Bear Market Survival Tips

Bear Market Survival Tips

by with 4 Comments Investment AccumulationMoney ManagementMoney MindsetPersonal FinanceSelf Directed InvestingSpeculation

I was hoping never to write this article because if you are here reading this, it could only means a few things.

  • We are in a bear market
  • You are in a long position with a possibility of being overleveraging
  • You don’t have a system that prepares you for this scenario

Whatever the reason you are here, I think it is quite certain that we are experience a market that is downward cha-cha.

Disclaimer: It is anybody’s guess where the market is going to be. This should not be taken as a buy/sell/hold recommendation. Please consider your own context or approach a financial advisor for advise.

Bear Market Survival Tips
Bear Market Survival Tips

Despite the fear, bear markets are nothing new. To put everyone on the same page, a bear market occurs when major stock indexes like the S&P 500 fall 20% or more from their most recent peak. They’ve occurred 12 times since 1946, which is on average once every 8 years. Most pullbacks above 20% have been associated with recessions. Hence, with the perfect long storm, politicians all over the world are most concerned about recessions.

On average, a bear market is around 9.5months. This would mean most of us will live to tell the tale assuming we are not shaken out of our position (mentally or by margin calls).

As I get more and more about how to invest in a bear market, I hope this article will be able to share with you some bear market survival tips to prepare yourself for the weeks to come.

Bear market survival tips

#1: Avoid making impulsive decisions

This makes the top of the list. Emotionally, people don’t like to be wrong (whether temporary or in the long run). Hence, when they see their portfolio in the red, many people have the temptation to “reset” their portfolio. This is detrimental to your wealth management journey and it is just a “quick fix” of escaping the mental strain.

Stay calm is the key in bear and highly volatile markets. If your time horizon is decades away, the best thing to do is to invest as if nothing has changed. Let me give you an example of a $1000 investment in the S&P 500 between 1/1/2009 and 12/31/2018 (the last market crash).

  • If you stayed invested the entire time, you’d have $2,775.
  • If you missed the 10 best-performing days during that period, your account value would be $1,722.
  • If you missed the 30 best-performing days in this 10-year period, you’d be left with $918.

I can’t emphasize how important it is to stay invested.

#2: Build your positions regularly over time

With dollar-cost-averaging (DCA), no thinking is really required. However, I recognized that it may not be easy. I saw friends who were excited about the recent bear market and have dollar cost average down the last few months.

However, they are all now NOT adding into new positions as the market is still going down. DCA is somewhat easy to say but not easy to execute consistently unless there is a system that is set up. Personally, I have averaged down on the China Market previously and it is still a bleeding position (Check out my latest SRS positions).

Time will tell. That being said, stay tune for my upcoming article: The pros and cons of dollar cost averaging.

#3: Change your strategy, diversify or play defensive

As a wealth manager, I realized risk management is something that I constantly address. If you’re still active in the markets and it is not working anymore, it might be time go passive with a lazy portfolio. If you find yourself taking too much risk, you might want to seek a more defensive portfolio.

Your current life stage might not allow you to take too much risk as compared to before. It is vital to re-assess your situation, your goals, your risk tolerance and discuss with a professional on your options.

#4: Go contrarian (Not recommended)

If you are a trader, you know better than to go against the trend. Consider taking a buy put options position to bet against a stock or ETF, this allows you to have a limited downside (as you are a buyer of the put option) and able to participate in the downward trending market.

WARNING: I have to emphasize that buying options is speculative. They may expire and be worthless if you do not have a game plan. If you are wondering what this is, do not do it. 

Final Thoughts

Stay strong. This may be the pivoting moment in your investment journey. There are so many resources you can turn to nowadays to prepare for a bear market. You can consider what Warren Buffett is doing amidst the noises.

Definitely reach out if you need help. I will be more than happy to have a conversation with you.

Otherwise, please watch out for my next article: The Pros and Cons of Dollar Cost Averaging. [Update: The article is out!]

 

Chengkok is a licensed Financial Services Consultant since 2012. He is an Investment and Critical Illness Specialist. Wealthdojo was created in 2019 to educate and debunk “free financial advice” that was given without context.  

Feel Free To Reach Out To Share Your Thoughts.

Contact: 94316449 (Whatsapp) chengkokoh@gmail.com (Email)
Telegram: Wealthdojo [Continuous Learning Channel]
Reviews: About Me

The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organisation, employer or company. Assumptions made in the analysis are not reflective of the position of any entity other than the author.

There were only two things certain in life Death and Taxes

Individual Income Tax Season 2022

by with No Comment Personal FinanceTaxes

It is the time of the year again. Last year, I wrote about whether an individual is required to pay taxes and my opinion of effective income tax in Singapore. This year, I will simply comment on the latest happenings and what you should take note of.

Disclaimer: Please refer to IRAS Website whenever in doubt.

There were only two things certain in life Death and Taxes
There were only two things certain in life Death and Taxes

Year Of Assessment 2022

The filing for YOA2022 have started on 1st March 2022. We will have until 18 April 2022 (*very important date*) to e-File our income taxes.

How To Reduce My Income Taxes Effective Income Tax Rates
How To Reduce My Income Taxes Effective Income Tax Rates (From YA 2017 to YA 2023)

Income tax rates will remain the same until YA2023. Thereafter, there will be changes for people earning > $320,000 as highlighted in the Budget 2022.

This year, it is stated that 7 out of 10 taxpayers in Singapore will not be required to file a tax return as there have been initiatives to simplify tax filings. This includes No-Filing Services (NFS) and Auto-inclusion Schemes. Partnerships whose revenue of up to $200K will only need a 2 line statement as compared to 4 line previously.

It is worth noting that you can make changes to your income or reliefs by making an amendment on the IRAS portal 30 days from date of tax bill. Any excess taxes can be refunded by PayNow.

Final Thoughts

Think about your Netflix subscription and you are buying their library of movies. I consider individual income tax as a subscription that I pay to stay in my country. I’m paying for my safety, the public goods and mainly the comfort to live in Singapore even if the perfect storm is coming.

I like the progressive income taxes system in Singapore but I’m like most of you, it is not fun paying taxes.

I wish you the best in your financial journey. Hope to hear from some of you. I will be arranging for a CPF webinar in the weeks ahead. Please leave a comment below if you wish to be updated on the details of the webinar.

Chengkok is a licensed Financial Services Consultant since 2012. He is an Investment and Critical Illness Specialist. Wealthdojo was created in 2019 to educate and debunk “free financial advice” that was given without context.  

Feel Free To Reach Out To Share Your Thoughts.

Contact: 94316449 (Whatsapp) chengkokoh@gmail.com (Email)
Telegram: Wealthdojo [Continuous Learning Channel]
Reviews: About Me

The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organisation, employer or company. Assumptions made in the analysis are not reflective of the position of any entity other than the author.

How Do You Start Self Directed Investing

How Do You Start Self Directed Investing

by with No Comment Investment AccumulationMoney ManagementMoney MindsetSelf Directed Investing
How Do You Start Self Directed Investing
How Do You Start Self Directed Investing

Investing is a like taking a trip to a dream destination that you really want to go. You might feel it is nerve racking as this might be the first time you are going to take a long trip. You might also be unsure what to pack and bring. You might also feel anxious as you don’t know if you prepared enough for the trip.

If you have experience planning for a 10 days (or even longer) holiday, the skillset used there can be transferred over to investing. Here are 5 things to prepare before going on your trip.

Special note: Whether you are starting the journey or have already started, I wish everyone a safe journey.

#1: Determine Your Destination.

Many people stumble on this point right at the start. One of the most interesting conversation I ever had was with a friend in university. I remember him saying that he wants to get “many experiences” travelling. However, when I asked him where he wanted to go or what he wanted to experience, he couldn’t give me an answer. He simply stared at me said “anywhere lah”.

In the end, he didn’t go anywhere at all. He just couldn’t decide.

It is the same for investing, you might want to be a self directed investor because you want to make more money but you might not know how much you need to make. Although “the more the better” is relevant here, the lack of destination creates a tension in your mind because your brain don’t know what to do. In the end, most people don’t start.

Knowing your destination is simply require simple mathematics. I’m going to assume the following.

Assumption:

I want $5,000 monthly or $60,000 yearly for my retirement.

I wish to retire at age 55. Since male mortality is age 83 (female is 88), I would require 28 years of $60,000 or $1,680,000.

In this simple illustration, you would have already determined your destination. It is time to start packing.

#2: Buy A Map / Make Sure You Have Google Maps

If I were to ask you to drive from your house to Tuas Crescent 1, would you be able to do it? Unless you know Tuas very well, it would be very difficult and time consuming. This issue escalates for longer journeys. Imagine, asking someone to drive to Four Season Hotel in Thailand, Bangkok without a map.

For self directed investors, one of the most important thing is to have a map. This map is a strategic game plan that allows you to move from Point A to Point B. It is a map that would show you where are the possible danger spots and route to take.

via Gfycat: Looks easy?

In investing, we call this a game plan. There are several game plans out there. Each and every of them will eventually get you to your end goal. Some example of game plans are like ETF dollar cost investing, Robo-investing, Value investing, Growth investing, Value-Growth investing, Options investing, Momentum Growth Investing, Multi-Asset Value-Growth investing or trading. These game plans are created by people who have gone ahead of us and are itineraries that we can consider.

You might prefer certain itineraries to others. Some of more “adventurous”, some take the safer route. However, the lack of tour guides means that you have to take ownership of the trip.

You might find yourself stuck at this stage because you don’t know which is the best route to follow. My advice is to try out any path. This is because you will quickly understand which paths fits you the best ONLY IF you step on that path. You can also change your path along the way.

#3: Get Your Passport

A passport allows to travel across countries. For investing, the passport is your brokerage account. It allows to buy and sell. This is the most straight forward step for self directed investors.

You can consider between the brokerage account in the traditional banks or the new brokerage accounts like Moomoo or Tiger.

There may be promotions at different periods. If you have enjoyed reading this article, I would appreciate if you could register an account with my referral above. Appreciate it loads!

#4: Leave The House

I remember leaving my house for my student exchange in Sweden. There was a mixture of excitement, fear, uncertainty and I missed home suddenly. Of course, that trip turned out to be one of the best trips I ever did in my life.

Our house is our “comfort zone” and in the same way, investing into the stock market is usually outside our comfort zone especially if you have never invested before.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. It is only when you put in real money into investing can your journey truly begin.

Leave The House Uppsala
Leave The House: One of my favorite photos of Uppsala, Sweden

#5: Keep Track of Your Progress

Nothing is more scary than being lost. One of my first solo trips was to Taiwan. My plane landed in Taipei and I was trying to get to Kaohsiung. In my very silly attempt to save money, I decided on taking the bus to Kaohsiung instead of taking the train.

It took me 8 hours from Taipei to Taichung by bus and I knew something is wrong. My phone battery was going to be flat and I was meeting a friend in 3 hours time. I transferred to the next train to Kaohsiung (in the end, I spent even more money) and landed at Zuoying Station. I happily told my friend that I will be waiting for them at MacDonald. My friend asked me which one? Who knew that there was Zuoying Station and Xin Zuoying Station. My phone battery took one last breath before shutting down.

Luckily~ my friends found me on their first try.

It is the same for investing. Sometimes we do get caught up in the moment and make irrational decisions. It is crucial to acknowledge when you are lost and change directions immediately. It would be easier especially if you have a group of mentors whom are familiar with the workings of the market.

Even if you are on the right direction, take note of your milestones and celebrate them when it comes.

Final Thoughts

Being a self directed investor gives you a lot of control but you have to learn how to control it. It will take both time and effort. Starting is very scary but once you start, I can assure that it will be a well lived life.

Are there any other tools you feel you need to get started? Let me know in the comment below.

Chengkok is a licensed Financial Services Consultant since 2012. He is an Investment and Critical Illness Specialist. Wealthdojo was created in 2019 to educate and debunk “free financial advice” that was given without context.  

Feel Free To Reach Out To Share Your Thoughts.

Contact: 94316449 (Whatsapp) chengkokoh@gmail.com (Email)
Telegram: Wealthdojo [Continuous Learning Channel]
Reviews: About Me

The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organisation, employer or company. Assumptions made in the analysis are not reflective of the position of any entity other than the author.

SRS Last Chance Save 1 year with $1

SRS Last Chance: Save 1 year with $1

by with 2 Comments Money ManagementRetirementSRS
SRS Last Chance Save 1 year with $1
SRS Last Chance Save 1 year with $1

SRS is a voluntary scheme to help individuals save for retirement in additional to the Central Provident Fund (CPF) saving.

The SRS offers tax benefits and you can find a quick summary of SRS here. This information is crucial to you especially if you are above 40. I will be conducting a SRS webinar in the next few weeks. Join my Telegram Group where I share 1 financial tip a day where I will be posting more details.

Why is this a last chance?

SRS allows you to make penalty free withdrawals from your SRS on or after the statutory retirement age (currently at 62) that was prevailing at the time of your first SRS contribution. 

In the National Day Rally in 2019, it is already made know that the statutory retirement age will increase to 63 (in 2022) and 65 (by 2030).

This means that if you don’t make your first SRS contribution before 2022, your penalty free withdrawal year will increase by 1 year to age 63. This is your last chance in doing so.

SRS Last Chance Retirement Age Increase National Day Rally 2019
SRS Last Chance Retirement Age Increase National Day Rally 2019

How much do I need to contribute?

All it takes is $1. You didn’t hear me wrong. You don’t need to invest in anything yet. The account opening only require $1 (and around 1 minute). The purpose of it is to “lock in” your statutory retirement age to be 62. You can find out more in one of my most read article last year called the $1 SRS strategy.

You can then consider to invest it or think about investing using your SRS in future.

Final Thoughts

Personally, I think it is a no-brainer to open the account. The “opportunity cost” is just $1. That being said, the choice is still yours at the end of the day.

For those of you who have opened your accounts. What are you investing in currently?

Let me know in the comments below.

Chengkok is a licensed Financial Services Consultant since 2012. He is an Investment and Critical Illness Specialist. Wealthdojo was created in 2019 to educate and debunk “free financial advice” that was given without context.  

Feel Free To Reach Out To Share Your Thoughts.

Contact: 94316449 (Whatsapp) chengkokoh@gmail.com (Email)
Telegram: Wealthdojo [Continuous Learning Channel]
Reviews: About Me

The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organisation, employer or company. Assumptions made in the analysis are not reflective of the position of any entity other than the author.

The Great Debate Credit Card Or Debit Cards

The Great Debate: Credit Card Or Debit Card

by with No Comment Behaviour EconomicsCredit CardMoney Mindset
The Great Debate Credit Card Or Debit Cards
The Great Debate Credit Card Or Debit Cards

I have never owned a credit card. Despite credit card companies having great promotions, I felt that it was simply a gimmick to go down the slippery slope. I personally saw how close friends (educated poor) raked up over tens of thousands of debts because of these shiny cards. My Telegram channel where I share one financial tip a day also know I shut this off totally.

Until 2021, this year I applied for my first credit card while doing research on how to save on big ticket purchases.

So what changed? I want to share a new perspective of what I learnt this year and hope this can somehow change your news on these cards in our wallets.

What is a Credit or Debit Card?

Both credit and debit cards have made it easier and more convenient to do purchases whether it is online of in stores. There is one key difference.

Credit Cards: It allows you to borrow money from the card issuer up to a certain limit to purchase an item or withdraw cash.

Debit Cards: It allows you to draw money that you have deposited in the bank.

Basically, credit card uses other people’s money and a debit card uses your money.

I want to draw on 3 points for you to consider before you make a decision for yourself.

#1: Responsibility

Do you have spending issues? Trust me, I met people who have and they were the ones who encouraged me to write The Ultimate 4 Quadrants Shopping Guide. They have been using it like a bible since then. I do think it is important to know and accept what kind person we are. It is only with this knowledge and acceptance that can allow us to create a solution for you.

Often, I see people who denies or dismiss their true self makes their debts even worse.

For people who have spending issues, get a Debit Card.

#2: Benefits

If you are well disciplined with your finances, you may explore what benefits Credit Cards have. Some offers cashbacks while others offers miles. Some might give you a luggage or even upfront cash when you sign up! This is quite straight-forward.

It is a hands down win for Credit Card here. The only thing you have to make sure is to pay it all up before your interest comes in.

#3: Security

I truly appreciate this a few years ago when I received an SMS from OCBC saying that $3000 has been deducted from my debit card. This message was received when I was in office attending a training and I don’t have any transaction of that size. I logged into to my OCBC account to verify and indeed the amount was deducted. To tell you the truth, I felt nausea when I received the sms.

I have long lost that SMS but I have found something similar from Stomp.

The Great Debate Credit Card Or Debit Cards Security
The Great Debate Credit Card Or Debit Cards Security

I immediately dialed for OCBC. For what felt like decades (for those of you who have called the bank before, you would know how long it took), a customer service representative replied. I appreciated the representative was clear and calm. He advised some paperwork, asked me to dispose of my current debit card and arranged a new one to arrive in a few working days.

However, he was hesitant when I asked when I will receive the $3000 back. He mentioned the bank will do the appropriate investigation and will take a few weeks before the amount will be back in my bank again.

Eventually, I did get my $3000 back in my account. It took slightly lesser than 2 weeks. However, I felt worried all the time.

Credit cards on the other hand, serves as a border between your personal money and the transaction. In an event of an identify theft or stolen card, it will be less stressful as it is technically not your money. I never truly appreciated the value of Credit cards until this happened.

Final Thoughts

I have 1 credit card which I used mainly for my transactions. I reap some benefits by getting cashbacks from my transaction and yes, I do make sure I pay on time.

Which will you choose? Credit cards or debit cards? Let me know in the comments below.

Chengkok is a licensed Financial Services Consultant since 2012. He is an Investment and Critical Illness Specialist. Wealthdojo was created in 2019 to educate and debunk “free financial advice” that was given without context.  

Feel Free To Reach Out To Share Your Thoughts.

Contact: 94316449 (Whatsapp) chengkokoh@gmail.com (Email)
Telegram: Wealthdojo [Continuous Learning Channel]
Reviews: About Me

The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organisation, employer or company. Assumptions made in the analysis are not reflective of the position of any entity other than the author.