098 Tax relief for 2015

Tax relief for 2015	2015年税务减免税项
It's tax season of the year again. We will be returning our tax filing. When we do it for 2015, we should be able to know our tax for 2016. Let's look at tax relief for 2015.	又到了报税的季节了。我们又要呈报我们的税务。当我们呈报2015年的同时，我们也估计得到2016年该还的税务。让我们来看看2015年的减免税务吧。
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Besides the special relief in item 18, all the other relieves are applicable to 2016 as well. Of them all, the most under utilized relief could be Private Retirement Scheme (PRS) and Annuity Scheme listed under item 16.	除了第18项的税务减免之外，其他都属2016年也适用的减免。这其中可能还较少人索取的是第16项的私人退休基金与年金计划。
PRS and Annuity relief are applicable in between year 2012-2021, ie a total of 10 years. There are 8 providers of PRS products, while Annuity is launched by insurance company.	私人退休基金与年金计划的减免适用于2012年至2021年，即为期10年。目前被批准的私人退休基金公司共有8间，而年金计划一般由保险公司推出。
Pls remember when you are increasing your income while trying very hard to decrease your expenses, saving taxes the correct way is a wise way to retain your income. As resources is limited, it make sense to maximise your resources.	谨记在您增加收入又尽量减少开支的同时，如何正确节省税务也是留住收入的方法。因为您拥有的资源是有限的，如何让您的资源最大化是明智的。
If you have not claim this relief, or you are wondering how much it can save you, pls email sateo7689@yahoo.com for a free review.	若是您在这之前仍然未索取这项减免，抑或好奇这项减免能为您省下多少税务，欢迎您电邮sateo7689@yahoo.com安排免费咨询。

097 Looking for higher yield for SGD currency

Low SGD fixed deposit rate	新币定期存款利率低
It's a known fact FD rate in Singapore is low. Compared to Malaysia where FD rates are above 3%, it's somewhere above 1% only over the other side of causeway. Below is a snapshot of FD rate captured from iMoney Singapore.	新加坡的定期利率偏低是众所周知的。相比马来西亚的3%以上的利率，对岸的利率只是区区的1%上下。以下是从iMoney Singapore网站截下的定期利率的其中一段。
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The highest rate of 1.25% is offered by CIMB Bank Singapore. Some more it's a promotional rate. The highest before this is 0.63% only. That's real low from a Malaysian perspective though.	图表显示新加坡联昌银行给予1.25%的利率，而且是促销性质。比这下一级的最高纪录只是0.63%罢了。依马来西亚的眼光来看，真的很低。
The solution	解决方案
If you have idle SGD on hand, not going to use it for the next couple of years, may I suggest you to really look for this SGD endowment plan offered by Archipelago Life Insurance.	如果您有多余的新币在手，即接下来两三年都不会用到，那不妨考虑Archipelago Life Insurance推出的新币储蓄保单。
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Archipelago is offering, for the first time outside their usual USD endowment plan, this SGD endowment plan due to high demand from Southern region. This plan best suited whoever has SGD on hand. I think it's unwise to exchange MYR to SGD to participate in the plan.	这是Archipelago在它们的美元储蓄保单之外，首次推出新元储蓄保单。这个产品是为应允南部顾客有需求。这样的产品最适合手上已经有新元的顾客。我想现在若要把马币换成新元来储蓄的话，似乎很不明智。
What this plan offers is a 8% fixed maturity returns at the end of 24 months locked in period. This translate to compounded interest of 3.92% per annum. And this is some double or triple of normal FD rate.	这保单将在24个月的锁定期满期后给予顾客8%的满期利益。换算回来，这等于3.92%的复合利率。这样的利率相等于市面利率的一至二倍。
The calculation: Capital: SGD28000 Interest: 8% (2 years total) Maturity Value: 28000 * 1.08 = 30240 Using a financial calculator: PV: -28000 FV: 30240 n: 2 i = 3.92%	计算方式： 本金：新元28000 利息：8%两年总计 满期值：30240 使用财务计算机 PV: -28000 FV: 30240 n: 2 i = 3.92%
Since this is an endowment plan or insurance policy, there will be penalty if the insured decided to surrender the policy prematurely. And the penalty is very high.	既然这是储蓄保单，如果投保者提前退出的话，那他将被罚款。而且罚款额挺高的。
When you should consider	何时该考虑
- You have SGD on hand. - You don't use it in the next 2 years. - You are a conservative investor who wants secured returns. - You want to prepare for future use (retirement / children education)	- 您已经有新元在手。 - 您在接下来两年不会用到该笔钱。 - 您是保守型投资者，只要固定回酬。 - 您想为将来（退休/孩子教育费）做预备。
Note Archipelago has a USD endowment plan which is entering its series 12. With 3 months a series, this means it has entered into its 3rd years. The first few series has matured.	注 Archipelago亦有美元储蓄保单，目前已进入系列12。以每三个月一个系列计，此产品代表已进入第3年。前几个系列亦已满期赎回。
Archipelago SGD Endowment Plan - http://www.archipelagolife.com/endowment-sigma-series-1/ Archipelago USD Endowment Plan - http://www.archipelagolife.com/the-archipelago-endowment-alpha-series-12/	Archipelago新元储蓄保单-http://www.archipelagolife.com/endowment-sigma-series-1/ Archipelago美元储蓄保单- http://www.archipelagolife.com/the-archipelago-endowment-alpha-series-12/
For any enquiry, pls email to sateo7689@yahoo.com.	任何询问请电邮至sateo7689@yahoo.com。

096 The Edge Thomson Reuters Lipper Awards 2016

It's Official	尘埃落定
It's the most exciting moment of the year, for both the fund house and unit trust agents alike. We are eager to see how did the funds performed last year. Are they being recognized, by professional body, to be the best of the best?	对于基金公司抑或代理员而言，这是年度盛事。大家都同样想知道基金去年的表现如何。它们是否在专业评审的面前被嘉奖为优人一等的基金呢？
Fund houses hope their efforts are being recognized. Agents hope their recommended funds are up to mark to assist clients to achieve financial goals. Below are the winners of The Edge Thomson Reuters Lipper Award.	基金公司期盼他们的努力被肯定。代理员期盼他们推荐的基金的的确确是能帮助顾客完成理财计划。这一以下就是The Edge Thomson Reuters Lipper奖的得主。
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095 Inland Revenue Dept CP500

Inland Revenue Dept CP500	内陆税收局 CP500
When I was taking my CFP module Tax Planning, lectures told us Inland Revenue Dept will randomly picked some taxpayers for audit. Since it is randomly picked, it doesn't mean fault for the "lucky" one. Anyway, it doesn't feel good to get picked.	在我还在修读CFP课程税务规划这个单元时，讲师说内陆税收局会每年抽样检查纳税人的税务呈报单。因是抽样被选，“幸运”被抽中的人并不代表犯错了。但收到内陆税收局的信的心情还是很不安的。
It was 3 weeks before Chinese New Year, somewhere middle of January, I got a letter from Inland Revenue. Did I overpay last year? It's my refund? I opened it with unease.	就在今年新年前的两三个星期，即约一月中旬，我就收到税收局的信。我想难道去年的税还多了，现在有退税？于是带着忐忑的心情打开。
Oh, Inland Revenue wants me to submit the original copy of tax declaration form together with all the supporting receipts. No problem to me since I have all of them. So, I reorganize them, prepared a cover letter listing all the documents, then passed to Inland Revenue. They told me I can call them on the progress. Call them? Forget it.	噢，税收局要我呈上2015年的报税表格以及所有单据，全部都要正本。这倒没什么难得，我全都有，而且我也呈报有单据的减免。于是，我稍微整理了一下，再拟了一封信列明资料清单就交到税收局。税收局说任何后续会有信件通知，若是等得急了可以去电询问。去电？我想还是免了罢。
Chinese New Year came and passed. No news from IRD. I am innocent I think. Well well, there it comes in near month end of February. A long long letter in A4 paper. Looked like assessment form, but since I do e-filing, it couldn't be. What is it?	新年来了又过了。税收局无消无息。我想应该是无罪了吧。哈哈，就在二月下旬，来了。长长的像A4纸的信。让人以为是税务呈报表格，只是我是网上报税，所以不应收到税务呈报表了的。是什么呢？
Let me see, it's the so called form CP500, that is a schedular tax payment estimated by IRD. It's similar to employees Monthly Tax Deduction (PCB). It seems like IRD has reviewed my formsforms, and come out with a 6 bi-monthly payment scheme.	打开一看，原来是所谓的CP500表格，既是按期缴交当局预测的税务。就有如雇员的每月税务扣账(PCB/MTD)。看来税收局应该是看过了我的表格，于是拟定六期，即每两个月一期的分期税。
First payment is on 1st of March, the last is 1st January next year. Each payment date has 30 days grace period. Additional fine if late.	第一期是三月一号，最后一期是明年的一月一号。每期的税务需在以上日期算起的30天内缴付。逾期另外罚款。
I asked my fellow planners. They have paid that for many many years. The thing is we belongs to commission based taxpayers, so IRB user this method to collect our tax. To think of it, it's quite good a system too. A whole year tax is being split into 6 smaller payments, saving us the pain of paying 1 big sum when due.	我问了问身边的其他理财员，原来有些已经如此缴交了很多年呢。最主要的是，我们属佣金制纳税人，所以当局是以这种方式让我们分期付税。其实也挺好的呢，因为一年的税务均分六期，可免一年一度报税期单笔付税的“心痛”。
So all I have to do is pay on time. Just that need to wait until commission paid. That's it. Then something crop up the day before. My laptop was stolen. The CP500 is inside. Looked like I have to pay IRD a visit.	看来还钱就对了。只是要等拿到佣金过后。事就如此定了。就在前天发生了一段插曲。我的手提电脑被偷了。那个CP500表格偏就在电脑袋里面。看来得跑一趟内陆税收局了。
Today when I open my mailbox, their is a reminder email from IRD informing they have sent out CP500 to me. And in the email, dates and amount payable are stated. Looked like IRD is getting more and more efficient.	今天星期天打开邮箱。内里有一封税收局提醒当局已经寄出CP500的表格，也一并列明我的付税日期及款额。哈，如此我就无需特地去税收局了。看来税收局的效率越来越好了。
As taxpayers, we must declare our tax diligently. Let's only claim what's entitled. Wrong declaration will be punished severely.	身为纳税人，我们需精明的报税。我们应该只索取符合资格的税务回扣。刻意误报税务的惩罚会得不偿失。
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094 Planning Education Fund through USD plans

教育不能等	Education can't wait/b>
图中的小妹妹很可爱是吗？试想她是您的宝贝女儿。您要她永远最好的，包括教育。从小您送她去补习，您要她学习。当时间来临是她上大学时，她的教育费是否已经就位了呢？	Cute isn't it the girl in the picture? Imagine it's your girl. You want her to have the best, including education. Since young, you sent her to tuition, you want her to learn. When the time has come for her tertiary education, is her education fund in place?
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大部分父母想送孩子出国留学。但不是全部入负担得起。庆幸的是我们有政府和私人界来的贷款或赞助供选择。我们只是不确定是否能成功申请。	Almost all parents want to send their children for overseas study. But not many can afford to. The lucky things are we have loans and sponsorship from government and private sectors. The uncertain part is whether we can secure one.
因此，身为父母还是未雨绸缪事先另外为孩子准备教育费为妙。如果孩子12~20年后才要经费，那父母有15~20年时间累及该笔数目。	So, it's best for parents to start separate education funds for their children. If the children will need the fund in 15~20 years, it means parents have 15~20 years to accumulate that sum.
以下是由Investor Trust SPC准备的一张图表。是用来教育民众关于提早准备的重要性。	Below is a guide prepared by Investors Trust SPC, to educate the public on the importance of early planning.
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89%的美国父母同意教育是给孩子们的未来的投资。许多人也同意为教育费做准备也是一项挑战来的。有些人甚至倾向延迟孩子的教育，而40%的家庭为教育费而申请贷款。	89% of US parents agree education is an investment for their kids' future. Many also agree it is a challenge to prepare for it. Some tends to delay children education, while 40% of families took loans to pay for education.
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我们也看到少过一般的家庭确立计划来储蓄教育费。相比不做的，真正如此做的可以储蓄到更多的经费。因此，没有计划就等于在海中漂流。	We also see although less than half of families instituted a plan to save for education fund. The reward for that higher savings as compared to who didn't. So, without a plan is similar to drifting in the sea.
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我手中没有马来西亚的相关数据，只是依据差不多每年都发生的申请JPA或PTPTN贷款的事件，马来西亚的父母确实也重视孩子们的教育，只不过没有妥善准备吧。	I don't have the figure for Malaysia but judging from the almost annual affair parents appealing for JPA or PTPTN loans, safe to say all parents in Malaysia also placed high importance to education but are ill-prepared for it.
话说回来，也不能怪任何人。马来西亚还是发展中国家。人民还处在为养家糊口而打拼的情况。无论如何，我知道有父母仍然在有限的资源当中尽力为孩子储蓄。确实让人敬佩。	However, we can't blame anybody on that part. Malaysia is still a developing country where people are still struggling for living. Still, I know many parents do still try to squeezed out something for their children. A respect for them.
让我们来看看在美国读书需要多少钱。4年期的私人学院要13.4万美元（58.9万马币），18年后涨至32.4万美元（1.43百万马币）。	Let's see how much one should prepare to go to study in US. A 4-year private college cost USD134K (MYR589K), and grow to USD324K (MYR1.43M) in 18 years time.
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两者都是乍舌的数目对吗？尤其是父母的存款以马币为主而又必须一次过转换成美元。万一遇上兑换率不理想，压力就很大了。	Both are stunning figures, aren't they? Especially true if the parents have been savings in MYR and had to exchange to USD in one go. This creates pressures when the exchange rate is unfavourable.
所以，现在建议每月定期储蓄美元。这样，兑换率就可以在整个期限中平均掉。而当中的投资部分可以为储蓄增值。	So, the idea now is to save directly in USD through monthly savings. In this manner, the exchange rate can be spread out throughout the whole period. And the investment part will increase the value of the savings.
让我们使用以上的数字来看看一对父母该存多少钱。我们需要用到财务计算机(实体或应用程序)。	Let's use the above figures and see how much should a parents save. We will need a financial calculator (physical / app).
例子: 总数，FV:32.4万美元 总期数 ，n:180月(15年) 回酬，i:5%年利 每月，PMT:1212美元	Example:- Total Sum, FV: USD 324K Total Years, n: 15 Years (180 months) Interest Rate, i: 5% p.a. Monthly, PMT: USD 1,212
如此，我们知道每月需交1212美元。此时父母亲得回顾他们的资源并决定他们能够负担多少。需谨记少好过无。	Now, we see USD1,212 monthly is needed. The parents must review their resources and decide how much they can put. Start with a smaller figure is better than not starting at all.
他们也可以选择不单单存美元，也可考虑欧元、马币或英镑。	He may not want to save all in USD, some he may want to be in EUR or MYR or GBP.
在这之前，本土并没有美元保险计划。一直到马来西亚把纳闵规划成离岸金融中心，吸引国际保险公司在纳闵设计分行。Investor Trust既是其中一间，也在辉立资本的平台。	All the while we don't have USD insurance plan in Malaysia, right until Malaysia set up Labuan as offshore financial centre to allow international insurance companies to set up office. One of such insurance company that offers such plan, through Phillip Capital platform, is Investors Trust.
Investors Trust不会直接向顾客介绍他们的产品。顾客必须聘用一名理财师来确保该产品适合他。更重要的是，要有一个计划并不时跟进。	Investors Trust do not meet with clients directly to showcase their products. A client must engage a planner to properly review that such a product is suitable for him. Most importantly, there must be a plan and it must be review all along the way.
对顾客而言，购买这类计划与购买本地保险无异。他必须每月付款直到完成年限。若是半途而废的话，退保额会很少。既然这是离岸保险，他以信用卡付款。	A client who took up such plan is similar to signing up a local insurance plan. He must duly service the monthly installment during the whole tenure. If if stops half way, the surrender value will be very pathetic. Since this is offshore insurance, he will make the payment using his credit card.
顾客可以依据需要选择供款期，比如5年、10年、15年或20年。	Client may choose a suitable paying period - 5, 10, 15 or 20 years.
当保单满期后，他即可把钱转至孩子升学地。即使他是储蓄美元，他仍然可以转移至澳洲、英国或日本等。	When the plan matured, he may transfer the money to where his child studies. Maybe he save in USD, he can still transfer the money to Australia or UK or Japan etc.
幸运的话，他的孩子要是成功获得政府或私人公司赞助，他可以把钱当作退休金或孙子的礼物。	If he is lucky that his child is sponsored by government or private company, he can use the sum of savings for his retirement or as gift for grandchildren.
我邀请父母亲前来为将来(退休、教育费、投资)做规划。存下的一块钱才是属于你的。	I invite parents to come to us to plan for future - retirement, education or investment. A dollar saved is a dollar earned.
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