Baby bonus for single mother?
XYW is a single mother from Malaysia. She has multiple jobs in Singapore so as to support her young children, who are aged 5 and 6 respectively. Despite taking on multiple jobs, she would struggle when it is time to pay her children’s childcare fees.
Any help is welcome. Recently, a couple who are regulars in the restaurant she worked at went for a meal at the restaurant. When she was clearing up their table after they finished their food, one of them asked her why she looked sad. XYW told him that her children’s childcare fees was due and she was having difficulty. The gentlemen smiled and asked for the bill. He placed his credit card and 2 $1,000 notes into the bill folder. Thinking that it was a mistake, XYW returned the money to him. It was then that he told her: “No it’s not a mistake, we have two hands, one is to work hard and the other is to help others.”
XYW cried after the couple left. The money helped her to pay for her children’s fees.
See: Cherlynn Ng, “Single mum working multiple jobs cries after getting $2,000 tip from kind S’porean man”, Asia One, 13 November 2017
Not everyone is as fortunate as XYW. I have always believed that baby bonus should be extended to every child in Singapore, not just children of married parents. Baby bonus for single mother is essential.
Unfortunately, as of today (13 November 2017), children of single mothers are only eligible for Baby Bonus CDA benefits and not the cash gift.
For all children of single parents, CDA first step provides $3,000 worth of CDA benefits, with dollar-for-dollar matching of up to $3,000 for the 1st and 2nd child, $9,000 for the 3rd and 4th child, and $15,000 for the 5th child onwards.
(Accurate as of 13 November 2017)
In my humble opinion, more can be done to support single mothers like XYW. $3,000 worth of baby bonus CDA benefits is not going to be enough, given the standard of living in Singapore.
Under the law, single mothers like XYW are eligible to apply for child maintenance from the child’s father.
Contact us if you have other questions on baby bonus for single mother and child maintenance.
You may also be interested to read more about:
2. Annulment (Nullity) of Marriage
5. Maintenance Issues (Alimony)
