My father, at the age of only 35, was diagnosed with stage 4 nostril cancer and given a prognosis of just 6 months to live. As the primary breadwinner of the household with no insurance coverage, we were fortunate that his employer provided excellent insurance benefits. As a side effect of the chemotherapy, he lost his voice, which eventually led to his eventual job loss. My mother had to take on two jobs to compensate for the lost income, which meant she couldn't spend as much time with my sibling and I.

Burdened with guilt, my father who had been a senior engineer, was forced to take a job as a janitor in a mall as no employers were willing to hire him. This challenging situation persisted for 15 years until he eventually passed away, leaving behind an unpaid HDB loan. My sibling and I took on part-time jobs to help with the final expenses, took out loans for university education, and eventually managed to pay off the mortgage.

Having experienced this hardship, my goal is to help other families avoid such situations through proper financial planning. I am committed to delivering Contracts of Love (for families) so that they can live life with dignity and build a life with a legacy.

Xian Min

Manulife Financial Advisers Pte. Ltd.