It is okay if you do have a 40 year employment span and if the S$8,000 this year was a one time affair going back to S$4K. It is also okay if Medical stays at S$2,500 per year increase. If not, you are in trouble. Also, bad for housewives but that is a very old problem.
BTW, if you look at AR2010 of CPF and regrossed balances as actual track record, 137,364 out of 174,193 members aged >50-55 had more S$90,000, an impressive 78.85%. Out of 137,364, 22,080 had less than S$150K. How much do you think Investment, Education, Residential Properties, Non-Residential Properties and Public Housing
Schemes make up the regrossed sum? This balance includes pretty much medical and special account sums, unless I missed some fine print. In addition, for the >50-55 group, the average regrossed balance is S$80,310. So, do you see this is going fine?
"The increase in MS, which includes an adjustment for inflation, is to ensure that Singaporeans set aside sufficient savings for their retirement."
In line with this policy, from 1 July 2011, the prevailing MS will be revised to S$131,000, up from S$123,000." Since 2003, the minimum sum has be adjusted annually for inflation with the additional amounts as follows: (2004)S$4,500;(2005)S$5,500; (2006)S$4,600; (2007)S$5,000; (2008)S$6,400; (2009)S$11,000; (2010)S$6,000; (2011)S$8,000. At 4% inflation, 2003 minimum sum of S$80K as a nominal sum should only be S$109,486 in 2011 but it is now S$131,000. In actual fact, the averaged out inflation rate is 6.36%., based on the minimum sum adjustment from the period 2004-2011. Uhm, I thought inflation was averaged 2.19% from 2004-2010 (2011 not out), courtesy of Singstats. So, have we been cheated twice in the inflation adjustment exercise for CPF? Hello! So, if we continue to have inflation of 6.36% like the last few good years as PAP claims, let me crystal ball gaze on the more good years and show what the minimum sum increase for retirement (not including medical) will look like from next year till Mahathir's favorite 2020 - (2012)S$8,332; (2013)S$8,862; (2014)S$9,426; (2015)S$10,025; (2016)S$10,663; (2017)S$11,341; (2018)S$12,062; (2019)S$12,829; (2020)S$13,645. That gives you a minimum sum of S$228,203 by 2020, in a mere 9 years. In 2023, you could enjoy a more then double of your S$131,000 in 2011 for your minimum sum at S$274,572
My model is already considered optimistic by assuming fixed S$8,000 annual increase for the minimum sum. Setting it at S$4,000 annually is masturbating, based on history. If I take it that the current 6.36% annual adjustment holds (based on track record, rather than my fixed S$8,000, I do not get S$403,000 for minimum sum at the end of 35 years. I get S$1,065,944 . At the end of 35 years, my Singapore Joe's lifetime income at S$28,800 per year, would be a nominal S$1,008,000, before spending. FYI, at 4% inflation adjustment the minimum sum would be S$497,055 and with Singstats magic 2.19%, it would be S$273,625. If we do a constant S$4K increment for my 35 year model, using 131,000 MS as the start base, would give you 2.12% inflation adjustment at best.
You know, I would be most happy to be wrong and would have that when I retire the minimum sum for both retirement and medical be no more than S$300K. Somehow, I do not think so......