Some 8 in 10 Singaporeans still underestimate retirement amount by 31%: OCBC

Nov 02, 2021

SINGAPOREANS are getting a better handle of day-to-day financial management, with more tools available for them to do so.

Close to half of Singaporeans have used some form of digital financial tools to monitor and track their budgets, expenses or investment portfolios; or to plan and track their financial goals like retirement or buying a home, OCBC's annual Financial Wellness Index showed on Tuesday (Nov 2).

That said, most are still unable to project their longer-term needs for retirement, leading to 8 in 10 underestimating the amount needed for their twilight years by 31 per cent.

This comes even as 40 per cent of Singaporeans have picked a more prudent retirement lifestyle requiring an estimated S$2,300 monthly, compared to 36 per cent last year.

About 66 per cent of Singaporeans have made retirement plans this year, up from 63 per cent in 2020, with the biggest growth among those in their 20s and 30s. But less than half of those with plans are on track to meet their goals.

"This calls for a greater need to seek professional advice when it comes to retirement planning. Advisers will be able to provide you with the appropriate information, such as the effects of inflation on goods and services, to help you plan better," said Tan Siew Lee, OCBC Singapore head of wealth management.

Overall, the realities of the pandemic have nudged more Singaporeans to build up their financial health.

Despite the lingering economic impact of Covid-19, 53 per cent of Singaporeans are confident they can accumulate sufficient funds to overcome a crisis this year, compared to 51 per cent in 2020.

About 54 per cent believe they can sustain themselves financially for 6 months if they lost their jobs, up from 52 per cent.

More consumers are also better able to manage their debts, with fewer having unsecured debt compared to last year and more able to pay off their housing loans, according to the survey.

This year, Singaporeans received a score of 62 out of 100 in OCBC's survey, an improvement from 61 last year when the world first started to grapple with the pandemic.

The scoring is based on 24 indicators, including factors such as saving regularly, managing unsecured debt well, being able to defray major medical expenses, and investing.

Notably, the group that uses digital banking and money management tools received a much higher score (65) than those who do not use any (59).

For example, about 94 per cent are able to save regularly with the help of digital tools, compared to 87 per cent among those who do not use any.

Some 58 per cent of investors are also able to achieve their targets by using digital tools, compared to 49 per cent among those who do not.

Singaporeans who are digitally savvy are also more invested across all product types, including foreign stocks, real estate investment trusts, exchange-traded funds, cryptocurrencies, bonds and structured deposits.

Younger millennials, in particular, are investing a lot more than before and in a wider range of investments. They also have a higher propensity to speculate excessively compared to other age groups.

About 86 per cent of millennials in their 20s have invested this year, up from 64 per cent in 2020, representing the biggest change from last year compared to other age groups.

More than a third of millennials invest in foreign stocks and 22 per cent invest in cryptocurrencies, higher than the average Singaporean's investment of 29 per cent and 16 per cent, respectively.

Despite keener interest in investing and a larger appetite for riskier assets, millennials in their 20s are not seeking professional financial advice enough. Most turn to online articles (61 per cent), family and friends (52 per cent), and YouTube (54 per cent) for advice.

The survey found that investors with the poorest-performing investments are millennials in their 20s who use digital tools but do not seek any professional advice - less than half are on track with their investments.

In comparison, 53 per cent of those who do not use any digital investment tools but seek professional financial advice are on track with their investments. Those who seek professional financial advice on top of digital investment tools fare even better, with 64 per cent on track.

"Digital tools are a simple and efficient way to start investing. However, you will need professional advice to review your portfolio and to advise you on what to sell, what to buy more of, and what to continue holding. This is especially important for Singaporeans who do not know how and what to invest in," said Tan.