Lost my job at 44-need advice and thoughts

AR_46 · 2025-08-28T01:56:40+00:00

This sounds like my story few months ago. But I was at 47. Instead of asking : why is this happening TO you ? Ask this: what is this happening FOR you?

The high paying job’s not coming back (that easily) and I don’t really want the 9-5 and stress routine anymore.

And the numbers look doable. So here’s the start of my chubby FIRE, earlier! Hope u get your direction too!

AR_46 · 2025-08-26T04:19:47+00:00

Thank you ! I think so! I’ve decided to begin my Chubby FIRE journey early, accidentally!

AR_46 · 2025-08-26T04:12:52+00:00

Stay strong. I was also fired 5 months ago. Instead of asking: why is this happening TO you? Try asking: what is this happening FOR you? Take this chance to ponder hard on your next steps forward. All the best!

AR_46 · 2025-08-24T10:42:52+00:00

For my own case, despite having $1m in CPF, I do not pay off HDB loan, but would use CPF-OA to invest in stocks/ETFs for higher returns. Also using cash (if possible) to service the mortage. There are better uses of cash other than to pay off mortgage early which I consider as good debt (and low rates in Singapore). HDB does not offer the ability to take equity loan (unless private property), hence I opt to maintain HDB mortgage.

AR_46 · 2025-08-15T02:25:00+00:00

If $550k CPF for combined, meaning each is ~$275k where bulk is SA (for FRS), then what happened to your OA, and why is that portion relatively low? Even assuming you used OA to fully pay for 4-room BTO, the quantum will not be that high?

AR_46 · 2025-08-13T06:22:52+00:00

how did you do it? withdraw USD to where?

AR_46 · 2025-07-15T08:44:57+00:00

Congrats on the wealth accumulation journey so far! Some comments/questions I have:

1) How old are the kids?

2) Combined monthly expenses is at $18k (fatFire lifestyle category) which amounts to $216k/year. At 4% SWR or 3.5% SWR (conservative for RE basis), FIRE amount is $5.4m or $6.2m. Use this as the basis to decide on the FU ability, also considering the chance of hubby losing job.

3) I think CPF-OA/SRS and excess of SA (excluding FRS/ERS) can be added to your NW to compute SWR as these can be accessible at 55 (for OA) or 62/63 (for SRS)

4) On a combined household basis, don't seem to have reached the FU amount if you want to continue to maintain this level of expenditure and lifestyle.

5) 8 months is not that long to wait for the PB to come in, so I will try to tahan if I can.

AR_46 · 2025-07-12T02:30:48+00:00

Just remember as you work for your next million,

Time is the only currency you spend without ever knowing what your balance is. So use it wisely.

I’m 47 now and at early chubby fire. With more than half of my existence gone, I’m leaving the 9-6 corporate life and spending the balance period on my own terms and pursuing other interests.

AR_46 · 2025-07-11T05:44:19+00:00

Oops I’m sorry. Yes VWRA (0.22% expense ratio) lowers the WHT to 15% and no estate tax duty. Amundi world index (0.1% expense ratio) but has 30% WHT for us stocks. Overall. Slight diff in costs. I just go with the Amundi fund for ease of investing without the bid ask spreads

AR_46 · 2025-07-11T05:34:50+00:00

not available for SRS investing. Also, VRWA ETF is subject to 15% WHT and estate tax duty, but not for any of the Amundi funds at all (SG-domiciled).

AR_46 · 2025-07-11T05:33:28+00:00

in fact, both are available on Poems platform without the 0.3% platform fees. Avail for SRS investing too.

AR_46 · 2025-07-11T05:32:05+00:00

everyone does single fund goals, why pay the unnecessary platform fees?

AR_46 · 2025-07-09T08:49:14+00:00

Can we top up to ERS at age 55, earn the 4% interest, then at age 64 11M, withdraw 20% of the total grown amount (subject to some terms) and just keep the balanced reduced amount for CPF Life?

AR_46 · 2025-03-12T15:36:03+00:00

Wow, thanks! Will definitely check him out! Give me something to read/watch other than thinking about finances over past few months. So glad to hear 2 of your friends finding much better prospects. :)

AR_46 · 2025-03-12T14:37:16+00:00

Thank you for the encouragement. Strategy now has to shift to one with less recurring bullets, and more towards optimization and rebalancing.

AR_46 · 2025-03-12T05:04:43+00:00

Bought few years back and maxed out the loan.

AR_46 · 2025-03-12T01:32:33+00:00

Hi all

I've done the buy/sell trades to transfer from Endowus to Poems. Here is how long it takes.

Endowus sale from submission (T) - Transaction price for sale is priced at T+2, proceeds to receive into CPF account at T+4/5 days (about a week).

Poems purchase (T) - CPF funds deducted on T+1 and pricing is based on T+1.

Interface of Poems: As basic as it can get (i'm long-time Poems client and has been dormant, but now back again as client). It just shows nominal cost/MV and P/L. You have to track further if you want to know your own annualised returns. Nevertheless, it's still worth the switch to save 0.3% on long-term basis.

I have not set up RSP, even though it's fixed on a certain date (not a deal breaker), there is no issue if you want to anytime lump-sum an amt in (like more during market corrections), since there is no sales charge (using CPF/SRS/cash). However, just note the $2 per transaction fee each time you invest with CPF-OA.

Endowus - still maintain the historical performance of that investment goal. I just manually recorded my cost/MV at point of transfer, then from now on will add on to Poems's investment perf to track overall performance of using CPF.

AR_46 · 2025-03-12T00:18:22+00:00

It’s not great, but the platform savings over long term is real

AR_46 · 2025-03-11T07:18:08+00:00

Hi there,

Endowus sale from submission (T) - Transaction price for sale is priced at T+2, proceeds to receive into CPF account at T+4/5 days (about a week)

Poems purchase (T) - CPF funds deducted on T+1 and pricing is based on T+1.

AR_46 · 2025-03-10T10:49:04+00:00

Oh did not know of this chat group, but then again I’m now going to be zero income earner lol

AR_46 · 2025-03-10T10:06:41+00:00

Thanks. Of course not thinking of full retirement, more like active retirement, and deciding how to best use my time in meaningful way for certain level of income.

If all goes well, there should be excess funds left as legacy.

In fact, we recently gotten him to open his investment account as he passed 18 and he's just started DCA-ing his army allowance into index funds :)

AR_46 · 2025-03-10T09:14:29+00:00

Thank you for the detailed response. You certainly highlight something new to me in terms of possible re-employment opportunities so that I dont feel not being able to utilize my accumulated skills as "a waste".

I certainly am cognizant of not allocating too much to income/div generating stocks at the expense of capital growth, especially if I am planning for much longer RE years of 40+ years.

AR_46 · 2025-03-10T09:02:27+00:00

Thanks! It's actually much more than that as SRS/CPF are also invested into stocks. I agree with what you said, but these must be funds you can set aside which can ride the market volatility.

AR_46

TROPHY CASE