This is probably something not new as other financial bloggers have blogged about how to maximize the interest rate for your DBS Multiplier account with the Singapore Savings Bonds.
The hack that I am going to share is that if you have a DBS Multiplier account, you get additional interest if you deposit your dividends from stocks to your DBS or POSB account. The payout from Singapore Savings Bonds into your DBS or POSB account qualify as well under the “Investments with DBS/POSB”.
The minimum amount for Singapore Savings Bonds is S$500 with a one time fee of S$2. The effective interest rate for Singapore Savings Bonds for May if you held it for ten years is 2.39% which is pretty attractive to me. (Read more: May 2018 Singapore Savings Bonds is 2.39%)
Below are the Singapore Savings Bonds that I have subscribed for. “Yes” means that the bond will be paying out in that month. Basically, Singapore Savings Bonds pay out every six months. I only have to subscribe to June, July and August Singapore Savings Bonds and I will be getting more interest from my DBS Multiplier account every month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| SBOCT15 GX15100F | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||
| SBSEP17 GX17090X | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||
| SBMAY18 GX18050E | Yes | Yes |
Without Investments With DBS/POSB
With Investments With DBS/POSB
With this Singapore Savings Bonds hack, I get to enjoy 1.8 % interest (per annum) with my DBS Multiplier account.
Interesting info! Thanks for sharing. I have two questions about this.
1. If I understand correctly, does one have to purchase SSB every month so as to enjoy a higher interest rate for the rest of the year?
2. does it mean that the month they pay the interest, the interest deposit in DBS is considered a separate transaction, even if you don’t buy new bonds that month?
Hi Amit, SSB pays out interest rate every 6 months. Just buy SSB every month until you completed your plan to receive interest payout for every month of the year. The interest payout in that month will fulfil the investment criteria under the DBS Multiplier step up interest program which means you will be entitle to additional interest. Read my post on DBS Multiplier for more details.
Hi MSR, what do you mean by buy SSB every month until you completed your plan? What is this plan? Does it means i have to buy SSB every month for 6months?
Hi Mister ming, my plan is to receive payout from SSB every month and therefore my DBS Multiplier Account gets additional interest rate every month.
If i already have some SSB holdings bought previously via the normal POSB/DBS savings account, but not the multiplier account, and I now sign on to the multiplier account, will i receive the additional investment interest under the multiplier account now from my current SSB holdings?
Hi Jem, yes those are counted as well.
Only the dividends from SSB considered as investment transaction or does the $500 for buying bond be considered as an investment transaction as well ?
Hi Reyna, I am only aware the dividends from SSB is considered as an investment transaction.
You can check out the DBS multiplier website. The below are considered as investment transaction
1. Dividends must be credited via GIRO, from Central Depository Pte Ltd (CDP).
2. Purchase a Unit Trust via DBS/POSB
3. Trade in equities online via DBS
That means we have to buy ssb for 12 consecutive months to ensure we get the extra interest rate every month on our dbs multiplier. Is that correct?
Correction. I mean buy for consecutive 6 months*
Hi Edmund, that is correct.
One more question! You have to buy SSB using cash (not SRS) to be eligible for this extra interest right?
Yes, monies bought using SRS goes back to your SRS account.
From DBS Multiplier account site:
Monthly contribution amount for Unit Trust Regular Savings Plan and/or POSB Invest-Saver will be recognised for the first 12 consecutive contributions per investment fund
Does this mean that the monthly payouts from the SSB hack will only be recognised for 1st 12 months? ie. after buying consecutively for 6 mths, the payouts come in for 12 consecutive mths, then the interest on the multiplier account goes back to normal?