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02-08-2014, 03:00 AM
An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:
IS MEDISAVE REALLY OUR MONEY?
.node-article .field-name-ad-box-in-article {float: left;margin: 15px 15px 10px 0;}.node-article .field-tags{clear: both;} Post date:
31 Jul 2014 - 10:31pm
http://therealsingapore.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/Medisave_2.jpg?itok=JwUuz02j (http://therealsingapore.com/sites/default/files/field/image/Medisave_2.jpg)
Hi,
I am writing to seek public opinion on my encounter with CPF board which I find ridiculous. I maybe wrong but I just couldn't comprehend the rationale behind the rigidness of its policy over what should be our money. The following summarised the situation.
I have been a self-employed person since June 2011. Prior to that, I was a salaried personnel who contributed to my CPF religiously. I am the sole breadwinner of my family which consists of my wife and two primary schooling kids. As my job is commission-based, my income is unstable. My annual income for June to Dec in year 2011 was $489, year 2012 was $4,452 and year 2013 was $21,732. I was not taxed by IRAS for income tax over these 3 years. However, CPF board sent me a notice to make contribution of $1,738 to my Medisave account based on my income earned in year 2013! While IRAS had assessed that I did not make enough to contribute to the country, CPF board deemed that I had enough disposable income to make contribution to my Medisave account! What make the whole contribution policy more absurd is that I would be summon to court and face a potential fine of $2,500 to $10,000 when I failed to make the said contribution!
Nonetheless, I gave the benefit of doubt to the department for probably unable to assess my real financial situation accurately and wrote 2 emails to explain and seek for exemption in making the contribution. In gist, I explained that I'm the sole breadwinner of my family, my family is under the Financial Aid Scheme, I'm struggling to make ends meet for my family daily needs, my current Medisave account amount is $43,000 plus which is merely about $20 plus to the Minimum Sum requirement of $43,500 and slightly over $5,000 to the Contribution Ceiling of $48,500 and therefore, I would have sufficient amount in my account if the need arises, and I do not have the disposable income to make the contribution unless I take a loan which doesn't make sense. Both my appeals were responded with perfunctory replies telling me that there is nothing much they can do but to offer monthly installment for me to make the contribution. I'm not a bit surprise. So I forwarded my appeal together with the responses by CPF board to Minister Tan Chuan Jin and got another response from CPF board telling me the same thing! Well, the message from them is clear and cold:"Regardless of your financial situation, you are to make the tabulated contribution either in lump sum or monthly installment into your Medisave account or face potential summon to court and be fined between $2,500 to $10,000!"
I simply couldn't comprehend the rationale behind the whole policy. If Medisave is really MY money, why should I be forced to contribute to MY account especially when I couldn't afford it? Even if I have that amount, wouldn't it make more sense to spend on my family daily needs given my present situation? While I appreciate that Medisave is a form of safety net for citizen's healthcare needs, should there not be flexibility when one Medisave amount is near or has met the Minimum Sum requirement and Contribution Ceiling, which were deemed sufficient by the Board to cover us in time of needs? Most ironically, why should one be punished for not making contribution into his OWN account? Ridiculously, if one couldn't afford to make the contribution, why would the Board even deemed that he/she is able to pay the fine imposed by the court?!
Well, I have tried but received no empathy and assistance even from the highest level of the Ministry concerned. What is left to do now is to source for the amount and make the mandatory contribution into MY Medisave account to avoid the Punishment lest causing more agony to my family. So, the Government says that CPF is our money. Really?
Yours Sincerely
Raymond Sim
TRS Contributor
Click here to view the whole thread at www.sammyboy.com (http://www.sammyboy.com/showthread.php?187060-FAP-Traitors-to-Charge-Unemployed-SG-for-Not-Paying-Up-Medisave!&goto=newpost).
IS MEDISAVE REALLY OUR MONEY?
.node-article .field-name-ad-box-in-article {float: left;margin: 15px 15px 10px 0;}.node-article .field-tags{clear: both;} Post date:
31 Jul 2014 - 10:31pm
http://therealsingapore.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/Medisave_2.jpg?itok=JwUuz02j (http://therealsingapore.com/sites/default/files/field/image/Medisave_2.jpg)
Hi,
I am writing to seek public opinion on my encounter with CPF board which I find ridiculous. I maybe wrong but I just couldn't comprehend the rationale behind the rigidness of its policy over what should be our money. The following summarised the situation.
I have been a self-employed person since June 2011. Prior to that, I was a salaried personnel who contributed to my CPF religiously. I am the sole breadwinner of my family which consists of my wife and two primary schooling kids. As my job is commission-based, my income is unstable. My annual income for June to Dec in year 2011 was $489, year 2012 was $4,452 and year 2013 was $21,732. I was not taxed by IRAS for income tax over these 3 years. However, CPF board sent me a notice to make contribution of $1,738 to my Medisave account based on my income earned in year 2013! While IRAS had assessed that I did not make enough to contribute to the country, CPF board deemed that I had enough disposable income to make contribution to my Medisave account! What make the whole contribution policy more absurd is that I would be summon to court and face a potential fine of $2,500 to $10,000 when I failed to make the said contribution!
Nonetheless, I gave the benefit of doubt to the department for probably unable to assess my real financial situation accurately and wrote 2 emails to explain and seek for exemption in making the contribution. In gist, I explained that I'm the sole breadwinner of my family, my family is under the Financial Aid Scheme, I'm struggling to make ends meet for my family daily needs, my current Medisave account amount is $43,000 plus which is merely about $20 plus to the Minimum Sum requirement of $43,500 and slightly over $5,000 to the Contribution Ceiling of $48,500 and therefore, I would have sufficient amount in my account if the need arises, and I do not have the disposable income to make the contribution unless I take a loan which doesn't make sense. Both my appeals were responded with perfunctory replies telling me that there is nothing much they can do but to offer monthly installment for me to make the contribution. I'm not a bit surprise. So I forwarded my appeal together with the responses by CPF board to Minister Tan Chuan Jin and got another response from CPF board telling me the same thing! Well, the message from them is clear and cold:"Regardless of your financial situation, you are to make the tabulated contribution either in lump sum or monthly installment into your Medisave account or face potential summon to court and be fined between $2,500 to $10,000!"
I simply couldn't comprehend the rationale behind the whole policy. If Medisave is really MY money, why should I be forced to contribute to MY account especially when I couldn't afford it? Even if I have that amount, wouldn't it make more sense to spend on my family daily needs given my present situation? While I appreciate that Medisave is a form of safety net for citizen's healthcare needs, should there not be flexibility when one Medisave amount is near or has met the Minimum Sum requirement and Contribution Ceiling, which were deemed sufficient by the Board to cover us in time of needs? Most ironically, why should one be punished for not making contribution into his OWN account? Ridiculously, if one couldn't afford to make the contribution, why would the Board even deemed that he/she is able to pay the fine imposed by the court?!
Well, I have tried but received no empathy and assistance even from the highest level of the Ministry concerned. What is left to do now is to source for the amount and make the mandatory contribution into MY Medisave account to avoid the Punishment lest causing more agony to my family. So, the Government says that CPF is our money. Really?
Yours Sincerely
Raymond Sim
TRS Contributor
Click here to view the whole thread at www.sammyboy.com (http://www.sammyboy.com/showthread.php?187060-FAP-Traitors-to-Charge-Unemployed-SG-for-Not-Paying-Up-Medisave!&goto=newpost).