How can we maximize options for our son (NS concern)?

[shannon8088]

Background:
Parents: Early 30s. 1 Singaporean, 1 Foreigner.
Child (Son): expecting (not born yet)
Child will be able to have dual nationality before 11y/o (Singaporean by birth, other nationality by descent)

The dilemma:
Our current plan is to settle down in SG (we are not in position to relocate in the short term) - in which case NS is not a concern. Child will go. 

However, given our age and career fields, we simply cannot rule out needing to move abroad for better or simply more suitable opportunities before child is 11 y/o. If that is the case Child might have already started Primary school hence benefited from his Singapore Citizenship.

Hence on one hand it would not make sense - given our current plans - to go through trouble of avoiding Singapore Citizenship for the Child.
However we would also loathe for our Child to be caught in a future situation of getting into a dream program in foreign University after spending majority of schooling years overseas, but then having to decide between giving up said program to having to be an NS defaulter (as we understand MINDEF pretty much doesn't grant deferment for foreign universities being not understanding on Singapore system). 

Obviously it's a given that we can't expect "best of both worlds" i.e. we can't expect to enjoy benefits of citizenship but avoid NS. However we are also feeling very lost in that is there anything that we as parents should/can do right now in order to - to put bluntly - minimize any screw-up of our Child's future when it comes to NS obligations if there is a change to our life plans (which no one including ourselves can predict).

[abbby]

Not sure about whether son's future will be affected but a relative of mine, Singaporean renounced her citizenship and lived where her husband lives. Somehow, life is better where they are, less stress, and they're retired rather young, because where they are everything just seems cheaper, houses, cars. So there's no need to work your whole life to pay off your housing and car loans.

Their children were born abroad. They seem happier.

[the observer]

A conundrum.

People are living longer, ie people in Singapore tend to live longer than the rest of the region.

Something to think over is whether the retirement nest egg can last that long.

A non issue, if people die earlier.

[malcontent]

Not sure about whether son's future will be affected but a relative of mine, Singaporean renounced her citizenship and lived where her husband lives. Somehow, life is better where they are, less stress, and they're retired rather young, because where they are everything just seems cheaper, houses, cars. So there's no need to work your whole life to pay off your housing and car loans.

Their children were born abroad. They seem happier.

If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be “squeeze” because that can be applied to so many aspects of life. Whether it’s trying to book badminton courts at the community centre, trying to enroll your kids in P1, trying to commute by MRT in the morning, or buying a car… you must prepare for the squeeze.

That said, there are always pros/cons and one con is how kids overseas (and even International School) can become rotten. The joke I often hear is, after international school you can expect your kids to say f#%& you… to your face.

[malcontent]

A conundrum.

People are living longer, ie people in Singapore tend to live longer than the rest of the region.

Something to think over is whether the retirement nest egg can last that long.

A non issue, if people die earlier.

But people are working longer too… and the government supports that.

That said, there are large opportunities for improvement in the retirement savings space. For example, SRS has been around for decades, and yet almost no employers offer an automatic deduction from payroll, let alone a matching contribution. SRS should offer easy to select “cafeteria style” investment options that are automatic once selected, ideally with target date funds that are low cost and broadly diversified. I just don’t understand why SRS has been left to languish.

[PNGMK]

Do O levels here. After O levels (in Oct/Nov) do what any sensible parent (with the funds) and send your kid to either a US community college and then college or to an Australian Uni Foundation Program then a degree (1 year UFP and then degree). Bring them back at ~19/20 to do their NS.

CMPB will complain but provided your son is in touch and in a degree program overseas they will have to defer. Apply for exit permit for 364 days if needed.

My doter will start the WAUFP at Canning College next to Curtin in 2027 with her O levels. She will get an ATAR to use for Uni admission in Australia within 9 months.

Forget A levels and local U.

[shannon8088]

Not sure about whether son's future will be affected but a relative of mine, Singaporean renounced her citizenship and lived where her husband lives. Somehow, life is better where they are, less stress, and they're retired rather young, because where they are everything just seems cheaper, houses, cars. So there's no need to work your whole life to pay off your housing and car loans.

Their children were born abroad. They seem happier.

Appreciate the sharing.
Unfortunately settling overseas right now isn't a feasible option for us.
We both have decent (i.e. not splendid, just solid with good chance of establishing a career) jobs here but not at career stage where we can easily move. We have much much better support network here than at Foreign partner's home country (it's really true that it takes a village to raise a child). And Foreign partner isn't from a country...that has good prospects or a better education system.

[shannon8088]

Do O levels here. After O levels (in Oct/Nov) do what any sensible parent (with the funds) and send your kid to either a US community college and then college or to an Australian Uni Foundation Program then a degree (1 year UFP and then degree). Bring them back at ~19/20 to do their NS.

CMPB will complain but provided your son is in touch and in a degree program overseas they will have to defer. Apply for exit permit for 364 days if needed.

My doter will start the WAUFP at Canning College next to Curtin in 2027 with her O levels. She will get an ATAR to use for Uni admission in Australia within 9 months.

Forget A levels and local U.

Thanks!
That sounds like a sound option
We'll just have to work hard now to have the means haha (incl. having the means to move to US/Aus before then).

[malcontent]

Do O levels here. After O levels (in Oct/Nov) do what any sensible parent (with the funds) and send your kid to either a US community college and then college or to an Australian Uni Foundation Program then a degree (1 year UFP and then degree). Bring them back at ~19/20 to do their NS.

CMPB will complain but provided your son is in touch and in a degree program overseas they will have to defer. Apply for exit permit for 364 days if needed.

My doter will start the WAUFP at Canning College next to Curtin in 2027 with her O levels. She will get an ATAR to use for Uni admission in Australia within 9 months.

Forget A levels and local U.

My nephew finished O levels last December and is now in community college in the US. He is paying foreign student fees of around USD 12k per year, which is substantially less than the non-ASEAN school fees in Singapore, and will have guaranteed transfer options at good universities. After 3 years at a community college, he will get fully subsidized uni fees (AB540 exemption) and pay only USD 15k per year, even at top schools like Berkeley or UCLA… it really is an amazing and affordable path that I wasn’t fully aware of even a year ago.