A Ticket to Retirement with ETF and SRS November 8, 2022

Last updated 07 Nov 2022

According to the latest Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS) figures by the Ministry of Finance (MOF), amidst economic uncertainties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, more people have opened SRS accounts. Statistics show that there has been an increase in SRS contributions, especially among the younger generation. The number of accounts in 2021 amounted to about 289,000, a 30 per cent increase from the previous year, 2020. However, about 25 percent of the funds are sitting idle in the SRS accounts as cash. The idle cash funds within the SRS accounts only earn a 0.05 percent interest annually, whereas the funds could enjoy the returns of the ETFs and equities they can buy with these funds.

With record high inflation in Singapore this year, it makes much more financial sense to invest in ETFs now instead of letting SRS funds sit idle. ETFs serve as an effective low-cost investment tool with diversified exposure.

Notable Newly Listed ETFs on SGX Eligible for SRS

A few notable SRS eligible ETFs worth mentioning are the CSOP iEdge S-REIT Leaders Index ETF (SRT) and UOB APAC Green REIT ETF (GRN). The CSOP iEdge S-REIT ETF provides exposure to Singapore REITs which have benefited from rising office and retail demand as more people go out and return to office for work. The ETF rebalances its portfolio semi-annually based on liquidity, hence reflecting investors’ interest and rotation between sectors. It offers investors passive exposure to the sectors that better represent the current economic conditions.

On the other hand, the UOB AP Green REIT ETF provides investors with exposure to regional green REITs from the APAC region such as Japan, Australia and Singapore. Green REITs provide interested investors a way to invest in green economy, while also reaping investment benefits.

Investors who are looking for exposure in the Tech sector in Hong Kong can look at the Lion-OCBC HangSeng Tech ETF (HST). According to SGX’s Monthly Trading Summary (hyperlink: https://www.sgx.com/research-education/securities), it is the most active ETF on SGX by YTD trading volume. The ETF tracks the Hang Seng Tech Index comprising 30 quality tech companies listed in Hong Kong.

Top 5 ETFs Held by SRS Investors

– SPDR STI ETF (ES3)
– Hang Seng Tech ETF (HST)
– SPDR S&P 500 ETF (S27)
– Lion-Phillip S-REIT (CLR)
– SPDR Gold ETF (O87)

In this article, we will learn more about SRS and the reasons to invest in Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) with your SRS funds for your ticket to a better retirement.

What is Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS)?

SRS is a voluntary savings scheme that complements the Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings for retirement. It is a scheme by the government to help address the financial needs of an ageing population by enabling the population to save more for their retirement.

How can I participate in SRS?

Any Singapore citizens, Singapore permanent residents and foreigners who derive any form of active income and fulfil the following criteria are eligible to open a SRS account:

At least 18 years of age
Not an undischarged bankrupt
Not suffering from a mental disorder
Capable of managing self and own affairs

Qualified individuals can open an SRS account with any one of the three SRS operators in Singapore: DBS, OCBC and UOB. Account holders can contribute to their SRS account anytime, subject to a maximum yearly contribution of $15,300 for Singaporeans / PRs and $35,700 for foreigners.^[2]

Components of SRS

Contribution	Investment	Withdrawal
Contribute to your SRS account and earn dollar for dollar tax relief up to the maximum annual contribution	Invest the fund into SRS approved financial products (Shares, REITs, ETFs, Unit Trusts and Insurance)	Investors can withdraw from their SRS account upon reaching the statutory retirement age of 62
Funds in SRS account earns 0.05% interest per annum	Investment returns will depend on the nature and characteristic of the respective financial products	Investors have up to ten years to withdraw the full amount and withdrawals are penalty free. 50% of the withdrawals from SRS are taxable at retirement
	Gains made from investment through SRS have to be returned to the SRS account	Investors need not liquidate their assets upon withdrawal and can choose to withdraw the assets from their SRS accounts into their CDP accounts
	Accumulated investment gains are tax-free until withdrawal	Withdrawal before statutory age will be subjected to a 5% withdrawal penalty charge and 100% of the fund will be taxed accordingly.
		Penalty charge will be waived under exceptional circumstances^[3]

Unlike the CPF Investment Scheme where there are only six CPF approved ETFs (link), there is no restriction on the use of SRS funds to purchase more than 50 ETFs listed on SGX.

Below are five reasons why ETFs are suitable for investors looking for long-term investment products for their retirement needs.

Five Reasons to Invest in ETF Using SRS Account

1. Wide Variety of ETFs Available

The wide variety of different asset classes of ETFs (Fixed Income, Equities, Money Market, REITs and Commodity) available on SGX allow investors to choose the ETF that best suit their investment needs. Investors who are looking for capital gain can consider Equity ETFs (eg. STI ETF, S&P 500 ETF). Investors desiring passive dividend income can opt for REIT ETFs or Bond ETFs (eg. ABF SG Bond ETF, DBXT Au Govt Bond). Novice investors can use ETFs to build up their investment portfolio whereas experienced investors can use ETFs to complement their existing portfolio.

Investors can adopt the Core-Satellite Approach towards portfolio construction via the use of ETFs. For the core portion of the portfolio, low-cost Broad Market Index ETFs of various regions and ETFs of different asset classes are utilised to diversify and modify the portfolio’s characteristics according to the investors’ objectives. The ETFs will be strategically allocated and are intended to be passively managed by the investors.

Figure 1: Sample Strategic Allocation of Asset Classes Based on Risk Profiles

A Ticket to Retirement with ETF and SRS

Investors can learn more about strategic asset allocation at “A Guide to Portfolio Construction with ETFs”.

Unlike the core portion of the portfolio, the goal of the satellite portion is to provide a tactical opportunity for investors to earn greater returns than those generated by the passive portion of the portfolio. ETFs are ideal vehicles to be used as “Satellite” because they allow investors to gain exposure to specific market trends or themes rapidly.

Figure 2: An illustration of the Core-Satellite Approach using ETFs

A Ticket to Retirement with ETF and SRS

2. Liquidity and Flexibility

ETFs offer liquidity and flexibility to investors as they are traded intraday on the stock exchanges with full price transparency. Investors can enter the market whenever they spot an investment opportunity or exit the market whenever they wish to liquidate their assets.
The yearly contribution for SRS is capped at S$15,300 for locals and S$35,700 for foreigners. Hence, the capital available for investors in their SRS account is limited to this yearly contribution. With ETFs, investors’ SRS funds are not locked into a financial product (eg. Fixed Deposits) and they can have the flexibility to better allocate their limited capital whenever the need arises.

3. Low Expense Ratio

Expense ratio refers to the total cost of managing and operating an investment fund. It is also a measure of the total cost of a fund to investors. It comprises of management fees, legal fees, auditor fees, trading fees and other operational costs.

The total expense ratio of ETF is generally lower as compared to other professionally managed funds like Unit Trusts. This is because ETFs follow a passive strategy by replicating the performance of the index that it is tracking. For example, The Straits Times Index ETFs (SPDR STI ETF and Nikko AM STI ETF) comprise of the 30 constituents that make up the STI and the ETFs’ performance will be correlated to the performance of the STI.

To illustrate, if 20% of the funds invested in Unit Trusts in Singapore were to be invested in ETFs instead, the cost savings from the differential in expense ratio between the two different financial products would amount to around $60m per annum for investors.^[4]

Thus, with a low expense ratio, ETFs are ideal for investors who wish to hold their investment over a longer-term period. High expense ratio will erode the investment returns over the long term.

4. Longevity of Index

ETF’s fund managers will rebalance the constituents of the ETFs to achieve the goal of replicating the performance of the index. Better-performing companies will replace weaker companies to conform to the objective and criteria of the index. In summary, conglomerates may rise and fall but the index will always remain.

For example, the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJIA), which comprised of only twelve industrial companies, was constructed on 28 May 1896. Today, all of the original companies in the index have been replaced by other conglomerates like Apple, Nike, and Coca-Cola.

Hence, ETF is a suitable investment instrument for investors who do not have the time nor the expertise to monitor their investment. They can adopt a passive approach towards investing, as fund managers will rebalance the ETFs accordingly to the investment objectives of the ETFs on behalf of the investors.

5. Investment Option for Idle SRS Funds

The current interest rate for the SRS account is 0.05% per annum. Compared to CPF Ordinary Account’s interest rate of 2.5% and CPF Special Account’s interest rate of 4%, the opportunity cost of using SRS funds to invest is lower. Instead of letting their funds lay idle, investors desiring a higher return on their SRS funds can consider investing in ETFs for its potential long-term capital appreciation and/or for its dividend yield.

However, unlike the SRS risk-free interest rate, investors must prepare for the possibility of paper loss if market conditions are unfavourable. To compensate for the additional risk undertaken by investors, ETFs generally provide a higher return than the risk-free interest rate offered by SRS.

Conclusion

ETFs allow investors to diversify and gain exposure to the respective indices. Investors can allocate different asset classes of ETFs to their portfolio according to their investment needs, risk profile and time horizon.

The low expense ratio and longevity of index make ETFs suitable for long-term investment and retirement preparation. Investors can keep their ETFs indefinitely for as long as the ETF is listed and there is no maturity date for the ETF.

For example, most bonds have a maturity date when the investors will receive their principal amount invested. Investors are thus subject to reinvestment risk when they reinvest their principal into another financial asset. Unlike bonds, bond ETFs rebalance constantly by replacing matured bonds with new bonds and are suitable for investors to buy-and-hold indefinitely.

With listings on the stock exchange, ETFs offer investors the opportunity to enter or exit the market whenever they deem fit. Gains made from investing in ETFs are returned to the SRS account allowing investors to further use their SRS funds to grow their retirement nest egg.

If you are interested in investing your SRS Funds, you can visit our POEMS SRS Page https://www.poems.com.sg/srs/

More information on SRS can be found on the page – Eligibility, Benefits, FAQ, and Products Offered

Reference:

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About the author

ETF Desk

The ETF Desk is part of the Global Markets Team of Phillip Securities. The ETF Desk, which is by the ETF Specialist, Mr Marcus Teo is responsible for the ETF business of Phillip Securities. The desk works closely with ETF issuers for distribution purposes, and on curating educational materials to retail investors such as seminars, webinars, market journal and video production.

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