Baby Bonus Scheme Options

[Sim Richard]

Hi

Does anyone know whether the Baby Bonus Scheme will backdate their payments? I mean, I didn't know about this thing until my baby was 6 months old. FYI, I am in Canada. A friend of mine who applied for it, said that they don't backdate the payments so she said that if I hurry, I could get the rest of the payments for the 12th and 18th months.

Hope someone can tell me more about it.

thanks!

Ling Hwee,

Contact MCYS to verify your child current status.
E-mail:
- mcys_babybonus@mcys.gov.sg

RS

[miko_sing]

Hi

Does anyone know whether the Baby Bonus Scheme will backdate their payments? I mean, I didn't know about this thing until my baby was 6 months old. FYI, I am in Canada. A friend of mine who applied for it, said that they don't backdate the payments so she said that if I hurry, I could get the rest of the payments for the 12th and 18th months.

Hope someone can tell me more about it.

thanks!

[Kung Lone]

Not for me, as I couldn't even afford the medical expense in the first place. It would be better if the govt paid those expenses rather than giving a cash gift later on. The way it's set up, I don't have a way of taking this bonus.

haha. ia agree. but sin is still consider the cheaper compare other places leh......

[suds n wicks]

is it enough carrot to boost the baby boom......

Not for me, as I couldn't even afford the medical expense in the first place. It would be better if the govt paid those expenses rather than giving a cash gift later on. The way it's set up, I don't have a way of taking this bonus.

[Kung Lone]

is it enough carrot to boost the baby boom......

[Chilli Crab]

I submitted the citizenship application at the Singapore Overseas Mission in Munich. The list of Singapore Overseas Missions can be found in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

[Low Bee Ling]

Yup.

On a side note, should you need any help in citizenship application, let me know. I might be able to help cos I have just done it recently.

Thanks for the offer, I'll keep that in mind when the time comes. Where did you submit the application?

[Chilli Crab]

Yup.

On a side note, should you need any help in citizenship application, let me know. I might be able to help cos I have just done it recently.

[Low Bee Ling]

Yup, the cash gift is given in instalments. But whichever the case, it is still up to you to spend it, there is no control.

Yes, the most important issue is that there's no control over how we can spend this cash gift.

Now the only pending issue is to apply sg citizenship in order to get the cash gift.

[Chilli Crab]

Yup, the cash gift is given in instalments. But whichever the case, it is still up to you to spend it, there is no control.

[Low Bee Ling]

The cash gift can be deposited in any Singapore bank account and can be used for anything since the account holder controls the account.

I heard from my friend that this cash gift is deposited in any SG bank account in installments. So it's like you'll only receive the full sum after 1 and a half year.

can single parent rec baby bonus......

Yes, if you child is a Singaporean Citizen like what Chilli Crab mentioned.

[Kung Lone]

can single parent rec baby bonus......

[Chilli Crab]

From what I understand, the Baby Bonus is for Singaporean babies/children. The criterion is the citizenship of your child, the citizenship of your partner is not critical, neither is the place of birth of your child. Your child can be born in Italy, and your partner is American, and as long as you register your child as a Singapore citizen, your child is eligible for Baby Bonus.

The cash gift can be deposited in any Singapore bank account and can be used for anything since the account holder controls the account.

The CDA is the special account that can be opened in selected banks in Singapore. And this money cannot be used for anything you like. There are some "appointed" uses for the money in the CDA. Think of CDA like Edusave or like CPF. Not identical, but similar. It is your money but can be used for certain things only.

For the first child, you only get the cash gift. The CDA is applicable from the second child onwards.

[Low Bee Ling]

The way it is phrased, "it may be used ..." it seems you have an option. It doesn't say "it can only be used for ...". Personally I feel the bonus would be more useful if they picked up the tab for the hospital bill. This is the one expense I cannot afford.

So anyone actually used this bonus before? Whether is there a limitation on what we can use on this bonus?

Suds, you're right... the hospital bill is expensive but glad that my insurance will cover everything. Thank goodness

[suds n wicks]

The way it is phrased, "it may be used ..." it seems you have an option. It doesn't say "it can only be used for ...". Personally I feel the bonus would be more useful if they picked up the tab for the hospital bill. This is the one expense I cannot afford.

[Low Bee Ling]

I believe you would be eligible. See #11 in the FAQ list here:
https://www.babybonus.gov.sg/bbss/html/faq.html
As for how you can spend the money, the simplest way would be for them to credit it into your S'pore bank account and then wire transfer the money to your overseas bank account.

Maybe am not getting it right... According to the website, it states:

The savings in the CDA may be used to pay fees at Approved Institutions which have registered with MCYS under the Baby Bonus Scheme. These include child care centres, MOE-registered kindergartens, special education schools and National Council of Social Service (NCSS)-registered early intervention programmes. The money may be used by all their children who are attending an Approved Institution. From December 2005, parents can use the savings in the CDA to purchase MediShield or Medisave-approved private integrated plans for all their children.

Can we use the saving on whatever issue we want to? It's useless if we can only limit the use on Approved Institutions in Singapore or MediShield or Medisave-approved private integrated insurance plans for those who live in overseas.

[suds n wicks]

My question is how can those live oversea benefits from the cash gift? How can they spend this cash gift living oversea?

I believe you would be eligible. See #11 in the FAQ list here:
https://www.babybonus.gov.sg/bbss/html/faq.html
As for how you can spend the money, the simplest way would be for them to credit it into your S'pore bank account and then wire transfer the money to your overseas bank account.

[Low Bee Ling]

Hi Bee Ling,
I have never heard of this Baby Bonus Scheme. What is it anyway? Thanks and cheers.

The Scheme is to benefit the 1st and 4th child born on or after 1 August 2004. Parents will get a cash gift of $3,000 for the 1st child, and a cash gift and co-savings of up to $9,000 for the 2nd child and up to $18,000 each for the 3rd and 4th child.

My question is how can those live oversea benefits from the cash gift? How can they spend this cash gift living oversea?

I supposed if our partners are not Singaporean but our child can still qualify for this scheme as long as we register our child for a Singapore citizen.

[suds n wicks]

I have never heard of this Baby Bonus Scheme. What is it anyway?

Here's some info on it:
https://www.babybonus.gov.sg/bbss/html/index.html

[Amy Kiesgen]

Anyone with a non-Singaporean partner has a kid who enjoyed this Baby Bonus Scheme?

Hi Bee Ling,
I have never heard of this Baby Bonus Scheme. What is it anyway? Thanks and cheers.