imposed on legal and commercial documents.

TERMS

To avoid confusion, here are some of the most common terms related to income taxes:

  1. NOTICE ASSESSMENT (NOA)
    – NOA shows the amount of income subjected to tax, calculates the tax amount you have to pay, and displays the credit balance that needs to be refunded to you. Simply, NOA is your tax bill.
  2. YEAR OF ASSESSMENT (YA)
    – YA refers to the annum in which the income tax is charged and calculated. It is a no brainer!
  3. BASIS PERIOD
    – Basis period refers to the previous YA that is relevant to the current YA.
  4. PERSONAL RELIEFS
    – Personal reliefs are good news as they are the deductions that help you to save tax.
  5. ASSESSABLE INCOME
    – Lastly, the assessable income refers to your total income after subtracting the approved donations and allowable expenses.
Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

For more information about what is taxable and what is not, please visit www.iras.gov.sg.

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

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