About Shannon Chew
I believe it is never too early to start planning for retirement. This has been my belief since I started working in the financial services industry more than 6 years ago.
Being in the sandwich generation has compelled me to take charge of my finances and plan for my retirement early. A good 95% of people I’ve met are sandwiched between supporting their parents and supporting their own families.
Our parents and the generation before them didn’t have the privilege or additional resources to plan for their retirement. Growing up amidst the rapid urbanisation of Singapore, our parents poured whatever remaining resources into their children. Sandwiched between our grandparents and us, our parents grew up struggling to support their parents, the ever-increasing utility bills and the preposterous $5 steamed chicken rice— You get my drift, the cost of living is rising faster than our pay raise.
Here’s the issue, Singapore’s extraordinary economic performance is proving harder and harder to sustain. It’s no doubt our next generation might be forking out $1M for a HDB property sooner than we expect. Our kids would be under immense pressure to keep up with rising property, healthcare and living costs. Supporting us might prove to be a challenge for them.
My point is—the strain on our next generation and the strain on ourselves can be managed if we plan our retirement early. The biggest upside to planning early is a longer time horizon, which leads to higher compound interest for our money, which ultimately leads to a larger retirement pool. Let’s all start planning for our retirement as early as 21 years old and put an end to the sandwich generation.
With 6 years of experience in this industry, I know very well there is no 1 size fits all solution for everybody. this is especially why I take pride in tailoring bespoke financial plans for all my clients based on their needs. I believe in being with my client at every step of the way.
It all begins with the first step. Financial planning is a dynamic process that demands timely attention and review. Click 'Contact Me' at the top right-hand corner for a chat about your favourite Netflix series, most hated Kardashian member or simply talk about my favourite subject—finances.
Hoping to hear from you!
