How to be Rich, Happy and Free from Scams

Singapore is one of the most important financial centres in the world. A significant percentage of its working population works in banking and finance. At 97%, its literacy ratesare among the highest in the world. Despite these facts, many Singaporeans regularly fall prey to investment scams of various types. A company that offers impossibly high returns often finds many takers. Investment schemes that are blatantly fraudulent attract hundreds, even thousands of people. How can you spot an investment scam? Here is what you should look out for.   Is the entity regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore? You are unlikely to be cheated by a company that is supervised by Singapore’s regulator and central bank. MAS imposes a strict set of guidelines for the firms that it regulates. Financial companies that are required to adhere to the rules imposed by MAS must disclose important details about the investment opportunity that they are offering. These firms also ne...

U.S. equity markets keep reaching all-time highs. Bonds income is low and rising rates will make bonds less attractive in the near term. We are living in historic times: major U.S. stock markets are up over 260 percent since 2009. In the past 50 years, only two rallies were better. But rallies do not just die of old age. Economic data points towards continued expansion, if somewhat tepid, and unemployment is low. Tightening by the U.S. Federal Reserve is likely to be measured and gradual – dovish – as global and U.S. inflation continue on low trajectories.  This has led to complacency among many investors, who generally need exposure to growth stocks in their portfolios to keep up with inflation and meet their investment targets. What can investors near or at retirement do to increase the certainty of meeting their retirement needs? There are six big reasons to be cautious in their approach to investing in equities: Greed & Fear: Many inv...