This sum is just a symbolic sum, not an accurate forecast

• CPF-Life ERS (enhanced retirement sum) may grow to SGD 450k when my wife or when I turn 65.
• typical top college fees may grow to USD 400k/student when my kids enroll, which will happen before I turn 65.

Q: since I can’t save enough for both purposes, which one would I sacrifice? I like this type of sharp questions that focus our mind on the real priorities.

A: short answer — sacrifice college funding. Top U.S. college is like branded products, catering to the affluent.  There are many high-quality but inexpensive colleges including NUS. If your focus is quality of education (rather than FOMO, halo, vanity…), I don’t think my kids would receive the very best educatio only in a prestigious college. As explained in many blogposts, prestige is based on research not quality of education.
A: college cost is consumption whereas CPF-life is buying an annuity.
A: My sis and Zeng Sheg both agree to let the kids stand on their own feet at that age…

— liquidity

CPF-life money is committed i.e. locked in. For better liquidity, I may need to consider leaving part of the 700k in my rental properties

College funding is zero liquidity — not an investment with a liquidation value.

— student loan

In Singapore, my kids can get interest-free loans. It’s best to let the kids repay the loan, with whatever partial assistance I can provide.

— bare-bones ffree

Q: looks like I am not really financially free?
A: my earlier analysis of bare-bones ffree was based on $0 college funding. In reality, I may earmark some SGD 200k for college. Zeng

As stated elsewhere, there are some macro risks to derail my ffree, esp. risks affecting my properties. We have to live with them.

Therefore, bedrock of my financial planning is career longevity including dev-till-70.