I recently came across a survey suggesting that more Singaporeans are aiming to accumulate more than $1 million and retire by age 40. At first glance, this sounds ambitious but achievable. After all, Singapore has one of the highest household wealth levels in the world, CPF balances compound over time, property prices have appreciated significantly, and investment knowledge is more accessible than ever. But it got me thinking: How realistic is this goal for the average Singaporean? Not the exceptional software engineer earning $300,000 a year. Not the successful entrepreneur who sold a business. But a fairly typical university graduate who starts work at age 24, earns around the median graduate salary, marries at 32, has two children aged 7 and 5 by age 40, owns a modest Japanese car, and lives in an owner-occupied home. Let's run the numbers. Building The Model According to recent graduate employment surveys, a fresh university graduate earns approximately $5,000 per month. Assuming annual salary growth of 4%, annual income would reach roughly $120,000 by age 40....