Net Worth Update Jan 2026 | SGD 2.13m New Record High!

In January 2026, my net worth propels to a record high of SGD 2.13m.

This is fueled by collection of salary, bonuses, CPF contributions, stable performances from core investment holdings in S-REITs and local banks, the successful capture of US option premiums and the growing US tech portfolio.

My net worth breakdown is as follows:

Safe Heavens (59%)

CPF (33%): bulk and foundation of my retirement savings. On 1 Jan 2026, I collected $22k of CPF interests. I have made $1k cash top-up to my Medisave account after the uplift of Basic Healthcare Sum to $79k in 2026 and $5k to my mum's CPF retirement account, to enjoy tax reliefs.

Cash and war chest (17%): Liquid reserves strategically stashed in fixed deposits and Fullerton cash funds earning around 1% p.a. provide peace of mind and security for unexpected expenses or investment opportunities.

Bonds (9%): A balanced portfolio of low-risk Singapore Savings Bonds and Astrea PE Bonds ensures stability and provides steady source of passive income.

Retirement Savings and Protection (16%)

SRS (12%): A tax-deferred engine for supplementary retirement savings, diversified across $30k of SSB, local stocks such as Comfortdelgro, DBS, OCBC, Keppel DC Reit, Keppel Reit and Wilmar, and idle funds deployed in money market funds.

Insurance (4%): A Prudential whole life insurance plan and other savings plans will provide me with 6-digit lump sum payout after my retirement while offering continual protection for peace of mind.

Equities (25%)

Stocks and Reits (25%): A real estate-focused portfolio of stocks and Reits provides long-term dividend income and stability. This financial asset class is riskier, more volatile and sensitive to interest rates but offers me the opportunity to indirectly own diversified portfolios of industrial, retail and commercial properties locally, and around the world for consistent passive income. 

To enhance returns, I am building up the US growth stock portfolio to include the likes of tech compounders such as AMZN, MSFT and NVDA while also actively selling cash-secured put options to collect premiums, a strategy aimed at either generating income or acquiring desired assets at a discount.

The Attainment of FIRE

While net worth remains the critical compass of Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) reflecting the assets required to sustainably fund living expenses, the philosophy itself transcends mere accumulation. Having already exceeded SGD 2 million in assets and generated over $40,000 in annual passive income in 2025, I am pleased to achieve FIRE before age 40.

FIRE is, fundamentally, about reclaiming control: control over our time, our choices, and the design of our lives. It creates the ultimate flexibility and power to choose to work if we want to, to pursue passions full-time.

FIRE grants us the ultimate leverage moving forward: the freedom to adopt a truly carefree—and where necessary, 'f* you'—attitude in the workplace. This journey is a deliberate investment in security and a growing buffer against life's unpredictability.

My financial targets for 2026 focus on tangible cash flow, long-term growth and are as follows:

• Passive Income: Adjusting the goal to $48,000 in annual passive income.

• Growth Portfolio: Establishing a US growth portfolio valued above USD150,000 as part of my total SGD1 million investment portfolio.

• Net Worth: Aiming for a net worth of SGD 2.25 million by the end of Dec 2026.

Financial independence is not an end; it is the power to design a life we do not need a vacation from, with the space to breathe, to live, and to thrive. If a nobody like me can do it, so can all of you.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. It's crucial to conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Thanks for reading.

With love and peace, 

Qiongster

CPF Retirement Account Top Up

  

I just topped up $5k into my mum's CPF Retirement Account (RA) today.

The transaction and RA account balance are updated instantly in my mum CPF statement.

In my CPF Retirement dashboard, my remaining tax relief is also reflected instantly.

Let me share 5 great reasons why CPF Retirement Account top up can be a smart financial move.

1. Tax Relief

For personal financial objective, we could enjoy tax relief of up to $8k per calendar year for topping up our parent's CPF Retirement Account under the Retirement Sum Top Up (RSTU) scheme.

Assuming a tax bracket at 11%, a relief of $8k will save $880 of individual income taxes in cash, which is a rather decent incentive to ourselves.

The tax relief is also applicable to family members such as parents-in-law, grandparents, grandparents-in-law, siblings and spouse.

2. Compounding growth at 4%

CPF Retirement Account yields at least 4% and up to 6% for senior folks risk-free and guaranteed by the Singapore Government. Monies growing at compounded rate of at least 4% will double in 20 years hence, by leaving cash in CPF RA account, they will grow much faster than inflation rate to preserve and uphold its real value.

For CPF members aged 55 and above, an extra 2% of interest is paid on the first $30k of their combined balances (capped at $20k for OA), an an extra 1% for the next $30k.

3. CPF Life

In order to automatically enroll in CPF Life, one need to have at least $60k in their CPF retirement savings before reaching 65 years old. We could help our parents to boost their CPF retirement savings to qualify for CPF Life if they do not have active income and CPF contributions.

CPF Life offers payouts perpetually for life. If one's CPF RA does not have $60k before reaching 65 years old, then he or her will only rely on Retirement Savings scheme to draw down their CPF savings till it is depleted.

If our parent is already enrolled in and receiving monthly payouts from CPF Life, any subsequent new inflows to the RA will automatically be used to increase the CPF Life premium so as to achieve higher monthly payouts for life.

4. Matched Retirement Savings Scheme

Under the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme (MRSS), the Government will match every dollar of cash top-ups made to the Retirement Account of eligible members up to a annual cap of $2,000, which can amount to $20,000 over an eligible member's lifetime. To be eligible, the person has to be aged 55 and above, has a CPF RA of less than the current Basic Retirement Sum of $110,200, has average monthly income of less than $4k, live in a property with annual value less than $21k and not owning more than one property.

By topping up at least $2,000 to a qualified family member's CPF RA account, we can milk $2,000 of free money from the Government.

However, do note that from 1 January 2025, cash top-ups that attract the MRSS grant will not be eligible for tax relief.

5. CPF is like golden ATM for senior citizens

For senior folks close to reaching the 55 year old and 65 year old milestones of being able to touch their CPF monies, their CPF accounts are like golden ATM that offer high interest rates for "withdrawable" cash with the click of a button. This is unlike younger folks who could only stare at their CPF balances as numbers. Hence, the concepts of 1M65 and CPF life annuity payouts are indeed beneficial and practical to folks who could really live long beyond 50s or 60s and on the brink of drawing down cash from their CPF balances. People who lived past 50 years old and could achieve Full Retirement Sum (FRS) should try to pump more monies into their CPF accounts, by all means, in order to reap the risk-free guaranteed returns on their monies.

CPF members above 55 year old can withdraw excess savings in Ordinary account above the FRS. CPF members can also withdraw up to 20% of their Retirement Account savings in a lump sum anytime from age 65 onwards.

However do note that once money is topped up via the Retirement Sum Topping-Up scheme, it cannot be withdrawn in a lump sum; it is only for  increasing the monthly CPF LIFE payouts.

I topped up my mum's CPF RA account with cash instead of giving cash, in order to maximise the value of money. For the $5k topped up today, I can enjoy $550 of tax savings myself, let my mum earn at least $200 of CPF interests for 2026 despite not being able to qualify form MRSS. This $750 of "earnings" from $5k gives a whopping ROI of 15% in a year.

Furthermore, there is compounding effect from future years' interests and being eligible to receive higher CPF Life monthly income payouts for life. Overall, I feel that it is a decent financial move. However, cash is king and it may be more financially rewarding if we were to deploy our cash in investments which yield greater returns.

In conclusion, topping up CPF accounts using cash is an individual decision depending on a myriad of factors and may only suit some of us and not everyone. One should always exercise our own due diligence to make the best decision for our own financial matters.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Investment decisions should be made based on individual circumstances and after careful consideration of risks and potential rewards.

Thanks for reading. Stay focused and remain steadfast as always!

With love & peace, 

Qiongster

Portfolio Update December 2025

Happy New Year. Here is a portfolio update for Dec 2025.

My SGX Income Portfolio value increases to $459k from $441k mainly due to resurgence of S-Reits from lower interest rates and capital injection for increased investment in Mapletree Industrial Trust.

My US Growth Portfolio rises to US$43.8k from US$37.5k due to capital injections for nibbling of tech stocks from my efforts to build up the growth portfolio.

My SRS Ultra Long-Term Portfolio value rises to $246k from $240k mainly due to the resilience of local banks such as OCBC and DBS.

Portfolio Actions

1. Bought 7 shares of MSFT at $475.68

2. Bought 10 shares of AMZN at $226.50

3. Bought 4 shares of NVDA at $177.10

4. Bought 5,000 shares of Mapletree Industrial Trust at $2.02

Portfolio Dividends

1. Received $492.00 of dividends from SSB on 1 Dec.

2. Received $402.00 of dividends from MPACT on 4 Dec.

3. Received $667.80 of dividends from Mapletree Industrial Trust on 10 Dec.

4. Received $397.11 of dividends from Mapletree Log Trust on 16 Dec.

5. Received $885.00 of dividends from Frasers L&C Trust on 23 Dec.

6. Received $854.00 of dividends from Aims Apac Reit on 24 Dec.

Looking Ahead: My Strategy for 2026

As we closed out 2025, my "Barbell" approach remains the cornerstone of my financial plan. While the portfolios have shown resilience, the focus for the coming year will shift toward optimization and balance.

1. Aggressive Growth in the US Portfolio My US Growth portfolio is still in its "building phase." In 2026, I intend to continue systematic capital injections into high-conviction names like NVIDIA, Amazon, and Microsoft. My goal is to let the "Magnificent" tech drivers provide the capital appreciation that complements my steady SGX dividends.

2. Defending the Income Fortress With the SGX Income portfolio sitting at over $400k, the focus here is less about aggressive buying and more about yield maintenance. I will be monitoring interest rate trends closely—if rates stabilize or dip, I expect my heavy weighting in REITs (Mapletree, Frasers, Aims Apac) to see a healthy valuation recovery.

3. The SRS "Compounder" The local banks (DBS and OCBC) have been the MVPs of my SRS portfolio this year. For 2026, I will likely keep this portfolio on "autopilot," allowing the dividends to be reinvested back into the STI’s strongest blue chips.

Final Thoughts: Investing is a marathon, not a sprint. Whether the market is up or down in 2026, my plan remains the same: stay invested, collect dividends, and buy quality on the dips.

SGX Income Portfolio

Portfolio Value = $459k

US Growth Portfolio

Moomoo

Tiger Broker

Syfe Trade

Portfolio Value = US$43.8k

SRS Ultra Long-Term Portfolio

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. It's crucial to conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Thanks for reading.

With love and peace, 

Qiongster

Free Money Dropped from Heaven!!!

  

Happy New Year 2026!

I am happy to wake up in a fresh year knowing that interests earned in 2025 have been credited to my CPF accounts today. 

As the CPF website is on maintenance from 12am to 8am today, the first thing I did after waking up is to check my CPF balances.

Pleased to receive more than $22k of free money!

Another important step in the journey towards financial freedom and retirement.

Even though CPF monies do not seem to be like real monies, I believe they are still illiquid monies that can be used to fund our retirement in our late lives, purchase properties, pay for education fees of children and pay medical bills or insurance.

Here are my CPF interests for 2025:

In total, I received $22,003.25

This is an 7.5% increase from $20,459.49 for 2024.

CPF OA funds can be used to purchase properties or pay for monthly mortgages. Excess above the full retirement sum can be withdrawn at age 55. Hence I believe that CPF monies are still our monies.

The interest of $2.9k earned from Medisave account can easily cover the premiums for Careshield life and Medishield life. In a way, it is possible to enjoy free insurance by using passive income from CPF savings to cover the insurance premiums. This can be achieved if we bother to top up our own medisave account and strive to hit the maximum Basic Healthcare Sum limit of $79k in 2026 to let the 4% interest rate do its compounding work. 

I am certainly satisfied with this source of passive income which certainly boosts my CPF total and net worth on the first day of a brand new year.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Investment decisions should be made based on individual circumstances and after careful consideration of risks and potential rewards.

Thanks for reading!

With love & peace,

Qiongster