How does CAD and additional potential health declines affect my answer?

• [1] Both of us don’t need to work@@. using a frugal standard.
• 松一口气65^end@college #U.S.
• [2] Each monthly wage extends Fuller wealth by2M
• Excel formula2reference number embedded]text .. links to a spreadsheet. It could be more (or less) updated than this bpost.

As of 2021, we have a fully paid home enough for 4. I will also earmark enough for two FRS cpfLife accounts. Such a high_ground is an achievement, but might be harder to maintain after SBH.

Q: Beyond those assets, what level of nest egg would preempt/eliminate the need to migrate to the U.S.?
A: I used to (and still sometimes do) feel the cautious answer is $3M. However, based on the below assumptions, we need SGD 800-1600k to justify shelving the U.S. migration idea.

• Assumption 1a: in terms of SGD monthly burn rate [excluding tax outlays, including bx], I will assume S$5-6k total outlay is “comfortable” even after the recent (2022-24) elevated inflation
• Assumption 1b: in terms of Singapore salary.. for simplicity I will pick a nice number of $100k/Y from age 47 to 55, but $0 afterwards (in Singapore) -> 700k work income.
• ^ ^ Those are the big assumptions ^^
• Assumption 2: after kids grow up, we really don’t need more than $1500/person (inflation considered), so FRS cpfLife can be sufficient
• Assumption 3: Unlike [1], I may choose to set aside an elastic S$100-200k/child for college -> up to S$400k.
• Assumption(methodology) 4: Count cpfLife but Ignore NNIA + inheritance + grown-up children’s contribution + ..
• No assumption about lease spread on HDB flat, even after 2035, since grown-up children may stay with us.

— the calc done in Nov 2021, before selling the #1173 home. I have the spreadsheet in github.

1. Nov 2021 to 2035 when meimei graduates, we need 6k * 12M * 14Y = 1008k, marginally higher than [1]
2. 2036 to Jan 2039 wife+I need 36k * 3Y ≅ 110k, matching [1] 100%
3. Sometime before Jan 2039, top up 200k to my cpfRA to the max, ignored in [1]
4. 2039 to 2043 we need only $0 assuming my cpfLife ERS starts paying around $3k/M (as I would max out on my cpfLife). This amount is explicitly ignored in [1].
5. Sometime before Aug 2043, top up wife’s cpfRA by an increment of [$0] to generate $0/M payout. Together we need only $3k/M payout. This amount is explicitly ignored in [1].
6. ^ ^ ^ Adding 400k [Assumption 3] to the above ≅ 1720k total outlay ^ ^ ^
7. 700k total salary according to Assumption 1b
8. nest_egg_needed = S$1020k, excluding our CPF balance as of Nov 2021

However, I stand resolute against lifestyle creep, so S$5k/M is more than enough, and S$200k/child is unnecessary luxury.

— Some implications
Looks like my nest egg is barely enough to justify staying in SG for good !?

Need more analysis from different angles before I would feel assured.

Based on the above analysis, the #1 j4/advantage of U.S. migration is … dev-till-70. Right now with my MLP job I can extend my Fuller Wealth quite fast thanks to low burn rate, acceptable health conditions …. So I would go to U.S. only when I could “extend” faster in the U.S.

— Q: why most of my middle-class peers don’t feel so self-confident if they are in my (financial) shoes?
A1: Assumption 1a amount needs to balloon to 10k+ for them
A2: Assumption 2 amount needs to balloon to 6k for them
A3: Assumption 3 amount may not suffice for them

— Q4: what type of portfolio adjustments would improve my high ground and help obviate/preempt forced flee to the U.S.?

1. term insurance for occupational disability till 65?
2. more NNIA with limited appreciation, such as SgCP on mtg? Hig ground would sink. Poor liquidity , heavy debt.. TBD.
3. USD 100k into SP500 .. no loan. Better buy-n-forget, more like rEstate, but lower DYOC than some rEstate.
4. more NNIA with USD 100k into div stocks .. (hard to imagine myself persuaded) with some growth potential? Too risky. My high ground would sink.
5. USD 100k into growth stocks? even more risky.