Living in Private Housing With No Income

[therock]

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/164-000-singaporean-adults-living-in-private-housing-have-no-11513318

 

Hmm... pity, empathy or disgust?

 

 

 

164,000 Singaporean adults living in private housing have no declared income

 

 

SINGAPORE: About 164,000 Singaporeans live in private properties and do not declare income for the purpose of personal income tax here, said Second Minister of Finance Indranee Rajah on Wednesday (May 8). 

This group, making up about 6 per cent of 2.7 million adult citizens, either do not have any yearly income or have non-taxable income, such as those from interests or dividends. 

 

Some may have taxable income, but are not required to file tax returns after taking into account tax deductions and reliefs. 

This group also includes citizens who have access to other financial means, said Ms Indranee. These can be retirees with private savings and those who are receiving financial support from economically active family members.

The Government, however, does not have further details of the financial situation of these citizens as it only collects information required for tax administration, she added.

Ms Indranee was replying to a question from Mountbatten SMC MP Lim Biow Chuan who asked for the number of citizens living in private housing but do not have any declared income. 

 

In his supplementary questions, Mr Lim asked if more could be done to assess the financial status of these private property dwellers, especially those without income and may be "genuinely poor".

Those living in private property currently do not qualify for several Budgetary provisions, such as GST Vouchers, and other initiatives like Government-sponsored digital TV starter kits.

Citing feedback from his constituency, Mr Lim said some residents have noted that this is “inequitable” and they feel “disadvantaged” due to their type of residence.

In response to that, Ms Indranee said some social schemes are structured with specific groups in mind. The GST Vouchers, for instance, are aimed at helping the lower-income group. 

She added that there are schemes that apply to those living in private properties. Special packages, such as the Merdeka Generation Package and the Pioneer Generation Package, are also in place to “give recognition” to all Singaporeans. 

“The group that Mr Lim is talking about … some of them may have financial resources like savings or non-taxable income by way of dividends or their children may be looking after them,” she said. 

“The challenge then is how do you identify who has no income at all and need assistance.”

Ms Indranee urged those in need of help to apply for assistance, as "the system does allow for appeals and considerations for particular circumstances". 

“The assurance we can give is that those genuinely in need will not be left without assistance," she said.

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/164-000-singaporean-adults-living-in-private-housing-have-no-11513318

 

 

[Throttle2]

No pity no disgust

 

If one is asset rich with no cash, then to be fair to everyone else, he should sell his assets accordingly to support himself

 

Dont expect to keep these assets and request the state to support him.

Now that would be seriously unfair.

[Coltplussport]

Housewife considered as part of the 164k?

[Enye]

wah ...i think olivia lum is among them

 

 

Olivia Lum says she will take S$1 salary until Hyflux is restructured

Fri, Apr 26, 2019 - 5:50 AM

 

 

 

 

she need financial assistance from ah gong or not?

 

   

[Tedlhw]

People damn thick skinned lor... sitting on millions worth of house/land. Say 'disadvantaged'. 

Sell house to fund your lifestyle lei. 

Ultimately still got choice. 

 

People got no choice, no way out, we gotta help. 

Sit on big landed property you still want help?

No income sell the house. Simple. 

 

Most of them want to leave it to children. Then ask children to pay for your expenses. 

They dun want, then sell, simple solution.

What gives them a God given right to stay private/landed property, while most of our population stay in HDB ??

 

Think about it, next guy buy, gotta tear down, renovate, pay stamp duty, (buy marble  ) etc creates jobs and good for state coffers. 

 

Conversely when we help these people, we are essentially paying them to stay in big landed property. 

It just means at some point, some kind of tax is going up, cos extra money has to come from some where. Fair meh??

[Throttle2]

People damn thick skinned lor... sitting on millions worth of house/land. Say 'disadvantaged'.

Sell house to fund your lifestyle lei.

Ultimately still got choice.

 

People got no choice, no way out, we gotta help.

Sit on big landed property you still want help?

No income sell the house. Simple.

 

Most of them want to leave it to children. Then ask children to pay for your expenses.

They dun want, then sell, simple solution.

What gives them a God given right to stay private/landed property, while most of our population stay in HDB ??

 

Think about it, next guy buy, gotta tear down, renovate, pay stamp duty, (buy marble ) etc creates jobs and good for state coffers.

 

Conversely when we help these people, we are essentially paying them to stay in big landed property.

It just means at some point, some kind of tax is going up, cos extra money has to come from some where. Fair meh??

Ya lor, sibei lan chiao lang, those kind.

 

Imagine, your friend borrow money from you and drive Maserati, stay King Albert and eat at Les Amis but say no cashflow to pay you back as his business not doing well.

 

Really irresponsible.

 

 

I stay punggol type, also never ask for anything.

When it comes to the crunch i sell my Rolexes.

Eat wanton mee and drive B&B car.

[BanCoe]

@angcheek ...... Indranee ...... ahem

[Throttle2]

Disadvantaged?

 

I tell you what is disadvantage.

Not being allowed to buy a new HDB despite being a citizen and contributing whole life and doing national service is then, disadvantage, man.

 

KNN

 

Stay private, dont want to sell, want nation to fund your expenses, and want to cry disadvantaged ?

Lan chiao!

 

Govt should set up task force to help these people sell their assets and put inside CPF and buy annuity plan if they dont know how to manage and are in dire straits.

 

Those who want keep their asset and yet cry for help. Pwui!

Edited May 8, 2019 by Throttle2

[Khng8]

To be fair, the article did not say how many of these staying in private properties & not paying income tax needs state assistance. May be a very small number.

[Showster]

CEO earning millions per annum needs to buy HDB.

 

Huge private property needs state assistance.

 

Both similar category.

 

Actually can easily go for equity term loan (up to 50% of valuation) or to sell. Sure to have some money back in pocket.

 

The number is likely to be very small. But Govt needs to take a stance that they can’t help 164k people on this matter.

Edited May 8, 2019 by Showster

[No_worries]

There are quite a handful of these people around. They probably inherited the property from their wealthy parents aka living off “old money”.

[Lala81]

If u have really no income or low income. U already qualify for Chas or your merdeka and PG at least.

Beyond that, given u r living in a real hefty asset by singapore terms...

[therock]

I believe some of these folks expressed they will get adjustment issues if they had to move out in their old age, like the Dakota flat residents..

But here, they will get more money and the ability to get help, such as a domestic helper.

I saw older people in Teachers Estate protesting against PAP for asking them to sell their landed and even my mum was asking why.. they would have made at least 500% profit if they were the original residents..

More than enough to get a nice condo, maid and live well

[Sdf4786k]

living in HDB does not equate to being poor. Its more of a balance of liabilities.

 

While I subscribe to the notion of living within one means, I dont think its fare for Hospital means testing.

 

As long as you are a citizen, if you are hospitalise, you should not be force to take B or A ward. After all, its not like you have an intend to fall sick?

 

So while you may have quite substantial amount of money living frugally and earning a larger than large income, your savings are wipe out because once you go into B or A class ward, your immediately do not have the same subsidies for the next visit and medication unlike the C class patient.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2019 by Sdf4786k

[Hondaes8]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf6tQcGBpM8

 

These are the ones that dont have any option but to seek state assistance.

 

Those that are living on a gold mine (landed).....they have options.....

[BanCoe]

living in HDB does not equate to being poor. Its more of a balance of liabilities.

 

While I subscribe to the notion of living within one means, I dont think its fare for Hospital means testing.

 

As long as you are a citizen, if you are hospitalise, you should not be force to take B or A ward. After all, its not like you have an intend to fall sick?

 

So while you may have quite substantial amount of money living frugally and earning a larger than large income, your savings are wipe out because once you go into B or A class ward, your immediately do not have the same subsidies for the next visit and medication unlike the C class patient.

Agree with you on the hospitalization means testing issue , my mom also cannot use C ward , has to use B2 ward to economize on the bills becos of means testing , she don’t like AC and like go kaypoh TCSS talk to other patients in open wards , she is frugal and saved and had property from dad and bloody hell pays tax too, this Gen of people just don’t want to spend and live simply....... but I don’t think they force you to use A class Edited May 9, 2019 by BanCoe

[sake]

Agree with you on the hospitalization means testing issue , my mom also cannot use C ward , has to use B2 ward to economize on the bills becos of means testing , she don’t like AC and like go kaypoh TCSS talk to other patients in open wards , she is frugal and saved and had property from dad and bloody hell pays tax too, this Gen of people just don’t want to spend and live simply....... but I don’t think they force you to use A class

 

is there a reason why your Mom cannot use C class? did she opt for B2 when she first went in?

 

i understand that one can opt for C class regardless of type of property provided one has never opted for B or A before.

[BanCoe]

Cant remember why she cant as she used to use it about 4-5 years back , I remember they said the subsidy thing and since this compulsory medishield insurance thing came in I just put her in B2, which is fine for her , but the bill cannot still claim insurance end of the day as the stay for short period and there is a deductible, most important is that she wants to check out fast and go back home ASAP as she recovers fast and all tests are negative, its just for that 1 or 2 days she is in bad shape ...... ahhhhh geriatrics!! ..... its a cat n mouse game           

is there a reason why your Mom cannot use C class? did she opt for B2 when she first went in?

 

i understand that one can opt for C class regardless of type of property provided one has never opted for B or A before.