Singapore’s rapidly aging population, coupled with delayed family planning, has led to an increasing number of individuals finding themselves in the Sandwich Generation.
With life expectancy on the rise, the elderly are living longer, but not necessarily healthier. This often necessitates financial support and caregiving from their adult children. Simultaneously, many young adults are financially reliant on their parents due to the high cost of living and education in the city-state. This double financial burden can take a toll on those caught in the middle.
Challenges Faced by the Sandwich Generation
Elderly Care Costs: Providing quality care for aging parents is expensive. Medical bills, rehabilitation, and long-term care facilities can quickly deplete savings and investments.
Education Expenses: On the other end, financing children’s education in Singapore is a substantial financial commitment, with tuition fees, extra-curricular activities, and the ever-increasing cost of living.
Retirement Planning: Saving for one’s own retirement is often postponed as Sandwich Generation members prioritize their parents’ and children’s needs.
Emotional and Physical Stress: The constant juggling act between caring for older parents and nurturing young children can lead to immense stress, impacting both mental and physical health.
How can the “sandwich generation” safeguard their loved ones and themselves more effectively?
Getting insured is necessary to reduce risks when you have two sets of dependents depending on you for assistance.
The trick is to strike a balance between acquiring the appropriate protection and staying within your means.
Insurance as a Key Solution: Three Essential Insurances You Must Have
1. It’s important to secure appropriate life insurance so that your family can maintain the same quality of living even after you pass away.
Consider term insurance to cover death, terminal sickness, and permanent disability.
When compared to whole life insurance, term plans are more cheap and often provide better coverage for the same premium. But in contrast to whole life insurance plans, term plans do not accrue cash values.
Everybody has a different idea of what constitutes “sufficient” insurance coverage. The Life Insurance Association of Singapore recommends basic life insurance coverage of 9 to 10 times a person’s yearly income.
A mortgage term plan, which will pay off the remaining balance of your mortgage loan in the event of death, total and permanent disability, or terminal illness, should be taken into consideration if you have a home loan in your name.
This keeps the roof over your loved ones’ heads and prevents them from having to pay off any outstanding mortgage payments.
2. Make sure that each member of the family has a basic hospitalization plan.
The national MediShield Life insurance program, which aids in defraying hefty hospital fees and some pricey outpatient treatments, covers all Singaporeans and permanent residents.
Keeping elderly parents appropriately covered against unforeseen medical expenses and treatment costs is essential,
Young children are also prone to common illnesses and may need to be hospitalized for supervision.
“Having an Integrated Shield Plan or a hospitalization plan can help to reduce some of those risks.”
3.Critical illness plans are beneficial to have.
Knowing the health history of your family can help you determine your vulnerability to specific diseases or disorders.
Critical illness coverage is a good idea, particularly if your family’s medical history indicates that you have a “higher-than-usual” probability of contracting certain critical illnesses, like cancer.
Investing and Saving
Many in the sandwich generation are in their prime earning years. Prioritizing investing and saving ensures that you are financially secure not only for the immediate needs of your aging parents and children but also for your own long-term financial well-being.
Investing and saving can help you create separate funds for your children’s education and your retirement. While insurance can provide immediate relief, these dedicated savings and investment accounts ensure that your long-term goals are not compromised.
Make sure that at least half of your assets are invested if you want your money to work hard for you. In order to spread out the risks and weather market volatility, be sure that your investments are well-diversified.
Another excellent option for investors to start is via robo-advisers.
Another thing to consider is an emergency fund. If you have dependents or operate as a freelancer in the gig economy, you should have more than three to six months’ worth of living expenses set up in case of emergency.
To help increase your parents’ retirement benefits, you can add to their Central Provident Fund accounts. You might also think about doing the same for yourself and your spouse if you have extra money.
Additionally, keeping an eye out for deals that allow you to “save some money” will help.
Financing your child's education
Aside from insurance, another product that parents should think about is an education fund, which is generally used for saving money for your kids’ college education.
You should first think about how many years there are before your child starts college and how much you will need to contribute.
A newborn child will require you to save roughly $55,000 over the following 20 years, based on the average cost of an undergraduate degree in Singapore being around $40,000 and an annual inflation rate of 1.6%.
Parents who desire not to take on too much risk often choose endowment plans. The majority of endowment plans ask you to commit to making premium payments for a set period of time (usually ten years) and allow you to select the payout age.
Many plans also include riders, which guarantee that, in the sad case of your passing, disability, or serious illness, your child’s education will be covered.
Conclusion
The Sandwich Generation in Singapore is facing unprecedented challenges due to demographic shifts and the high cost of living. However, with the right insurance strategies and financial planning, it is possible to navigate these challenges with more peace of mind. Adequate insurance coverage can provide the protection and financial stability necessary to support both aging parents and dependent children without compromising your own financial future. In a rapidly changing world, being prepared and insured can truly ease the squeeze of the Sandwich Generation.