“When I was much younger, we used to stay at a much bigger place. We had two cars and two maids, then subsequently, we just had one car, no more maid, downsized a little bit and went to rent instead. In my younger childhood years, I didn’t really have to worry about money, but the change was quite apparent after that, and I began to feel like money is very hard to come by.” In this episode, Seth shares two major life events that happened when he turned 18 and how that shaped his money values for...
Sep 18, 2023•46 min•Season 2Ep. 26
For the past 22 years, our CEO, Christopher Tan, has always been at the front line to share more about the humble beginning of Providend and how we persevered despite all the hardships faced to tirelessly journey along side our clients as their trusted wealth adviser. In this episode (which coincides with our 22nd birthday!), we specially invited two of Providend's founding members, Loh Mei Kuen and Vincent Tey, to share their reflections as they recount their initial experiences at the firm and...
Sep 11, 2023•45 min•Season 2Ep. 25
With the recent COE prices reported to be at an all-time high, the idea of owning a car in Singapore has become even harder to justify. In this episode, our Client Adviser, Ray Zheng, shares the deep conversations he had with some of his clients to better help them determine where car ownership ranks in terms of their other important life priorities and key considerations before making a car purchase that can actually make 'financial sense'. Meanwhile, stay tune for a special episode next week i...
Sep 04, 2023•22 min•Season 2Ep. 24
In this fast-paced financial landscape where businesses are in pursuit of faster revenue, interactions between wealth advisers and clients are highly transactional such that the value is often placed on the sale of products and not actual advice itself. In this episode, our CEO, Christopher Tan, shares what value you should be expecting from your adviser and emphasises the importance of consumers’ demands in improving the overall financial landscape. Meanwhile, stay tune for our next episode whe...
Aug 28, 2023•27 min•Season 2Ep. 23
"When you say people get free advice here, I laughed because in the end when you think about how this world works, nobody works for free. So you are paying for what you are getting somehow. And in my mind, if you’re specifically paying for advice, to me, it’s a much more transparent set up than getting free advice or freebies packaged in some other ways that I don’t fully know. I’m less comfortable with that.” In this episode, Head of Investment Research at Dimensional Fund Advisors, Dr Wei Dai,...
Aug 21, 2023•37 min•Season 2Ep. 22
Recession, the pandemic and shifting demographics are intensifying the pressures on the ‘sandwich generation’ – those taking care of both their elderly parents and young children. This can put a strain on not just their finances but on their emotional and time capacity as well. In this episode, our Advisory Team Lead, Loh Yong Cheng, shares his personal challenges balancing the roles, responsibilities and obligations as a sandwich generation and provides useful tips on how to manage these challe...
Aug 14, 2023•33 min•Season 2Ep. 21
Estate planning is an essential component of both life and wealth planning that is often overlooked. Neglecting this critical aspect can lead to dire consequences, leaving loved ones with unnecessary burdens and financial challenges. In this episode, our Head of Solutions, Eddy Cheong shares the three key areas of estate planning – Distribution, Creation and Preservation, as well as considerations when crafting your estate plan so that the transfer of your estate, upon your unfortunate demise, c...
Aug 07, 2023•30 min•Season 2Ep. 20
As we appear to take a 'passive' approach to investing by not doing the typical tactical asset allocation (TAA) or market timing approach, many seem to think that nothing much is done once a client invests with us. So, why should clients pay us an ongoing advisory fee if we take a 'passive' instead of an 'active' approach to investing? In this episode, our CEO, Christopher Tan, explains why Providend uses the Ibbotson-Chen Earnings Model, when crafting our client's wealth plan, to properly estim...
Jul 31, 2023•18 min•Season 2Ep. 19
In the past quarter, we have seen multiple trends emerging in the investment market, most notably the buzz around artificial intelligence (AI). Many investors watching the AI trend are curious about how to get exposure, hunting for undervalued opportunities in an overvalued space. In this episode, our Research Analyst, Lim Choon Siong, summarises key market events that happened in the past quarter and explains what long-term investors like us should do to get the returns we truly need. Meanwhile...
Jul 24, 2023•23 min•Season 2Ep. 18
The total cost of university education can range from $100,000 to $1 million in SGD today, depending on many factors such as country, university, academic field, degree level, inflation, and foreign currency exposure. It is not a small amount to set aside and requires a well-considered financial plan to achieve successfully. In this episode, our Solutions Specialist, Tan Choong Hwee, and our Insurance Executive, Ma Jiamin, share their overseas education experience as well as a step-by-step guide...
Jul 17, 2023•27 min•Season 2Ep. 17
*Due to unforeseen circumstances, we will be postponing the episode on Investment-linked policies to a later date. Do keep a look out for it in the coming months and meanwhile, we hope you will find this new episode useful!* At Providend, we divide the whole process of planning for our demise into 3 stages – End-of-life planning, Legacy & Estate planning and Administration. In today's episode, Chris delves deeper into the End-of-life planning process where he explains what Advance Medical Di...
Jul 10, 2023•31 min•Season 2Ep. 16
One of the most challenging aspects of insurance planning is determining how much coverage you need. Buy too little insurance and you won’t have enough to get through a tough situation when you actually need it to do its job the most. Buy too much insurance and you’re wasting money every month on premiums when you could be saving more for retirement or another long-term goal. In this episode, Mike Zhang, our Insurance Specialist, shares the must-have insurance you need at the different life stag...
Jul 03, 2023•24 min•Season 2Ep. 15
Did you know that back in 2013, a panel set up to review the financial advisory industry has rejected an outright ban on commission for financial advisers in Singapore? In this episode, Chris shares his thoughts behind this matter, one that is close to his heart, and also elaborates further as to why the commission-based approach actually makes more economic sense for individuals with less complex needs as well as ways on how we, as consumers, can mitigate this conflict of interest if we choose ...
Jun 26, 2023•28 min•Season 2Ep. 14
"There have been many bad money decisions because I know how to buy (stocks) but I don't know how to sell!" In many industries like healthcare and legal, it is a norm for people to pay for professional advice. However, when it comes to the wealth industry, many are still hesitant to pay a fee for advice. In this episode, our CEO, Christopher Tan, speaks with Lee Soo Chye , Managing Partner of Wee Swee Teow LLP, on his money journey as well as key traits to look out for in a good adviser, be it i...
Jun 19, 2023•43 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Are you making the most of your CPF account? In this episode, Isaac discusses the strategies for optimising your CPF accounts and integrating them into your personal wealth plan with Tan Chin Yu, our Advisory Team Lead. Discover valuable tips and insights that will help working Singaporeans and PRs harness the full potential of their CPF monies. Meanwhile, stay tuned for our upcoming episode featuring a special guest! The host, Isaac Ong, is Associate Adviser at Providend, Singapore’s First Fee-...
Jun 12, 2023•27 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Aside from conventional investment assets like stocks and bonds, there are other alternative investments that investors can consider. Among these, investing in private equity is deemed to be more sophisticated and while many may have heard about it, not many fully understand how it works. In this episode, Isaac speaks with our Head of Investment, Cheng Chye Hsern , where he shares what investors need to know about private equity and Providend’s view on investing in this asset class. Stay tune fo...
Jun 05, 2023•20 min•Season 2Ep. 11
With all the buzz surrounding Singapore Treasury Bills (T-Bills) over the past 18 months due to its rising yields, our CEO, Christopher Tan , took the opportunity to explain the nature of these short-term, risk-free instruments in his latest article on The Business Times. In this episode, he further emphasises the opportunity costs involved especially during a high inflation period like now and shares other inflation-protected assets you can consider for the long term. Stay tune for the next epi...
May 29, 2023•24 min•Season 2Ep. 10
We all know Kyith as the brain behind Investment Moats , Singapore's most well read financial blog, but how much do we know about his motivations and money values that led him to where he is today? In this episode, our CEO, Christopher Tan , walks down memory lane with the Chief Editor of Investment Moats and Providend’s very own Senior Solution Specialist, Kyith Ng, as he shares stories of his growing up years and key things to note when making the switch from a DIY investor to engaging a wealt...
May 22, 2023•50 min•Season 2Ep. 9
With so many new and exciting investment products on the market now, how do you assess which are suitable to be included in your portfolio? In this episode, our Head of Investment, Cheng Chye Hsern , dives deeper to talk about the careful selection of the fund managers we partner with and the intensive brainwork done behind the scenes to construct our core investment portfolios to effectively capture the returns for our clients in the long run. Stay tune for the next episode where we are joined ...
May 15, 2023•25 min•Season 2Ep. 8
In a competitive investment environment where everyone blindly strives for the highest return, Providend firmly believes that our client's needs drive our investment philosophy and hence the rate of return. In this episode, Isaac speaks with our Head of Investment, Cheng Chye Hsern, where he shares more about Providend’s investment philosophy as well as how it guides us in evaluating and seeking out the financial assets that give our clients the highest probability of reaching their financial mi...
May 08, 2023•33 min•Season 2Ep. 7
In celebration of his 25 years in the financial industry, our CEO, Christopher Tan shared an epiphany he experienced 2 years after the Global Financial Crisis in a recent article he wrote for the Money Wisdom column on The Business Times. In this episode, Christopher further explains how he applies the philosophy of sufficiency to the different aspects of his life and how it can help one achieve true contentment. Stay tune for the next episode as our Head of Investment joins us! You can find the...
May 01, 2023•26 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Making the shift from a saver (while you accumulate) to a spender (while you retire) can be a surprisingly hard part of retirement. In this episode, Isaac speaks with our Client Adviser, Bryan Chan, on the various retirement spending strategies, from the commonly known 4% rule to dividend investing and our very own RetireWell™. We hope you enjoy this episode and stay tuned for the next! The host, Isaac Ong, is Associate Adviser at Providend, Singapore’s First Fee-Only Wealth Advisory Firm. View ...
Apr 24, 2023•28 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Local bank stocks slumped in mid-March amid fears of wider financial contagion globally from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) as well as Credit Suisse's downfall. In this episode, our Research Analyst, Lim Choon Siong, summarises key market events that have happened in the last quarter and explained why the short-lived market turbulence that followed the US banking crisis in March did not prevent investor optimism leading US stocks higher over the quarter. The host, Isaac Ong, is Associ...
Apr 17, 2023•24 min•Season 2Ep. 4
4 years ago in 2019, The Woke Salaryman was set up with the intention of helping Singaporeans make better financial and life choices through education. In this episode, our CEO, Christopher Tan, speaks with its founders, He Ruiming (the guy who writes) and Goh Wei Choon (the guy who illustrates), to learn more about their interesting money story and how they view the value of wealth advice. Stay tuned for the next episode as we chat with a special guest from our investment team! The host, Christ...
Apr 10, 2023•59 min•Season 2Ep. 3
22 years ago, a group of like-minded people with a conviction to provide conflict-free wealth advice to their clients came together and founded Providend. In this episode, our CEO, Christopher Tan, reminisces the uneasy period to sustain the business in the early years and how we have come so far to where we are today, with a strong corporate culture that emphasises on doing the right thing for our clients. Link to Episode 2: https://providend.com/s2e2-the-past-present-and-future-of-providend/ S...
Apr 03, 2023•42 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Here comes the FIRST episode of Providend’s Money Wisdom Podcast Season 2! In this episode, you will get to know more about your new co-host - Isaac Ong, as he shares what he does as an Associate Adviser at Providend, his past experiences in the industry, and what brought him to us. You will also gain insights into our advisory philosophy as well as our unique hiring process through his conversation with our CEO, Christopher Tan. Link to Episode 1: https://providend.com/s2e1-meet-your-new-co-hos...
Mar 27, 2023•35 min•Season 2Ep. 1
“Focusing on the correct side of your money equation will help you not only be financially successful, but also help you finish well in life.” In this episode, I will elaborate both sides of the money equation - left for short-term financial planning decisions and right for long-term investment decisions. - and my views on the YOLO and FIRE ideologies. Important note: Spend more time on the left side of the money equation instead of the right side. The host, Christopher Tan, is Chief Executive O...
Jan 27, 2023•14 min•Season 1Ep. 50
“What would happen to my firm, Providend, and my loved ones if I did not make it home?” In this episode, I will share the two main concerns of business owners and the need to plan for your business as early as you can, especially in the areas of its transfer and continuation plan. Important note: As long as the question of who will be the new owner of the business remains unanswered, the future of the business is at risk. The host, Christopher Tan, is Chief Executive Officer of Providend, Singap...
Jan 13, 2023•18 min•Season 1Ep. 49
In this episode, I will share a major flaw in how many parents plan for their child's education and his advice on three important questions below: Will what you have already put in place be sufficient to fund your children’s university education? What if your health fails you? What if your kids decide to take a different path? Important note: Think ahead, and if need be, get help from an adviser so you can indeed see your children grow -- from cradle to mortarboard....
Dec 30, 2022•13 min•Season 1Ep. 48
In this episode, I will walk you through some of the major considerations of tertiary education in terms of the cost, available courses, education system and more. Important note: Give a child a fish and it will feed him for a day; teach him how to fish and it will feed him for life. The host, Christopher Tan, is Chief Executive Officer of Providend, Singapore’s first fee-only wealth advisory firm and author of the book “Money Wisdom: Simple Truths for Financial Wellness”. View the full list of ...
Dec 16, 2022•17 min•Season 1Ep. 47
