CPF life ERS

 So, say the ERS sum is $450k when I am 55

This amount, assuming 4% pa returns compounded for 10 years until I am 65yo, becomes $665k.

Assume I get a monthly CPF life payout of $3500 from age 65…

That’s almost 16years to drawdown the $665k

However, the fund continues to compound 4% while I draw it down.

Based on that, the sum will run out in about 24years, when I am 89years old.

So if I live beyond 89, I get some extra back!

Maybe some folks will think…hey I can easily get 5% pa returns or more myself, so why settle for 4% pa?

Now, that’s a very risky assumption. You are assuming you can consistently get such returns year after year, and also assume you are lucky enough to not have to go through multiple years of bear markets during your retirement years!

I wouldn’t think I can do that, plus the stress and cognitive decline that comes with advance age.

So plonking down for ERS is no brainer for me, since I can still sustain my lifestyle after that setting that sum of money aside at age 55. Sustain for 10years until CPF life payout starts at 65.

Imagine a retirement at 55

 Imagine retirement at 55

Home paid up by then

Money set aside for CPF life ERS

Money set aside for kids college 

Investments generating cashflow of $7k per month

How much do I need for expenses ? Perhaps $3k?

This means I have an extra $4k per month to either save or invest!!

And this is excluding aunty.

I reckon she will have less cashflow but overall we could in aggregate have $3k extra per month. And we don’t even need to save it since we aren’t even drawing down our savings or investments. So every 2-3 months, we have $6-9k to go holiday in Japan!!

Isn’t that a sibei shiok life? 

CPF life

 Uncle is 50 now

And I have about $274k in CPF SA. If I no longer work, this SA account will compound 4% pa for next 5years and become $333k, when I reach 55yr of age.

Current FRS is $213k, and I estimate it will hit $250k by then. So ERS would be $500k. This means I’ll just need to top up in cash, $167k, and enjoy a higher payout from CPF life from age 65, for life!

I estimate this would be probably $3-4k per month for life. Which is at too shabby at all. In fact, it is a livable income on its own. 

What’s more, I won’t have to worry about managing the investments for this base amount of income for life. Should my own investments outside CPF life goes kaput, I fall back on CPF life lor.

The key is to be able to sustain my lifestyle from age 55 to 65, while waiting for CPF life ERS payout to kick in. 

I think this is doable. I target to generate at least $7k in today’s dollars, per month, from my investments. And I can even do some draw down during the 55-65 go-go years to enjoy life. And when I hit 65, the extra $3/4k from CPF life would then top up my monthly income even more, or level it out in case my investment cashflow drops for whatever reasons. 

I think this is a good deal for me. If I went with FRS, I could take out around $80k cash from CPF when I hit 55, but that means I lose $1-2k per month of lifetime payout from 65. Assuming I live to 83, that’s $216-432k of lost payout?!

So topping up with just $167k to go ERS seems like no brainer for me. 

Of course this is assuming I have sufficient funds to live nicely for 55-65, even after topping up to ERS

What I’ll miss after exiting my retirement

 I’ll miss:

Seeing my kids when they come home from school

Getting their fav food for lunch

Having kopi sessions with friends

Going on long walks

Having unstructured time

Impromptu JB trips

Impromptu JP trips

So, this is why I must remind myself to not work to death

The next job is a short tenure, max 3 years. I want to go back to this good life. But I’ll still love the job, for the experience, stimulation and the extra funds for retirement.

Regardless, must take care of myself 

Anger stacking

 Learned something new from chatgpt 

Anger stacking 

This is when unresolved anger stays and new anger comes in. Your reaction is now a result of the stacked anger. This makes you react disproportionately to something later. 

It’s easier said than done. How to un-stack? Damn.

Must try