How much are you earning per annum?

Originally Posted by Hermit

$700,000 per annum - say it is the combined pay of a couple, so each earn $350,000. Dividing it by 15 months (3 months bonus) gives $23,333 per month. In today's world that is a common enough income level for a lot of professionals and senior managers in their 30s and 40s.

Hermit, what pisses me off about these high earners is not because of their high income. I get pissed off by the fact that they are hoarding onto their HDB flat which is meant for the lower income groups. And hence they get to enjoy utilities rebates. Also they are not paying enough taxes. These high income earners should be paying more tax both quantum as well as % wise, so that we can take care of the poor, destitute and orphans in society. Shame on these people.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Thanks Hermit.

lifting a slight veil on our $790k income:

me (39): $29k/mth, 8 mths bonus last year
wifey (38): $15k/mth, 1.5 mths bonus last year.

not outrageous, but comfortable enough...

I think you guys need glasses.... the original post was talking about young couples earning 700K....39 and 38 and you consider yourself youngsters...LOL Kenna Sai.....

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hermit, what pisses me off about these high earners is not because of their high income. I get pissed off by the fact that they are hoarding onto their HDB flat which is meant for the lower income groups. And hence they get to enjoy utilities rebates. Also they are not paying enough taxes. These high income earners should be paying more tax both quantum as well as % wise, so that we can take care of the poor, destitute and orphans in society. Shame on these people.

I think you are not thinking logically, so if I start as a young couple in a HDB and happen to work hard and do well in life I should give up my HDB and move to a condo and lock myself in a lifetime of debt?? oh please....housing is a matter of choice.

As for Tax i agree the rich should pay more tax and if I earn 10K i pay zero tax and if I earn 1M i pay a busload of tax, this is already in the current system, but if you are saying just because i work hard and I need to pay more money just cos I AM working hard then i think that is a socialist mentality of spreading wealth and that has no place in a capitalist society.

That's how Singapore works, since humans are all greedy government should start forcing all income earner that hit a certain bracket to force sell their HDB. That will cause the private market to shoot a hundred fold and the HDB prices to crash overnight Bavo! Govt can of course bring in more PRC to fill the HDB void but again somebody will likely kao peh kao bu.

How about those HDB kopitiam purchased from govt in the 80's for few hundred k now worth 10's millions? Those greedy landlords then raise the rental of the poor hawkers who then increase the price of your chicken rice. Should govt step in also?

no sinkies are saints lah, even our govt ministers also raking in the big bucks. If you wanna stay in this country stop being so pissed and learn to play the system if you wanna flip to the other divide. Then you can be some big shot philanthropist after.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hermit, what pisses me off about these high earners is not because of their high income. I get pissed off by the fact that they are hoarding onto their HDB flat which is meant for the lower income groups. And hence they get to enjoy utilities rebates. Also they are not paying enough taxes. These high income earners should be paying more tax both quantum as well as % wise, so that we can take care of the poor, destitute and orphans in society. Shame on these people.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

That's how Singapore works, since humans are all greedy government should start forcing all income earner that hit a certain bracket to force sell their HDB. That will cause the private market to shoot a hundred fold and the HDB prices to crash overnight Bavo! Govt can of course bring in more PRC to fill the HDB void but again somebody will likely kao peh kao bu.

How about those HDB kopitiam purchased from govt in the 80's for few hundred k now worth 10's millions? Those greedy landlords then raise the rental of the poor hawkers who then increase the price of your chicken rice. Should govt step in also?

no sinkies are saints lah, even our govt ministers also raking in the big bucks. If you wanna stay in this country stop being so pissed and learn to play the system if you wanna flip to the other divide. Then you can be some big shot philanthropist after.

I only earned 35k pa include 1 month aws.
Pathetic because I'm 40 yrs old with a family

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hermit, what pisses me off about these high earners is not because of their high income. I get pissed off by the fact that they are hoarding onto their HDB flat which is meant for the lower income groups. And hence they get to enjoy utilities rebates. Also they are not paying enough taxes. These high income earners should be paying more tax both quantum as well as % wise, so that we can take care of the poor, destitute and orphans in society. Shame on these people.

Don't blame the rich...it's human nature to think money is always not enough, but don't worry too much... wealth re-distribution is in progress....need a strong gov for this....

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I only earned 35k pa include 1 month aws.
Pathetic because I'm 40 yrs old with a family

how much is your wife earning? what is your total net worth?

Couple in mid-40s, earning $5k and $4k respectively pm. Have 2 kids in secondary schools. Supporting parents, both sides, financially. Live in a 4 room flat, luckily we paid it off. Now, it is worth $400k, our only sizable asset. Our net worth is $600k combined.

We hardly save in cash due to the commitment to support the old and young. We are now building up our CPF RA so that we will get passive income at 65. We hope the min sum we be raised higher so that we can save more in our RA and earn 4%. We hope it will go up to $400k so that we can get more passive income later.

Besides saving up in our CPF RA, what else can we do to prepare for retirement? Is the lease buyback scheme a good idea for us when we retire?

Everyone's situation is different, if you think you situation is pathetic then you should do something about it.

Everyone has limitations but most are limited by our mental state, know your limitations and be glad that you at least have some options that many others in countries neighboring ours do not have.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I only earned 35k pa include 1 month aws.
Pathetic because I'm 40 yrs old with a family

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I only earned 35k pa include 1 month aws.
Pathetic because I'm 40 yrs old with a family

Flaunting wealth is pathetic.
Spending money one doesn't have is pathetic.
Belittling those who are less well-off is pathetic.

There's nothing pathetic about earning a decent living (whatever the amount) and using your income responsibly to support your family.

It's all the more admirable to keep going when the going gets tough.