Yes. Such management fees usually include some form of base fee (think of it as your basic salary) and performance related fees (think of this component as your bonus) Base fees are usually based on metrics such as distributable income, or valuation of the property Performance fees can be pegged to gross revenue, DPU growth, NPI, etc. There can also be an acquisition fee or divestment which is paid when the REIT acquires or sells a property. What you want to look out for will be the structure of the fee. For example, if it is based on property valuation, then it's very easy to grow base fees via acquiring new property as this increases the size of the REIT overall, but doesn't mean that the REIT will do better as a result of the new acquisiton.

12 months of expenses sit in a CIMB fastsaver account and will remain untouch barring any really horrible circumstances. If I go lean, that 12 months could easily stretch to 18 months or more. In between, I continue to add to my warchest while deploying capital when I see opportunity.

Hi anon, If you are referring to changing at a money changer, there's really no maximum, but if you transact more than S$5000, you'll be ask for proof of identity, etc, as part of MAS measures regarding Anti Money Laundering/Financing of Terrorism activities.

Hi anon, You'll get death coverage if you have liabilities to cover. You'll get critical illness coverage if you need to cover for loss of income and take care of out of pocket costs in the event of a diagnosis of a CI. So there's really no specific age to get one. If you need it, you'll need it. I have seen parents buy for their children to enjoy a lower premium right before they start their university studies, and I have also seen people in their 40s who realise the importance only because someone close to them passed on or was critically ill. No matter what happens or when, you don't want to be caught off guard by the unexpectedness of life when something happens. I'd say the earlier you can get it (provided you need it), the better. Gender specific insurance is a really niche market (not too many insurers carry it) and they do have some features not found in standard CI plans (or WL CI), but you'll want to make sure you have coverage on the key stuff first (such as the standard CIs) before topping up with such coverage.

Hi anon, Death is death. The definition doesn't change. TPD definitions are also practically similar. So you'll want to go for the insurer with the cheapest premiums. There really isn't too much differentiating the various term plans on the market in terms of definitions. Certain insurers may have early CI waivers on their term plans (some only have a late stage CI waiver), so if that is a key factor for you, you'd want to take note. Accident plans are tricky, they cover various conditions and no two plans are exactly alike. Which plan is best depends on what you are looking for. There are various insurers running promos now on their term plans, and you'd want to check out the premiums with an IFA who can provide you the majority of quotations from the market. The most important thing is to get the amount of coverage you need at this juncture in life, which an advisor can help you work through the maths.

Hi Anon, You are correct, it is a hybrid savings and investment plan. Here's my stand: If you want to have guarantees, a saving plan or endowment plan is one way to do it. If you want to invest, you should not be constrained by the T&Cs of a policy. I would not combine investment and savings in a single policy. I would save monies in a suitable policy for my guarantees, but invest on my own terms. You are correct to say that this current market situation is a good time to start investing, however, I would probably do it on an investment/trading platform, or work with an advisor on that, without being tied down by a policy.

Hi Nicolas, Before looking at things such as the bonus, you will want to consider the following points: - No one gives money (bonus) for free. Period. You will by now have seen the costs involved in the policy, as well as penalties for terminating early. Is it worth it? - Your commitment is $1.5K a month for 20 years. I do not know your cash flow, but what if you lost your job in the current economic climate and ran out of premium holiday (some policies may have a maximum duration you can ask for a premium holiday). Will you still be able to fund the policy? Investing, to me, means to have absolute say on when I want to start, stop and restart my investments (subject to accepting their market values), without having the pressure of a commitment as well as penalties for not conforming to the T&Cs of the policy - Free fund switching is not uncommon nowadays. You can get that on POEMS, for example. With that being said, examine the range of funds you have access to. Are your funds feeding into another fund that you can actually just buy off POEMS or DollarDex without paying feeder fund fees? - What is the strategy for your long term growth (since this is a 20 year policy)? Are you left to fend for yourself or will someone guide you along the way? I would not mix investment with insurance. I.e. you should invest through a platform or with assistance/management from an advisor, but not through a policy which shackles you with fees and other T&Cs.

Hi anon, Wow, good question. This is a very broad topic and may not be possible to full answer in the confines of a forum. I'll highlight some key points which I also incorporate into retirement planning for my clients here, and hope that gives you something to work on. - You need to understand what kind of retirement lifestyle you want. Having a grasp of your expenses helps - You need to know what expenses are needs, and which are wants - You need to ensure that you have multiple streams of income, some of which must be guaranteed to meet your needs and some of which are variable to let you indulge in your wants - The more guaranteed income, the more peace of mind you have - With Excel, you will want to balance your cashflow over the years against your income stream over the years, factoring in inflation, etc. In the end, since no one knows how long you will live, instead of having a 'net worth number' to work towards, have a 'income stream' number instead.

Hi Anon, Savest is a term used by AIA, I believe the policy is actually called 'AIA Wealth Pro Advantage'. This is a (in AIA's words) "a unique 2-in-1 savings and investment plan that offers the stability of long-term savings and the growth potential of investments, allowing you to reap the best of both worlds." So it is a hybrid savings and investment plan. Here's my stand: If you want to have guarantees, a saving plan or endowment plan is one way to do it. If you want to invest, you should not be constrained by the T&Cs of a policy. Thus, I would not combine investment and savings in a single policy. I would save monies in a suitable policy for my guarantees, but invest on my own terms. Which part of the plan seems complicated to you? (If you provide some details I can see how to address your query further) If something is complicated, then generally I would not want to commit to if I don't know or don't fully understand what I'm getting myself into. You may still be entitled to a free look period if you decide that this policy is not suitable for you. I would suggest that you speak with someone else for a second opinion before deciding on your next step.

Hi Zach, If you purchased with the 'CASH' account then this works like most accounts which are CDP linked; i.e. you need to ensure that you settle on T+2 or else your shares will be force sold. Depending on how your Vickers account works, this could be a GIRO deduction (ensure enough monies), or you might have to manually transfer funds into your account to settle.