Providend's Money Wisdom

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 effectivel...

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 o...

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 t...

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,&...

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 di...

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 t...

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 ou...

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 conversati...

“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 s...

“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...

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...

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...

In this episode, I will detail the eight money archetypes and why it is essential to find out more about these unconscious patterns, beliefs and behaviours that have made you who you are today. Important note: The key to helping our clients achieve their financial goals is to really ensure that they stick to their wealth or investment plan. The host, Christopher Tan, is Chief Executive Office...

In this episode, I will once again delve into issues regarding insurance and investment management to emphasise the significance of having these two aspects managed right. Important note: As a wealth advisory firm, we are not dealing with just people’s money but their lives. The host, Christopher Tan, is Chief Executive Officer of Providend, Singapore’s first fee-only wealth advisory firm and...

In this episode, I will revisit the conviction of our founding members in birthing Providend as a fee-only wealth advisory firm in 2001 and how we have strived and grown to where we are today. Important note: In reality, it is the advisory industry that is not ready, not Singaporeans. The host, Christopher Tan, is Chief Executive Officer of Providend, Singapore’s first fee-only wealth advisor...

In this episode, I will share our philosophy of profitability and why we have transited to using low-cost instruments such as ETFs, index funds and evidence-based funds from Dimensional Fund Advisors for all our investment portfolios. Important note: Low-cost investment instruments have proven to better deliver the expected returns for our clients than high-cost actively managed funds. The host,&n...

In this episode, I will share the relationship between the 3 industry players and why most distributors will get you to buy plenty of products, sometimes even with a substantial part of your wealth. Important note: Choose your wealth manager wisely, do not become a victim of bad wealth management practices. The host, Christopher Tan, is Chief Executive Officer of Providend, Singapore’s first...

In this episode, I will reflect upon the operating processes of the financial planning and wealth management sector as compared to that of fast food production. Important note: Understanding a client’s need for returns as well as his ability and his willingness to bear risks must be done before any recommendations are given. The host, Christopher Tan, is Chief Executive Officer of Providend, Singa...

In this episode, I will explain the key differences between an advisory service and a sales business, considering the compensation, the way of prospecting for business and the recruitment approach. 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...

In this episode, I will share The New Retirement Mindscape II Study conducted by Ameriprise Financial Inc. in 2010 to understand the retirement journey of individuals which consists of 6 distinct stages. To learn more, download our RetireWell eBook now!  https://providend.com/publications/#retirewell (It consists of 11-part articles written by Chris and were featured on The Business Times eve...

In this episode, I encourage all of us to first make a life decision and let our wealth decisions follow it. By doing so (and not the opposite!), our life, whether in retirement or not, will finish well. To learn more, download our RetireWell eBook now!  https://providend.com/publications/#retirewell (It consists of 11-part articles written by Chris and were featured on The Business Times eve...

In this episode, I will explain how retirees can make the investment strategy we have shared in the past few episodes work to get the expected returns. To learn more, download our RetireWell eBook now!  https://providend.com/publications/#retirewell (It consists of 11-part articles written by Chris and were featured on The Business Times every month for almost a year in 2017) The host, Christ...

In this episode, I will share a very important role of CPF LIFE in retirement planning -- to provide retirees with a reliable income stream regardless of the financial market’s performance, for life! To learn more, download our RetireWell eBook now!  https://providend.com/publications/#retirewell (It consists of 11-part articles written by Chris and were featured on The Business Times every m...

In the event of mismanagement of their retirement monies, retirees might not be able to accumulate sufficient sums for their retirement again because of their advanced age. With that in mind, I will share how our investing approach works for our retiree clients as we hold on to the principle of staying invested (in the right instruments) and not timing the markets. Important note: We use financial...

In this episode, I will explain why we use index funds by looking at the risks and costs involved, as well as its alignment with Providend’s planning philosophy. To learn more, download our RetireWell eBook now!  https://providend.com/publications/#retirewell (It consists of 11-part articles written by Chris and were featured on The Business Times every month for almost a year in 2017) The ho...