CJH Financial Planning

I fondly remembered my primary school days when my mother would give me a dollar a day for pocket money. It seems like very little now, but those days it was enough to get through lunch and still have money left for some tidbits after class. And then there was this $2 note which was perpetually hidden in a little-used compartment of my nylon-and-Velcro wallet. This was my 'spare money'. Money to be used when my pocket money runs out, and I need buy something urgently. I couldn't just spend the money as I wish though. To top up the spare money, I would need to account to my mother what I spent on and whether it was necessary. She is probably the most frugal person in the world and getting past that inquiry wasn't exactly easy. The money was hardly used though, simply because it was so hidden that I often forgot it was there. But it was always there, always ready to save me in times of emergency. I am grateful that since young I have been inculcated this habit o...

It's been a while since my last post as I've been busy with business, taking a series of Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) exams, as well as the additional regulatory requirement of the CMFAS M9A and M8A exams. However I am happy to inform that an article I written was featured in this month's Coverage , a financial industry magazine published by the Insurance and Financial Practitioners Association of Singapore (IFPAS). Here is a scan of the magazine cover: You may access the following article from this link for your reading pleasure:  http://bit.ly/Szo4r2 I would like to pay special thanks to following individuals: - My lawyer Mr Chung Ting Fai for helping me to vet through the copy, - Mr Richard Yeo from Probate Enterprise for your Will Planner training which equipped me with the necessary knowledge in this field, - Mr Benny Lim for your training on Estate Planning during the AEPP programme. Cheers! Johnny

This is a wonderful article which I came upon and I thought of sharing with everyone.  Original article at:  http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0612/Investopedia-Staffs-Fatherly-Financial-Advice.aspx#axzz1y4PLPi11      - CJH Since Father's Day is quickly approaching, we here at Investopedia wanted to honor our dads by sharing some stories about the best financial lessons our fathers taught us. We cover everything from budgeting to employment advice, and we will hopefully show you that your dad's advice - though it may have seemed curmudgeonly at the time - can help you out throughout your entire life. Feel free to share your own stories in the comments section. Each of these stories has been shared by an individual from the Investopedia Staff. Happy Father's Day!

I was at the gym last week, going about my normal workout routine when I noticed a lanky guy, skinnier than me, undergoing personal training with the in-house fitness trainer. Looking at the types of exercises that the trainer made the trainee went through, I realized that the trainer was focusing on the core body muscles. The trainee was made to do exercises such as squats, rows, lunges and combination exercises that hits the several major muscle groups at the same time such as the back, the abs, and the quadriceps. This set me thinking... Many D.I.Y. gym-goer only focus on building the 'showy ' muscle groups, such as the arms and the chest. These are the muscles that are most visible, especially for guys who wear tight-fitting tees (yucks!). They are also the stuff that get girls ogling and drooling (Captain America anyone?). And therefore many gym-goers focus only on building their arms and chest, and not the ones that get covered up.

Do you know someone who is a slave to his job because of the big mortgages he has to pay? Someone who could not afford the best medical care when diagnosed with cancer?  Someone who is broke due to speculative investing? Someone whose marriage fell apart because of financial stress? Someone who has to get a court order for financial support from her children? Could that someone be you someday? Don`t let it happen!

How do you ensure that you profit from unit trust investments and minimize the chance of losses? Here are 7 golden rules to follow: This article is contributed by a friend, fellow financial professional and colleague from Business Network International , Mr Daniel Tay.

Singaporeans are experiencing a 'double whammy' recently. Firstly, Yahoo! News reported that Singapore’s inflation have risen by 5.5 per cent over one-year period. Read the whole article here:  http://bit.ly/oZyZus Secondly, a major local bank has decreased the interest rates for savings and fixed deposit accounts. Savings Deposit Rates Fixed Deposit Rates If majority of one's long-term money (money which is not needed in the short term and used for purposes such as retirement or children's education) are in such accounts, they are subject to rapidly losing their real value .  A double whammy of lower interest earnings (therefore higher opportunity costs should one be able to invest elsewhere) and higher inflation (the 'purchasing power' of money shrinking). Compounded over years, one's savings will shed half, or even more of its value. If one day you wake up and find that your bank balance has halved, would you be concerned? Definitely! So...

Young couples intending to buy a HDB flat, beware! It might be worth considering timing your marriage and house purchase properly. According to a Yahoo! News report, John broke up with his fiancee after applying for a flat, and got slapped with a 20% penalty amounting to $132,000 (And no, he don't get to keep his house as he's not married and thus not qualified to buy a DBSS unit). Read more here:  Yahoo! News - Wedding’s off, now here’s your $132k bill

You probably already know by now that when a person dies without a valid Will (intestate), his assets (estate) will be distributed in accordance to a law known as the Intestate Succession Act. But do you know that writing a Will is not only to decide where and to whom your estate go to? Having a properly drafted Will can help in ensuring that your family are not inconvenienced by your death, and minimize any potential in- fighting, lawsuits, and other factors that may break up a family or sink them into financial difficulties. Let's take a look at some little-known implications of intestacy.

Your greatest asset is your mind. So invest in it by reading books that increases your financial IQ! Here's my top 10 recommended books that everyone who is serious about their financial freedom must read. If you wish to purchase any of the books, simply click on the images. It will bring you to the Amazon website whereby I will receive a small commission on every purchase. Happy reading! Number 10 - The Wealthy Barber Author: David Chilton Financial lessons that can help you get rich... slowly. Told in a form of an entertaining story, with the help of a fictional barber.