Dear Smart Investor, 15 days ago, Singapore reported zero cases of COVID-19. For a brief moment, there was hope. But the flare-up of the KTV and Jurong Fishery Port clusters threw a curveball at the nation’s plan to lift movement and travel restrictions. It’s a timely reminder that even the best-laid plans can go awry. Fighting for our financial freedom The path of your financial freedom is not always paved with a bed of roses. You have to prepare for the curve balls that are thrown your way. An excellent first step would be to start with an emergency fund to cover unexpected expenses. Park these funds in a place you can access when you need it most; investment returns should be a secondary concern here. Beyond your emergency funds, we are advocates of only investing with money that you don’t need for the next five years. That’s because no one can predict what will happen in the stock market in the short term....