Who will make decisions about your personal welfare or finances if you lose mental capacity? On this episode, host Lee Kim Siang talks to lawyer Stefanie Yuen Thio about the vital importance of setting up a Lasting Power of Attorney. Highlights of the conversation:  01:41 What is a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)? 02:34 Why LPA is important for everyone 07:16 How LPA fits into estate planning 10:19 LPA Disputes within the family --- Now, we want to hear from you! Send us your...

Bitcoin is having a major comeback this year. Not only have prices more than doubled, there are now funds tracking the cryptocurrency in the US stock exchanges. But some are worried this could be the beginning of another bubble. Are we looking at another Bitcoin bubble, or is the cryptocurrency here to stay? Lee Kim Siang sits down with Coinhako’s Kelvin See for insights.  Synopsis: Every first, third and fifth Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial...

Watches are one of the most popular buys for wealthy Singaporeans. If you’ve seen one up close, you can see why they’re such beloved works of art. But can they pull their weight as investments? BT’s Lee Kim Siang sits down with Nick Lim, director of second-hand dealer Chuan Watch to get to the bottom of this.  Synopsis: Every first, third and fifth Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  01:37 Pros and cons of watches as...

You know how it goes: It’s been a long, stressful week. On a whim, you decide to treat yourself to a massage. Your partner gets salty. A fight ensues. How do you avoid this? Lee Kim Siang hears from one couple who’s figured it out. Synopsis: Every first, third and fifth Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  01:22 Planning for big ticket purchases 04:09 Balance financial, emotional and physical responsibilities 07:24...

Layoffs seem to be happening left and right. What rights do Singaporean employees have in the face of retrenchment? How can you dispute your severance package? Lee Kim Siang finds out. Synopsis: Every first, third and fifth Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  02:13 Singapore’s employment law provides limited protections for retrenchment 07:51 How Lazada fumbled their latest round of layoffs 12:01 How to negotiate...

It’s that time of the year again, where time-honoured tradition lines our red packets (and pockets) with cash. What’s the best way to make the most of our ang-bao money? Howie Lim finds out.  Synopsis: Every first, third and fifth Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  03:08 Importance of planning your finances 04:16 Saving is not sufficient 05:37 Understanding your needs versus wants 06:49 Step-by-Step guide to using...

These are trying times and all eyes are on Budget 2024, especially since rumours abound that it could be an ‘election Budget’. Howie Lim finds out what various industry experts think. Synopsis: Every first, third and fifth Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  02:26 New tax incentives for corporates 05:31 To boost sustainability efforts 06:16 GE and elevated cost of living 08:12 Have Budgets done enough...

A trend in 2024 could be institutional players showing a keen interest in issuing their own stablecoins. And it’s a move that has been welcomed by the digital asset sector. Howie Lim gets insights from Gerald Goh, co-founder and CEO Singapore of Sygnum Synopsis: Every first, third and fifth Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  01:06 What exactly is a stablecoin 03:20 Stablecoins’ role in the larger ecosystem 06:37...

How will the markets be in 2024 and where should we park our money in order for the markets to treat us well? Howie Lim gets insights from Hugh Chung from Endowus, Phil Waters from OANDA and Daniel Peris from Federated Hermes. Synopsis: Every first, third and fifth Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  01:03 Implications of the Fed's recent pause in rate hikes 07:12 How retail investors should position...

The liquidity of gold is arguably on par with some of the major global currency debt and equity markets, such as the S&P 500. Does this mean in 2024 we should put our money in gold jewellery or gold ETFs? Howie Lim gets advice from Robin Tsui of State Street Global Advisors SPDR. Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  00:56 Gold’s performance in 2023 02:16 Gold continues testing record...

Is there still a place in your portfolio for real estate and property investments? Can real estate investing still help you build wealth in 20204? Howie Lim gets insights from Paul Tostevin and Alan Cheong from Savills, Lee Nai JIa from PropertyGuru Group and Benny Ong from I Quadrant.  Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  01:12 Outlook for property investment in 2024 05:00 Real estate...

Why let fear stop you from retiring early, from being financially free or salary independent? Fear of investing is something you can overcome.  Howie Lim gets insights from Hugh Chung, chief investment advisory officer, Endowus, David Fergusson, CEO, Atlas Consolidated and Paul Ng, senior financial services director, PhillipCapital. Synopsis: Every first, third and fifth Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  02:22 Fear...

The world economy is expected to grow by 3.0% in 2023, before slowing down to 2.7% in 2024. But that doesn’t mean your investments should slow too. Howie Lim finds out how dividend investing could help from David Kuo, The Smart Investor, Josh Duitz, abrdn and Howard Silverblatt, S&P Dow Jones Indices. Synopsis: Every first, third and fifth Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  02:20 Dividend investing’s continued...

With stigma still surrounding personal loans, is it ever a good idea to take out a loan? Did you know just applying for a loan will hurt your credit score and how can you tell if a loan offer is legitimate? Howie Lim gets insights from Bryan Chan of Providend and Nima Karimi from Lendela.  Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  00:52 Is taking a loan ever financially wise? 03:10 Challenges...

Are whiskey investments worth looking into in volatile times? Are they a lucrative alternative investment? What’s the difference between bottle and cask/barrel investing? Howie Lim gets insights from Anthony Zhang, co-founder and CEO of Vinovest and Maxwell Nee, Managing Partner of the OENO Wine & Whisky Investment Fund. Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  02:25 Inflection point in...

Is investing during a recession a good idea? Can it be rewarding? How do we fight natural instincts to become more conservative because the best investments may not be what we expect? Howie Lim gets insights from Francis Tan, investment strategist at UOB Private Bank’s chief investment office. Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation: 01:02 Market developments to watch 03:36 What approach to...

Financial stability, financial independence, financial abundance, financial freedom! The terms just get more complicated or is it just semantics? Does one mean the other and how can we get there? Howie Lim gets insights from Stephanie Chiaw, financial services associate director, PhillipCapital and Adriana Chia, senior vice president, CX and research at Singlife. Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the...

With inflation seemingly persistent and global economic conditions looking like they could worsen, how do we steel ourselves to stay invested? Stay invested we must because who wants to be a loser? Howie Lim gets insights from Samuel Rhee, Chairman and CIO at Endowus. Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  01:13 In or out in this current climate? 03:38 In, even when markets dive 08:11...

Salary independence, active investing, FIRE. How can we be sure any of them work to get us to financial independence? Howie Lim gets the skinny from Sabrina Gan, Fidelity International’s Head of Southeast Asia and Country Head of Singapore. Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  01:48 Passive vs. active investing debate moot? 03:02 Is active investing required to retire well? 05:06 How...

In the debate between savings and investing, which is a better choice to grow our wealth? What are some factors to consider? Karl Franks, the Chief Operating Officer of Hugosave and Christopher Tan, founder and CEO of Providend share their insights and tips with Howie Lim. Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  01:02 Chris Tan and Karl Franks’ take on savings vs. investing 02:56 Investing...

Private equities, real estate, digital assets, collectibles are some of the alternative assets that are missing in our investment portfolio. How can we achieve a balanced portfolio, including alternatives in the current environment? Howie Lim gets insights from Kelvin Lee, Co-founder and CEO of Alta. Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  01:08 Alternative assets as hedge against...

Winning the lottery may feel like a pipe dream. But the salary independence it gives is more attainable than you think. Imagine not requiring a paycheck from your boss. Howie Lim uncovers the possibilities with David Kuo, co-founder of The Smart Investor. Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  00:42 What is salary independence? 02:38 Savings vs investing 06:15 Path to salary...

One has been an economic force for some time, and one is poised to be one of the fastest growing major economies over the next decade. But where should you put your money? Howie Lim finds out from Daryl Ho, senior investment strategist at DBS’ chief investment office. Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  00:53 IMF GDP forecast for the two giants 03:03 Long term drivers of the two...

Retirement inadequacies? Bonds not keeping pace with inflation? That yield curve staying below 5 percent? Howie Lim finds the answers to these questions with financial experts in this episode.  Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights of the conversation:  01:04 Retirement inadequacy worry 04:27 Tighter rein on budgets 08:40 Can the yield curve come up to 5%? 12:07 Bonds outpaced by inflation worry 14:34 What...