fc_judgments: 92

Data source: lawnet.sg/lawnet/web/lawnet/free-resources

This data as json

_id _item_id tags date court case-number title citation url counsel timestamp coram html _commit
92 3dc78fbc079d93a75e200170603b0340614cbb97 
[
    "Family Law \u2013 Custody \u2013 Care and control \u2013 Husband and wife each seeking sole care and control of their four children \u2013 Applicable considerations",
    "Family Law \u2013 Matrimonial assets \u2013 Division \u2013 Dual income marriage lasting 21\u00bd years \u2013 Reduction of husband\u2019s indirect contributions on account of having intentionally and knowingly harmed the children\u2019s interest",
    "Family Law \u2013 Maintenance \u2013 Wife \u2013 Wife seeking nominal maintenance \u2013 Applicable principles",
    "Family Law \u2013 Maintenance \u2013 Child \u2013 Wife seeking recovery of maintenance arrears"
]
 2024-10-14 Family Court Divorce No 1133 of 2023 (Ancillary Matters) XDZ v XEA [2024] SGFC 90 https://www.lawnet.sg:443/lawnet/web/lawnet/free-resources?p_p_id=freeresources_WAR_lawnet3baseportlet&p_p_lifecycle=1&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&_freeresources_WAR_lawnet3baseportlet_action=openContentPage&_freeresources_WAR_lawnet3baseportlet_docId=%2FJudgment%2F32327-SSP.xml 
[
    "U Sethuraj Naidu (M/s Godwin Campos LLC) for the Husband",
    "Tan Siew Kim, Loo Liang Zhi & Prasanth Ganesan (M/s Sterling Law Corporation) for the Wife."
]
 2024-10-20T16:00:00Z[GMT] Kow Keng Siong <root><head><title>XDZ v XEA</title></head><content><div class="contentsOfFile"> <h2 align="center" class="title"><span class="caseTitle"> XDZ <em>v</em> XEA </span><br><span class="Citation offhyperlink"><a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/Judgment/32327-SSP.xml')">[2024] SGFC 90</a></span></h2><table id="info-table"><tbody><tr class="info-row"><td class="txt-label" style="padding: 4px 0px; white-space: nowrap" valign="top">Case Number</td><td class="info-delim1" style="padding: 4px">:</td><td class="txt-body">Divorce No 1133 of 2023 (Ancillary Matters)</td></tr><tr class="info-row"><td class="txt-label" style="padding: 4px 0px; white-space: nowrap" valign="top">Decision Date</td><td class="info-delim1" style="padding: 4px">:</td><td class="txt-body">14 October 2024</td></tr><tr class="info-row"><td class="txt-label" style="padding: 4px 0px; white-space: nowrap" valign="top">Tribunal/Court</td><td class="info-delim1" style="padding: 4px">:</td><td class="txt-body">Family Court</td></tr><tr class="info-row"><td class="txt-label" style="padding: 4px 0px; white-space: nowrap" valign="top">Coram</td><td class="info-delim1" style="padding: 4px">:</td><td class="txt-body"> Kow Keng Siong </td></tr><tr class="info-row"><td class="txt-label" style="padding: 4px 0px; white-space: nowrap" valign="top">Counsel Name(s)</td><td class="info-delim1" style="padding: 4px">:</td><td class="txt-body"> U Sethuraj Naidu (M/s Godwin Campos LLC) for the Husband; Tan Siew Kim, Loo Liang Zhi &amp; Prasanth Ganesan (M/s Sterling Law Corporation) for the Wife. </td></tr><tr class="info-row"><td class="txt-label" style="padding: 4px 0px; white-space: nowrap" valign="top">Parties</td><td class="info-delim1" style="padding: 4px">:</td><td class="txt-body"> XDZ — XEA </td></tr></tbody></table> <p class="txt-body"><span style="font-style:italic">Family Law</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Custody</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Care and control</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Husband and wife each seeking sole care and control of their four children</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Applicable considerations</span></p> <p class="txt-body"><span style="font-style:italic">Family Law</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Matrimonial assets</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Division</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Dual income marriage lasting 21½ years</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Reduction of husband’s indirect contributions on account of having intentionally and knowingly harmed the children’s interest</span></p> <p class="txt-body"><span style="font-style:italic">Family Law</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Maintenance</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Wife</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Wife seeking nominal maintenance</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Applicable principles</span></p> <p class="txt-body"><span style="font-style:italic">Family Law</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Maintenance</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Child</span> – <span style="font-style:italic">Wife seeking recovery of maintenance arrears</span></p> <p></p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td width="80%"><p class="Judg-Hearing-Date">14 October 2024</p></td><td><p class="Judg-Date-Reserved"></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p> <p class="Judg-Author"> District Judge Kow Keng Siong:</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">Introduction</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_1"></a>1       The Plaintiff (“<b>Husband</b>”) and Defendant (“<b>Wife</b>”) are both 44 years old. They were married in June 2002 and have four children. After 21½ years of marriage, the Husband commenced divorce proceedings in March 2023. The divorce was uncontested and interim judgement was granted in November 2023.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_2"></a>2       The matter came before me for a decision on ancillary matters. My decision on these matters is summarised as follows (for the details of my orders, see <b><u>Annex B</u></b>):</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_2-p2_a"></a>(a)     Both parties shall have <b>joint custody</b> of their four children.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_2-p2_b"></a>(b)     The Wife shall have <b>sole care and control of the children</b> – with reasonable access being granted to the Husband.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_2-p2_c"></a>(c)     The <b>matrimonial assets</b> shall be divided in the proportion of <b>30% (to the Husband)</b> and <b>70% (to the Wife)</b>.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_2-p2_d"></a>(d)     To implement this division –</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_2-p2_i"></a>(i)       The Husband shall be entitled to <b>$192,696.80</b> in the Wife’s CPF accounts.</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_2-p2_ii"></a>(ii)       The Husband shall transfer his rights, title and interests in the matrimonial home to the Wife upon the transfer of the monies above.</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_2-p2_iii"></a>(iii)       Aside from the matrimonial home, each party shall retain their assets in their sole names. There shall be no further claims against Parties and/or their assets.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_2-p2_e"></a>(e)     There shall be no maintenance for the Wife.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_2-p2_f"></a>(f)     The Husband shall pay to the Wife <b>$700/month for each child’s maintenance</b>. (Total child maintenance for four children: $2,800.)</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_3"></a>3       These are the reasons for my decision.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">Children – Custody, care and control, and access</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_4"></a>4       I begin with the ancillary matters relating to the children.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-2">The children</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_5"></a>5       The four children are as follows:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_5-p2_a"></a>(a)      <b>1<sup>st</sup> Child</b> – Female, 15 years (D.O.B. xx January 2009).</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_5-p2_b"></a>(b)      <b>2<sup>nd</sup> Child</b> – Female, 13 years (D.O.B. xx November 2010).</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_5-p2_c"></a>(c)      <b>3<sup>rd</sup> Child</b> – Male, 7 years (D.O.B. xx March 2017).</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_5-p2_d"></a>(d)      <b>4<sup>th</sup> Child</b> – Male, 7 years (D.O.B. xx March 2017).</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_6"></a>6       In this judgement, the children will be referred to as follows:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_6-p2_a"></a>(a)     The 1<sup>st</sup> Child and 2<sup>nd</sup> Child – collectively as the “<b>Daughters</b>”,</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_6-p2_b"></a>(b)     The 3<sup>rd</sup> Child and 4<sup>th</sup> Child – collectively as the “<b>Twins</b>”.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-2">Interim child orders</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_7"></a>7       At this juncture, it is important to note that on 4 March 2023, the Husband had removed the Daughters from the matrimonial home and made them stay with him at his parents’ flat.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_1" id="Ftn_1_1"><sup>[note: 1]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_8"></a>8       As a result of the Husband’s actions, the Wife took out an application to seek, among others, the Daughters’ return to the matrimonial home. Following mediation, a consent order was entered in February 2024. It provided, among others, that –</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_8-p2_a"></a>(a)     The parties were to have interim joint custody of all the children.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_8-p2_b"></a>(b)     The Husband was to have interim care and control of the Daughters.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_2" id="Ftn_2_1"><sup>[note: 2]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_8-p2_c"></a>(c)     The Wife was to have interim care and control of the Twins.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_8-p2_d"></a>(d)     Each party was to have access to the children not under their interim care and control.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-2">Parties’ position</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_9"></a>9       At the hearing before me, it was agreed that the parties should continue to have joint custody of the children.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_10"></a>10     Each party however wished to have sole care and control of all the children. It was agreed that the children should not be split between the parties.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-2">Applicable principles</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">Burden of proof</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_11"></a>11     Given the parties’ position, each of them would have to prove that he/she was a <em>more suitable parent</em> to take care of all the children.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_12"></a>12     To discharge such a burden, a parent should generally avoid a character assassination of the other parent. This is because such conduct creates needless acrimony without necessarily proving that one parent is a better caregiver.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_13"></a>13     Instead, a parent should show why <em>he/she</em> can better act in the child’s best interests. (This mirrors the approach for assessing the extent of a party’s indirect contributions to the marriage – i.e., to focus on the strengths of one’s case rather than to highlight the weaknesses of the other party’s case: <em>ARY v ARX</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/18744-SSP.xml')">[2016] 2 SLR 686</a> (“<b><em>ARY</em></b>”) at [59].) In line with this approach, the parent should focus on proving why <em>he/she</em> can better <em>–</em></p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_13-p2_a"></a>(a)     Attend to the child’s emotional, developmental, and material needs,</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_13-p2_b"></a>(b)     Provide for the child’s daily care, and</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_13-p2_c"></a>(c)     Make day-to-day decisions for the child.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id=""></a>See, e.g., <em>TSF v TSE</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/22417-SSP.xml')">[2018] 2 SLR 833</a> (“<b><em>TSF</em></b>”) at [67] – [69]; <em>AZZ v BAA</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/Judgment/18707-SSP.xml')">[2016] SGHC 44</a> at [72].</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id=""></a> <em>Relevant considerations</em> </p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_14"></a>14      <b><em>Considerations relating to the applicant-parent</em></b>. In line with [13] above, it will be helpful for a parent to specifically address the following when seeking to be a child’s sole caregiver:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id=""></a> <u>Past and present interactions with the child</u> </p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_14-p2_a"></a>(a)     Demonstrate, with concrete examples that are supported by contemporaneous evidence (and not just generic statements), how the parent has been showing concern, interest and responsibility for the child. See <em>ABW v ABV</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/[2014] 2 SLR 0769.xml')">[2014] 2 SLR 769</a> (“<b><em>ABW</em></b>”) at [23(b)]; <em>Tan Siew Kee v Chua Ah Boey</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/[1987] SLR(R) 0725.xml')">[1987] SLR(R) 725</a> (“<b><em>Tan Siew Kee</em></b>”) at [16] (where a father, who had taken the initiative to seek his son’s custody after removing him from the mother, was found to be more concerned for the child’s interests than the mother who took no step to resume custody of the child).</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_14-p2_b"></a>(b)     Identify which parent has been the child’s primary caregiver, especially when the child was young: <em>VLI v VLJ</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/29392-SSP.xml')">[2022] 5 SLR 301</a> at [18]. If a parent claims to be the primary caregiver, he/she should produce concrete examples of, among others, (i) his/her involvement in significant events in the child’s life and (ii) occasions when he/she had made sacrifices to care for the child.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_14-p2_c"></a>(c)     The extent of the parent’s bond with the child: <em>UFZ v UFY</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/22303-SSP.xml')">[2018] 4 SLR 1350</a> at [22]; <em>AAV v AAW</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/[2009] 4 SLR(R) 0488.xml')">[2009] 4 SLR(R) 488</a> (“<b><em>AAV</em></b>”) at [24] and [26]. Where <em>both</em> parents hold full-time jobs, then the fact that the child is closer to one of them can be a relevant consideration. The element of the maternal bond can be significant –</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_14-p2_c-p3_i"></a>(i)       Where the child is very young: <em>Soon Peck Wah v Woon Che Chye</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/[1997] 3 SLR(R) 0430.xml')">[1997] 3 SLR(R) 430</a> at [43] – [45] (the child was four years old); <em>Wong Phila Mae v Shaw Harold</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/[1991] 1 SLR(R) 0680.xml')">[1991] 1 SLR(R) 680</a> (“<b><em>Wong Phila Mae</em></b>”) at [22(c)] and [24].</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_14-p2_c-p3_ii"></a>(ii)       Where all the other considerations are finely balanced: <em>Re W (A Minor) (Custody)</em> (1983) 4 FLR 492, cited with approval in <em>Chan Kah Cheong Kenneth v Teoh Kheng Yau</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/[1994] 2 SLR(R) 0595.xml')">[1994] 2 SLR(R) 595</a> at [23].</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_14-p2_d"></a>(d)     The child’s wishes. This is relevant if the child is of an age to express an independent opinion: s 125(2)(b) of the Charter; <em>WKM v WKN</em> [2024] 1 SLR 15 (“<b><em>WKN</em></b>”) at [60] and [61]; <em>Wong Phila Mae</em> at [22(b)]; <em>ABW</em> at [23(d)]; <em>ZO v ZP</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/[2011] 3 SLR 0647.xml')">[2011] 3 SLR 647</a> at [15] and [16].</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id=""></a> <u>Future caregiving arrangements</u> </p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_14-p2_e"></a>(e)     Demonstrate, with concrete examples, why the parent can provide better care if he/she is given sole care and control of the child. Examples of this can include the parent’s plans for the child’s care arrangements. It bears highlighting that a parent’s ability to provide for the child <em>financially</em> is a relevant – but not conclusive – consideration: <em>Re C (an infant)</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/[2003] 1 SLR(R) 0502.xml')">[2003] 1 SLR(R) 502</a> (“<b><em>Re C</em></b>”) at [18]; <em>Wong Phila Mae</em> at [23]. The parent’s ability to care for the child is especially significant, for instance –</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_14-p2_e-p3_i"></a>(i)       Where the child has special needs: <em>TSF</em> at [68] (where a father, who had in place an effective system to address the needs of his autistic child, was found to be a better caregiver).</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_14-p2_e-p3_ii"></a>(ii)       Where the parent has a physical and cognitive condition. In such a case, the parent should clarify whether the condition will impede his/her ability to care for the child, and if so, how this can be mitigated.</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_14-p2_e-p3_iii"></a>(iii)       Where the parent is working full-time and will need to enlist others to help care for the child. Where <em>both</em> parents are working, it is preferrable that a parent arranges for caregivers who are familiar to the child rather than relies on strangers to be the caregivers: <em>TSF</em> at [67] and [69]; <em>Re C</em> at [16] and [17].</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_14-p2_f"></a>(f)     The parent’s ability to provide a secure and stable home environment for the child: <em>Wong Phila Mae</em> at [22(d)]. The parent’s occupation can sometimes be relevant to this consideration. See <em>Re C</em> at [4] and [19], where a mother, whose occupation involved fortune-telling, performing religious rituals, and frequent travelling, was found to be a less suitable caregiver.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_14-p2_g"></a>(g)     Whether the parent can ensure a healthy relationship between the child and the other parent: <em>WKM</em> at [82], [83] and [85]; <em>ABW</em> at [45]; <em>TSF</em> at [82].</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_15"></a>15      <b><em>Considerations relating to the other parent</em></b>. After the parent has demonstrated why he/she is suitable to be the sole caregiver, the parent can then, if necessary, show why the other parent may be an unsuitable caregiver. Some of the relevant considerations have been highlighted in [14] above. Others include the following:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_15-p2_a"></a>(a)     Evidence that the other parent has an unhealthy lifestyle or outlook on matters which can affect his/her ability to make rational decisions for the child. Cases where a parent has been found to be a less suitable caregiver on this basis include the following: <em>Tan Siew Kee</em> at [13] to [15] (a mother who was a habitual mahjong gambler and had no time to look after her child); <em>Wong Phila Mae</em> at [25] (a father who caused his children to lose out a year’s education because of his unconventional and informal education method); <em>AZB v AYZ</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/[2012] 3 SLR 0627.xml')">[2012] 3 SLR 627</a> at [40] to [44] (a father who had a proclivity for pornography and had left pornographic materials in areas accessible to his child, had used foul language in the child’s presence, and had spoilt the child by lavishing her with gifts); <em>AAV</em> at [24] to [26] and [29] to [31] (a father who had a materialistic outlook and had ongoing relationships with two women).</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_15-p2_b"></a>(b)     Evidence that the other parent had intentionally or knowingly acted against the child’s best interests.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_16"></a>16      <b><em>General considerations</em></b>. Finally, depending on the facts, the following considerations can also relevant:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_16-p2_a"></a>(a)     Continuity of living arrangements is an important factor for a child’s emotional well-being: <em>ABW</em> at [20] and [21]. Thus, an order that will result in the child having to be uprooted and to reside in a different environment will not be lightly made: <em>Re C</em> at [17(a)]; <em>Wong Phila Mae</em> at [26] and [27]; <em>VZJ v VZK</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/Judgment/31161-SSP.xml')">[2024] SGHCF 16</a> (“<b><em>VZJ</em></b>”) at [9] and [10]; <em>VTU v VTV</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/27401-SSP.xml')">[2022] 3 SLR 598</a> at [13].</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_16-p2_b"></a>(b)     Siblings should generally not be separated: <em>Wong Phila Mae</em> at [22(e)]; <em>ABW</em> at [23(e)]; <em>TAA v TAB</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/17369-SSP.xml')">[2015] 2 SLR 879</a> at [24]. For an example where this principle has been departed from, see <em>TXM v TXN</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/Judgment/19939-SSP.xml')">[2017] SGFC 15</a> at [19] to [24].</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">Irrelevant considerations</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_17"></a>17     For completeness, it is useful to also highlight the considerations that are irrelevant to the issue of whether a parent should be given sole care and control of a child. These include the following:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_17-p2_a"></a>(a)     There is no rule that a boy should follow the father, or that a girl should follow the mother: <em>Re C (A) (an infant)</em> [1970] All ER 309, cited with approval in <em>Ho Quee Neo Helen v Lim Pui Heng</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/[1974-1976] SLR(R) 0158.xml')">[1974–1976] SLR(R) 158</a> at [14].</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_17-p2_b"></a>(b)     The fact that a parent has an obsessive-compulsive disorder does not in and of itself impair the parent’s capacity to be a caregiver: <em>VIG v VIH</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/25922-SSP.xml')">[2021] 3 SLR 1145</a> at [90] and [92].</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-2">My decision</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">Care and control</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_18"></a>18     Applying the above considerations to the present case, my assessment is as follows.</p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="7.34%"><col width="26.88%"><col width="65.78%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" colspan="2" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Considerations</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Findings</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="b" colspan="3" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Past and present interactions</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(a)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Which parent has been showing greater concern, interest and responsibility for the children?</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) The children would require a lot of care and attention – esp., given that the Daughters had mental health issues and the Twins were young. </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) In this regard, there are more concrete examples (dating back to the children’s birth) showing that the Wife had demonstrated greater responsibility and interest in caring for the children. These examples include the following:</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(i) The Wife taking no-pay-leave for significant periods to care for the children.</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(ii) The Wife’s response on learning that the 1<sup>st</sup> Child<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_3" id="Ftn_3_1"><sup>[note: 3]</sup></a></span> and 2<sup>nd</sup> Child<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_4" id="Ftn_4_1"><sup>[note: 4]</sup></a></span> had mental health issues.</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(iii) The Wife sending numerous messages to the Daughters checking in on their wellbeing after they were removed from the matrimonial flat.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_5" id="Ftn_5_1"><sup>[note: 5]</sup></a></span></p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(iv) The Wife’s efforts to nurse the 2<sup>nd</sup> Child back to health after the latter returned to the matrimonial home on 28 March 2023.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_6" id="Ftn_6_1"><sup>[note: 6]</sup></a></span></p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(3) On the other hand, there is evidence to show that –</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(i) The Husband was absent during the formative years of his children’s lives.</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(ii) After the Daughters came to be under his care (i.e., March 2023), the Husband did not sleep at his parents’ flat for several nights. Instead, he had spent them at another person’s apartment.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_7" id="Ftn_7_1"><sup>[note: 7]</sup></a></span></p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(iii) The Husband was absent during an overnight visit by the Twins to his parents’ flat. (This visit was pursuant to the Interim Child Orders.) The Husband had left the Twins in his parents’ care because he was allegedly working late.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_8" id="Ftn_8_1"><sup>[note: 8]</sup></a></span></p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(iv) After he left the matrimonial home (i.e., from March 2023), there is a dearth of from the Husband to the Twins checking in on their wellbeing.</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(3) Additionally, there is certain conduct by the Husband regarding the care of his children that are troubling. For instance, he did not inform the Wife after having admitted the 1<sup>st</sup> Child to hospital on 20 February 2023.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_9" id="Ftn_9_1"><sup>[note: 9]</sup></a></span> Additionally, from the time that he had made the Daughters stay at his parents’ flat (March 2023) to September 2024:</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(i) The Husband did not promptly inform the Wife when the 2<sup>nd</sup> Child had harmed herself.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_10" id="Ftn_10_1"><sup>[note: 10]</sup></a></span></p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(ii) After the 2<sup>nd</sup> Child had overdosed herself, the Husband brought the child to seek medical attention only after the Wife’s persistent pleas.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_11" id="Ftn_11_1"><sup>[note: 11]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(b)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Which parent has been the children’s primary caregiver?</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">The Wife had been the primary caregiver for all the children since they were born. See [35(b)] below. </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(c)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Which parent has a stronger bond with the children?</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) There is evidence (from the Custody Evaluation Report (“<b>CER</b>”)) to suggest that the Daughters have a stronger bond with the Husband.</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) In the case of the Twins, the evidence is equivocal as to whether they have a stronger bond with the Wife or the Husband. Given their young age and the fact that they had all along been care for by the Wife, the element of maternal bond is an important consideration.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(d)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">The children’s wishes.</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) The Husband suggested that I (i) speak to the children or (ii) obtain a CER on the Daughters to ascertain which parent the children preferred to follow. </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) I did not proceed with the Husband’s suggestions. </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(i) The situation with the Daughters is highly sensitive and delicate. They have mental health issues – including suicidal tendencies. A judicial interview or a CER for the purpose suggested by the Husband will lead the Daughters to believe that they must choose between their parents. The potential adverse impact that this can have on them is just too difficult to predict and manage. It is unnecessary to take such a risk.</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(ii) As for the Twins, they are only about 7 years old. At such a young age, I am doubtful whether they can express an independent and informed opinion on which parent they prefer to follow. In any event, I do not think that it is right to place the onerous burden – of having to choose between parents – on them.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="b" colspan="3" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Parents’ future caregiving arrangements</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(e)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Which parent can provide better care for all the children? </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) The Husband submitted that he should be the sole caregiver because –</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(i) the Daughters preferred to stay with him, </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(ii) the Wife’s parenting approach had led to multiple mental health issues in the Daughters (manifested in, e.g., their self-harm), and </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(iii) the Twins might suffer the same fate as their older siblings if they were to reside with her. </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) The following undermined the Husband’s submissions in (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) above:</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(i) The 2<sup>nd</sup> Child continued to harm herself <em>while under the Husband’s care</em> (i.e., from March 2023). In fact, it appeared that such incidents of self-harm had <em>increased</em> during this period.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_12" id="Ftn_12_1"><sup>[note: 12]</sup></a></span></p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(ii) There is no evidence that the Twins suffer from any mental health issues. </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(3) In any event, I noted that unlike the Wife, the Husband did not have as much experience caring for <em>all four</em> children by himself. </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(f)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Which parent can provide a more secure and stable home environment for the children?</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) The children need stability in their lives now:</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(i) The 1<sup>st</sup> Child will be having her GCE “O” level examinations soon. </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(ii) The level of stress that the 2<sup>nd</sup> Child had gone through in the past 18 months had caused her to commit multiple acts of self-harm. </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(iii) The Twins are still young.</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) In my view, the Wife will be in a better position to provide a secure and stable home environment for the children. She plans to raise them in the matrimonial home if made the sole caregiver. In other words, the children will continue to enjoy a home environment that they had been familiar with all their lives. </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(3) If the Husband is made the sole caregiver, he plans to buy a four-bedroom HDB flat to house the children.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_13" id="Ftn_13_1"><sup>[note: 13]</sup></a></span> This plan creates a lot of uncertainty and disruption to the children’s lives. For instance –</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(i) Before the Husband can buy the flat, the four children will have to reside in his parents’ three-room HDB flat. This is not ideal – given the space constraints and the Daughters’ need for privacy.</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(ii) It is also unclear when the Husband will be able to buy a HDB flat.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(g)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Which parent is more willing to promote a healthy relationship between the children and the other parent?</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) There is evidence to suggest that the Husband had alienated the Daughters from the Wife. For instance, soon after her removal from the matrimonial home, the 2<sup>nd</sup> Child had told the Wife that she was prevented from contacting her by the Husband.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_14" id="Ftn_14_1"><sup>[note: 14]</sup></a></span></p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) On the other hand, there is however no evidence to show that the Wife had alienated the Twins from the Husband.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="b" colspan="3" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Adverse considerations</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(h)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Whether any of the parent has an unhealthy lifestyle or outlook which may affect his/her ability to make rational decisions for the children?</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">NIL for both parents.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(i)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Whether any of the parent had intentionally or knowingly harmed the children’s interest?</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">In addition to (g) above, the Husband had also done the following which harmed the children’s interests.</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) On 4 March 2023, the Husband had brought the Daughters to stay with his parents. This is even though these two children had been living in the matrimonial home for as long as they could remember.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_15" id="Ftn_15_1"><sup>[note: 15]</sup></a></span> Two days thereafter, the 2<sup>nd</sup> Child committed self-harm.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_16" id="Ftn_16_1"><sup>[note: 16]</sup></a></span></p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) On 17 March 2023, the Wife celebrated the Twins’ birthday. She invited the Husband and the Daughters to attend the celebration. The Husband did not attend the celebration with the Daughters. Instead, he brought them to watch a movie with his new partner.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_17" id="Ftn_17_1"><sup>[note: 17]</sup></a></span></p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(3) The 2<sup>nd</sup> Child had cut herself/overdosed on pills on at least five occasions between June 2023 to August 2024.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_18" id="Ftn_18_1"><sup>[note: 18]</sup></a></span> These incidents took place while the 2<sup>nd</sup> Child was in the Husband’s care. He had failed to provide a reasonable explanation for such incidents.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="b" colspan="3" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Other considerations</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(j)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Continuity of living arrangements.</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) Placing the Daughters in the sole care and control of the Wife will <em>restore the status quo</em> in their living arrangements – which had been disrupted by the Husband in March 2023. </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) On the other, placing the Twins in the Husband’s sole care and control will disrupt their current living arrangements. This is because they would have to leave the matrimonial home (which they had been accustomed to all their lives) and stay with the Husband’s parents.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(k)</p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Whether the siblings will not be separated.</p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">A decision to place all four children in the sole care and control of either the Wife or the Husband will ensure that they are not separated. </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_19"></a>19     Considering the above, I found, on balance, that the Wife should be given sole care and control of all the children.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">Access</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_20"></a>20     Given that the Daughters are under the Husband’s interim care and control at the time of this judgment, they will be the ones most severely affected by my decision to make the Wife the sole caregiver.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_21"></a>21     To minimize the effects of such a disruption to their lives, and to allow the Daughters and the Wife to slowly adjust to the changes and reconnect, it would be prudent to provide a reasonable period during which the Wife can have reasonable access to the Daughters first – before the transfer of their care and control takes place. The Husband can also have similar terms of access to the Twins during this period.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_22"></a>22     Considering the above considerations, I made the access orders stated in <b><u>Annex B</u></b> at [5]. The rest of the terms of access in <b><u>Annex B</u></b> were largely modelled after the Wife’s proposals.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">Division of matrimonial assets</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_23"></a>23     Next, I turn to the division of the matrimonial assets.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-2">The assets and their value</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">Assets held in joint names</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_24"></a>24     It is common ground that the parties have the following two assets in joint names:</p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="8.27834433113377%"><col width="58.3883223355329%"><col width="33.3333333333333%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Asset</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Value ($)</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(a)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Matrimonial home (net value)</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">1,015,274.94<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_19" id="Ftn_19_1"><sup>[note: 19]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(b)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">UOB account (ending with 366-0)</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">1,388.85<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_20" id="Ftn_20_1"><sup>[note: 20]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Total – “A”</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>1,016,663.79</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">Assets held in Husband’s name</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_25"></a>25     Turning to the matrimonial assets held in the Husband’s sole name, they are as follows:</p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="8.27834433113377%"><col width="58.3883223355329%"><col width="33.3333333333333%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Asset</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Value ($)<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_21" id="Ftn_21_1"><sup>[note: 21]</sup></a></span></b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(a)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">CPF accounts</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">276,666.41</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(b)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">UOB account (ending with 673-2)</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">830.97</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(c)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">POSB account (ending with 128-0)</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">1,728.93</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(d)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Insurance policies</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">40,612.10</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(e)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Car</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">25,981.00<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_22" id="Ftn_22_1"><sup>[note: 22]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Total – “B”</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>345,819.41</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">Assets held in Wife’s name</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_26"></a>26     As for the matrimonial assets held in the Wife’s sole name, they are as follows:</p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="8.27834433113377%"><col width="58.3883223355329%"><col width="33.3333333333333%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Asset</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Value ($)<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_23" id="Ftn_23_1"><sup>[note: 23]</sup></a></span></b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(a)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">CPF accounts</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">356,175.16</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(b)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">POSB account (ending with 437-7)</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">17,681.38</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(c)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Insurance policies</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">58,714.29<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_24" id="Ftn_24_1"><sup>[note: 24]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Total – “C”</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>432,570.83</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">No deduction for Wife’s legal fees</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_27"></a>27     For completeness, I did not accept the Wife’s submission to deduct from the pool of matrimonial assets her legal fees ($30,000) in connection with the ancillary matters hearing. I agreed with the Husband that such a deduction is unprincipled and is akin to ordering costs against him. As the High Court had observed in <em>AQT v AQU</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/Judgment/[2011] SGHC 0138.xml')">[2011] SGHC 138</a> at [37]:</p> <p class="Judg-Quote-1">It was highly unusual for the legal fees for these very matrimonial proceedings to be deducted from the pool of matrimonial assets. It would be an unwise precedent to allow parties to deduct their hefty legal costs from the pool of matrimonial assets. Whatever liability parties owe their solicitors for the matrimonial proceedings should be settled from their own share of the matrimonial assets after division. To deduct the legal fees from the joint pool of matrimonial assets during the proceedings would be to render any cost order the Court made in the judgment largely nugatory.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-2">“Just and equitable” way to divide the assets </p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_28"></a>28     Based on [24] to [26] above, the total value of the matrimonial assets for division is <b>$1,795,054.03</b>.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_25" id="Ftn_25_1"><sup>[note: 25]</sup></a></span> The next question is what is a “just and equitable” way to divide these assets: s 112(1) of the Charter?</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_29"></a>29     In answering this question, I noted that the parties (a) had a long marriage lasting 21½ years and (b) had both been working at all material times. In the circumstances, the “structured approach” to the division of matrimonial assets in <em>ANJ v ANK</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/17925-SSP.xml')">[2015] 4 SLR 1043</a> at [22] and [26] (“<b><em>ANJ</em></b>”) would be applicable. Under this approach, a court considers two types of contributions when dividing the assets, giving them equal weightage:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_29-p2_a"></a>(a)      <em>Direct contributions.</em> This is the “amount of financial contributions each party has made towards the acquisition or improvement of matrimonial assets”. In the case of the matrimonial home, this will include downpayments, deposits, cash payments and monthly payments towards the acquisition of the home, as well as renovation costs that are substantial and add a lasting value to the property: <em>Sim Kim Heng Andrew v Wee Siew Gee</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/[2014] 1 SLR 1276.xml')">[2014] 1 SLR 1276</a> (“<b><em>Sim Kim Heng</em></b>”) at [82].</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_29-p2_b"></a>(b)      <em>Indirect contributions</em>. This is “each party’s indirect contributions to the well-being of the family”. The following considerations apply to this type of contributions:</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_29-p2_b-p3_i"></a>(i)       Indirect contributions can be monetary, e.g., moneys that a spouse spends on (1) re-painting, repair of electrical wiring, and fittings (such as furniture) for the home, (2) maintaining the home, and (3) household expenses and payment of a child’s school fees: <em>Sim Kim Heng</em> at [82]; <em>ANJ</em> at [35].</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_29-p2_b-p3_ii"></a>(ii)       Indirect contributions can also be non-monetary, e.g., where a spouse (1) attends to the care of the child (<em>VZJ</em> at [57] to [59]), (2) devotes time to look after an aged or dependent in-law (<em>Sim Kim Heng</em> at [82]), (3) makes personal sacrifices to advance the other spouse’s career and endeavours (<em>ARY</em> at [61]; <em>TIT v TIU</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/19108-SSP.xml')">[2016] 3 SLR 1137</a> at [36] and [37]; <em>UAP v UAQ</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/21471-SSP.xml')">[2018] 3 SLR 319</a> (“<b><em>UAP</em></b>”) at [80]); (4) supports the other spouse in times of the latter’s personal crisis (<em>BJS v BJT</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/[2013] 4 SLR 0041.xml')">[2013] 4 SLR 41</a> at [43]; <em>VQF v VQG</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/Judgment/30984-SSP.xml')">[2024] SGHCF 4</a> at [21]), and (5) carries out maintenance, repairs and improvements to the household appliances: <em>ANJ</em> at [35].</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_29-p2_b-p3_iii"></a>(iii)       A spouse’s indirect contributions <em>can be reduced</em> if there is undisputed evidence that he/she has acted in an extreme (i.e. manifestly serious) manner that harms the well-being of the family. It bears highlighting that the reduction is not intended to punish a spouse. The threshold to reduce a spouse’s indirect contributions is a “<em>high one</em>”. All factors must be considered in a holistic manner, and a reduction will not be made where both sides are engaged in a mutually destructive exercise: <em>Chan Tin Sun v Fong Quay Sim</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/17048-SSP.xml')">[2015] 2 SLR 195</a> (“<b><em>Chan Tin Sun</em></b>”) at [25], [27] and [28]; <em>UAP</em> at [82]; <em>TQU v TQT</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/Judgment/24198-SSP.xml')">[2020] SGCA 8</a> at [131]. Courts have reduced a spouse’s indirect contributions where, e.g., he/she (1) had sought to poison the other spouse (<em>Chan Tin Sun</em> at [25], [27] and [55]), or (2) had engaged in marital affairs (<em>Twiss, Christopher James Hans v Twiss, Yvonne Prendergast</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/Judgment/17978-SSP.xml')">[2015] SGCA 52</a>).</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-2">Parties’ position</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_30"></a>30     Applying the structured approach, the Husband submitted that the parties’ contributions should be as follows:</p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="34.6469293858772%"><col width="33.2666533306661%"><col width="32.0864172834567%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Contributions</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Husband (%)</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Wife (%)</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Direct contributions</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">46.5</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">53.5</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Indirect contributions</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Average ratio</p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>50<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_26" id="Ftn_26_1"><sup>[note: 26]</sup></a></span></b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>50<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_27" id="Ftn_27_1"><sup>[note: 27]</sup></a></span></b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_31"></a>31     On the other hand, the Wife submitted that the proportions of the parties’ contributions should be as follows:<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_28" id="Ftn_28_1"><sup>[note: 28]</sup></a></span></p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="34.6469293858772%"><col width="33.2666533306661%"><col width="32.0864172834567%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Contributions</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Husband (%)</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Wife (%)</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Direct contributions</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">40</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">60</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Indirect contributions</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">20</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">80</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Average ratio</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">30</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">70</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Adjusted ratio (to account for the Husband’s negative indirect contributions)</p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>25</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>75</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-Heading-2">My decision</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">Direct contributions</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_32"></a>32     At the outset, I note the following:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_32-p2_a"></a>(a)      <em>First</em>, the Husband’s and the Wife’s ratios for direct contribution are not very far apart – a mere 6.5% difference. In my view, one reason for this difference is the different ways in which the parties had classified their direct contributions. For instance, in her ratio, the Wife had included items (ii) to (iv) below while the Husband did not do likewise.</p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="10.38%"><col width="42.24%"><col width="22.98%"><col width="24.4%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Item</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Husband ($)</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Wife ($)</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(i)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Contributions from CPF accounts towards the acquisition of the matrimonial home (as at December 2023)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">270,315.00</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">274,476.74</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(ii)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <em>Renovations and furnishings</em> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">2,000.00 (max)</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">15,000.00</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(iii)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <em>Maintenance fees</em> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">NIL</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">25,000.00</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(iv)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <em>Household expenses and other indirect financial contributions</em> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">5,000.00</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">96,000.00</p> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Contributions to children’s insurance, education, medical expenses and daily expenses</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Total</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>277,315.00</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>410,476.74</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-2"><a id=""></a>In practice, items (ii) to (iv) above would have been classified as “<em>indirect</em> contributions” – not as “direct contributions”: see [29(a)] and [29(b)(i)] above:<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_29" id="Ftn_29_1"><sup>[note: 29]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_32-p2_b"></a>(b)      <em>Second</em>, the Husband had included the parties’ respective CPF and bank balances in computing his direct contribution ratio. The Wife did not do likewise. As a matter of principle, these balances should also be included in computing the ratio (unless there is an agreement to exclude them).</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_32-p2_c"></a>(c)      <em>Finally</em>, in computing their ratios for direct contributions, the parties had decided to exclude their respective insurance policies and the Husband’s car.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_33"></a>33     Given the above, I assessed the proportions of the parties’ direct contributions to be as follows:</p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="33.6067213442689%"><col width="33.1866373274655%"><col width="33.2066413282657%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Husband</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Wife</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Contributions from CPF accounts towards acquisition of the matrimonial home (as at December 2023)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$270,315.00</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$274,476.74</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Balances from CPF accounts</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$276,666.41</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$356,175.16</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Balances from bank accounts</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$2,559.90</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$17,639.54</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Total value</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$549,541.31</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$648,291.44</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Ratio</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>46%</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>54%</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">Indirect contributions</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_34"></a>34     Having assessed the ratio for direct contributions, I will now turn to the ratio for the parties’ indirect contributions.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_35"></a>35     I did not agree with the Husband’s submission that the parties had contributed equally (50:50) to the well-being of the family. Instead, I accepted the Wife’s submission that the extent of her indirect contributions was higher than the Husband’s. My reasons are as follows:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_35-p2_a"></a>(a)     The parties have a large household. Their marriage had produced <em>four</em> children.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_30" id="Ftn_30_1"><sup>[note: 30]</sup></a></span> The stresses and heartaches in raising such a large family cannot be ignored. This is especially so when (1) two of the children are twins (the efforts of childcare, such as night feeding, come in pairs), and (2) the Daughters had mental health issues.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_35-p2_b"></a>(b)     Between the two parents, the Husband had contributed less to caring for the children and managing the household issues.</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_35-p2_b-p3_i"></a>(i)       It is not disputed that during the marriage, the Husband had devoted his time and energy on (1) securing university and post-graduate qualifications and (2) advancing his career.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_31" id="Ftn_31_1"><sup>[note: 31]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_35-p2_b-p3_ii"></a>(ii)       As a result, the Husband was absent during the children’s formative years and would check in on them when the opportunity permitted.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_32" id="Ftn_32_1"><sup>[note: 32]</sup></a></span> For instance, the Husband returned to Singapore only for a few weeks before the 1<sup>st</sup> Child’s birth in 2009.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_33" id="Ftn_33_1"><sup>[note: 33]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_35-p2_b-p3_iii"></a>(iii)       In contrast, the Wife took no-pay-leave to care for the 2<sup>nd</sup> Child (seven months in 2010) and the Twins (six months in 2017).<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_34" id="Ftn_34_1"><sup>[note: 34]</sup></a></span> She was also the parent who would usually attend to the Daughters’ mental health issues.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_35" id="Ftn_35_1"><sup>[note: 35]</sup></a></span> Of the two parties, the Wife was clearly the primary caregiver for the Twins (for about 7 years) and the Daughters (for about 12 to 14 years until the Husband removed them from the matrimonial home).<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_36" id="Ftn_36_1"><sup>[note: 36]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_35-p2_c"></a>(c)     Between the two parties, the Wife was also the one who had provided greater support to a spouse’s aspirations and career. For example –</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_35-p2_c-p3_i"></a>(i)       The Wife managed the renovations of the matrimonial home in 2014 as the Husband was pursuing his studies overseas.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_37" id="Ftn_37_1"><sup>[note: 37]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_35-p2_c-p3_ii"></a>(ii)       When the Husband was studying overseas, the Wife transferred some of her income to assist him with his expenses,<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_38" id="Ftn_38_1"><sup>[note: 38]</sup></a></span> while at the same time managing the Daughters who were only about three and five years old.</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_35-p2_c-p3_iii"></a>(iii)       When the Husband was working, he had to go on overseas assignments.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_39" id="Ftn_39_1"><sup>[note: 39]</sup></a></span> The Wife managed the household and children when he was away. This was on top of juggling her own career.</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_35-p2_c-p3_iv"></a>(iv)       Finally, when the Husband changed jobs, the Wife was left to bear the brunt of shouldering the family’s financial expenses.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_40" id="Ftn_40_1"><sup>[note: 40]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id=""></a>In contrast, there is no evidence of any support that the Husband had given to the Wife’s career.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_35-p2_d"></a>(d)      <em>Finally</em>, I found that the Wife had made more financial contributions to the household than the Husband. According to her, these contributions were as follows:</p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="11.497700459908%"><col width="37.6524695060988%"><col width="24.4751049790042%"><col width="26.374725054989%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Item</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Husband ($)</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Wife ($)</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(i)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <em>Renovations and furnishings</em> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">2,000.00<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_41" id="Ftn_41_1"><sup>[note: 41]</sup></a></span> (max)</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">15,000.00</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(ii)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <em>Maintenance fees</em> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">NIL</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">25,000.00<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_42" id="Ftn_42_1"><sup>[note: 42]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(iii)</p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <em>Household expenses and other indirect financial contributions</em> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">5,000.00</p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">96,000.00<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_43" id="Ftn_43_1"><sup>[note: 43]</sup></a></span></p> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Contributions to children’s insurance, education, medical expenses and daily expenses</p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_35-p2_e"></a>(e)     The Husband disputed the above computations. He highlighted, for instance, that some of the documentation relating to the renovation of the matrimonial home were issued to both the Husband and Wife jointly – and not to the Wife alone.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_35-p2_f"></a>(f)     While the precise amount of the Wife’s financial contributions is unclear, I do not think that it can be seriously disputed that she had contributed more. I say this for the following reasons:</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_35-p2_f-p3_i"></a>(i)       When the Husband was studying, he would have been economically non-productive. This meant that the Wife would have been the one paying the household expenses.</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_35-p2_f-p3_ii"></a>(ii)       Furthermore, the Husband had accepted that while the payment of the monthly maintenance fees<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_44" id="Ftn_44_1"><sup>[note: 44]</sup></a></span> and the domestic helper’s salary<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_45" id="Ftn_45_1"><sup>[note: 45]</sup></a></span> were shared by them initially, the Wife eventually came to make these payments.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_36"></a>36     Considering all the factors holistically, I assessed the ratio of the parties’ indirect contributions to be as follows:</p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="34.52%"><col width="33.32%"><col width="32.16%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Husband</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Wife</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Indirect contributions</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">25%</p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">75%</p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">Reduction of the Husband’s indirect contributions</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_37"></a>37     I now come to the Wife’s submission that the Husband’s indirect contributions ought to be reduced because he had seriously harmed the children’s well-being. To support her submission, the Wife highlighted that the Husband –</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_37-p2_a"></a>(a)     had uprooted the Daughters and thus “exacerbated their difficulties significantly”.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_46" id="Ftn_46_1"><sup>[note: 46]</sup></a></span> (“<b>Ground 1</b>”)</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_37-p2_b"></a>(b)     had separated the Daughters from the Twins.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_47" id="Ftn_47_1"><sup>[note: 47]</sup></a></span> (“<b>Ground 2</b>”)</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_37-p2_c"></a>(c)     had prevented the Twins from being enrolled in a top primary school (“<b>Primary School</b>”) <em>to spite</em> the Wife.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_48" id="Ftn_48_1"><sup>[note: 48]</sup></a></span> (“<b>Ground 3</b>”)</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_38"></a>38     I accepted the Wife’s submissions regarding Ground 1 and Ground 2: see [18(g)] and [18(i)] above.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_39"></a>39     I did not accept that Ground 3 justified a reduction of the Husband’s indirect contributions. There is insufficient evidence to prove that the Husband’s action was borne out of spite. According to the Husband, he had prevented the Twins from being enrolled in the Primary School to avoid subjecting them to the pressures of being in a top school.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_49" id="Ftn_49_1"><sup>[note: 49]</sup></a></span> I did not find the Husband’s explanation to be inherently incredible.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_40"></a>40     I found the Wife’s proposal for a 5% reduction in the Husband’s indirect contributions to be reasonable.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">Summary</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_41"></a>41     Given my findings above, the parties’ direct and indirect contributions, as well as their share to the matrimonial assets, are as follows:<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_50" id="Ftn_50_1"><sup>[note: 50]</sup></a></span></p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="34.6469293858772%"><col width="33.2666533306661%"><col width="32.0864172834567%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Husband (%)</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Wife (%)</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Direct contributions</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">46</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">54</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Indirect contributions (with adjustment for the Husband having acted against the children’s interests)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">20</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">80</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Average ratio</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>30%<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_51" id="Ftn_51_1"><sup>[note: 51]</sup></a></span></b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>70%<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_52" id="Ftn_52_1"><sup>[note: 52]</sup></a></span></b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Share of matrimonial assets</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>$538,516.21</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>$1,256,537.82</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">Matrimonial home</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_42"></a>42     I now come to the division of the assets. Given that I had already decided to award sole care and control to the Wife, it would be appropriate for the matrimonial home be transferred to her. This would allow the children to have stability in their lives in a familiar home setting.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_53" id="Ftn_53_1"><sup>[note: 53]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_43"></a>43     In consideration of the Husband transferring the matrimonial home to the Wife, it will be just and equitable for the Wife to transfer to the Husband his share of the matrimonial assets. I determined that this amount of transfer is $192,696.800 based on the following:</p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="8.26%"><col width="67.5%"><col width="24.24%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Description</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>$</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(1)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Husband’s share of matrimonial assets</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">538,516.21<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_54" id="Ftn_54_1"><sup>[note: 54]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(2)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Assets already held in the Husband’s sole name</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">– 345,819.41<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_55" id="Ftn_55_1"><sup>[note: 55]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>(3)</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Amount of funds to be transferred from the Wife to the Husband</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>192,696.80</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_44"></a>44     The Wife had proposed that she pays off the Husband’s share of the matrimonial assets by transferring money from her CPF accounts to the Husband’s CPF accounts.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_56" id="Ftn_56_1"><sup>[note: 56]</sup></a></span> She had sufficient funds in her CPF accounts for this purpose.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_57" id="Ftn_57_1"><sup>[note: 57]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_45"></a>45     Section 27B(1)(a) of the CPF Act makes it clear that a court has the power under s 112 of the Charter to order money in a member’s CPF accounts to be transferred to his/her spouse’s CPF accounts. Accordingly, I accepted the Wife’s proposal and ordered $192,696.800 to be transferred from the Wife’s CPF accounts to the Husband’s CPF accounts pursuant to s 112(5)(c), s 112(5)(g), and s 112(3) of the Charter.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">Maintenance – For the Wife</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-2">Parties’ positions</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_46"></a>46     Next, I turn to the Wife’s application for a nominal maintenance of $1. Her reasons for this application were as follows:<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_58" id="Ftn_58_1"><sup>[note: 58]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_46-p2_a"></a>(a)     The Wife was concerned that she “[might] not be able to maintain her employment until the age of retirement”. (“<b>Reason A</b>”)</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_46-p2_b"></a>(b)     She would need spousal maintenance to tide her over if the matrimonial home was to be sold in the open market. (“<b>Reason B</b>”)</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_46-p2_c"></a>(c)     She would be unable to rent out the rooms even if she got to keep the matrimonial home. (“<b>Reason C</b>”)</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_47"></a>47     The Wife also added that she would apply for the nominal maintenance “to be varied upwards <em>only if</em> she suffers from adverse medical conditions or loses her employment” (emphasis added).<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_59" id="Ftn_59_1"><sup>[note: 59]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_48"></a>48     The Husband opposed the Wife’s application on the basis that she was gainfully employed.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_60" id="Ftn_60_1"><sup>[note: 60]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-Heading-2">Applicable principles</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">Purpose</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_49"></a>49     The purpose of awarding nominal maintenance is to preserve a wife’s right to apply for substantive maintenance should the need arise in future.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">When is nominal maintenance not appropriate</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_50"></a>50     Courts have made it clear that nominal maintenance will not be awarded automatically or as a matter of course. For instance –</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_50-p2_a"></a>(a)     Such a maintenance will not be awarded merely based on a wife’s assertion, without more, that her situation will change in the future. This is because the husband should not be the wife’s general insurer: <em>ATE v ATD</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/Judgment/18402-SSP.xml')">[2016] SGCA 2</a> (“<b><em>ATE</em></b>”) at [27] to [31] and [43]; <em>TDT v TDS</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/19222-SSP.xml')">[2016] 4 SLR 145</a> (“<b><em>TDT</em></b>”) at [71].</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_50-p2_b"></a>(b)     Nominal maintenance will also not be awarded if the wife is clearly able to take care of herself financially after the divorce. This would be the case, for instance –</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_50-p2_b-p3_i"></a>(i)       Where the wife has been awarded matrimonial assets that would allow her to be economically independent through her old age: <em>TDT</em> at [72] and [73].</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_50-p2_b-p3_ii"></a>(ii)       Where the wife’s earning capacity has not been adversely affected by the marriage. This is likely to be the case where the marriage is short, or the wife has been working and been professionally successful during the marriage: <em>ATE</em> at [44] and [45].</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_50-p2_b-p3_iii"></a>(iii)       Where the wife is relatively young and has good career prospects: <em>AOF v ACP</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/Judgment/[2014] SGHC 0099.xml')">[2014] SGHC 99</a> at [78].</p> <p class="Judg-3"><a id="p1_50-p2_b-p3_iv"></a>(iv)       Where the wife’s salary is significantly higher than the husband’s: <em>UUV v UUU</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/Judgment/24253-SSP.xml')">[2020] SGHCF 7</a> at [44]; <em>BUX v BUY</em> <a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/Judgment/22742-SSP.xml')">[2019] SGHCF 4</a> at [55] and [56].</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_50-p2_c"></a>(c)     Finally, applications for nominal maintenance have also been rejected where it is sought for a collateral purpose – e.g., to prevent the husband from filing “frivolous actions” against the wife: <em>TDT</em> at [73].</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">When is nominal maintenance appropriate</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_51"></a>51     While the jurisprudence is clear on when nominal maintenance will <em>not</em> be appropriate, there is lesser judicial guidance on when such an award <em>will</em> be appropriate.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_52"></a>52     In my view, nominal maintenance will be appropriate (in principle) if two conditions are met:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_52-p2_a"></a>(a)      <em>First</em>, the reason why substantial maintenance has not been awarded in the first place is due to (i) employment, health or other situation of the husband or wife, or (ii) the court having proceeded on certain assumptions.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_52-p2_b"></a>(b)      <em>Second</em>, there is a <em>real possibility</em> that such situations or assumptions may change in the future.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_53"></a>53     The above approach to awarding nominal maintenance can be discerned from the following cases:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id=""></a> <em><u>TOT v TOU </u></em> <u><a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/Judgment/26483-SSP.xml')">[2021] SGHC(A) 9</a> at [25], [26] and [28]</u> </p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_53-p2_a"></a>(a)     In this case, the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court’s decision not to award substantive maintenance for the wife as the husband had many financial responsibilities, and the wife would be obtaining a substantial sum from the division of matrimonial assets.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_53-p2_b"></a>(b)     The Court of Appeal however also noted that although the Wife had previously held a well-paying job, she was unable to secure any form of permanent employment since her retrenchment in 2017. Further, the COVID-19 pandemic had created uncertainty in the job market and there was “real possibility” that the wife might not be able to find a job soon.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_53-p2_c"></a>(c)     The Court of Appeal held that an award of nominal maintenance was appropriate in that case – as it ensured that the husband would not be unduly financially burdened while at the same time preserved the wife’s right to apply for substantive maintenance in the future, should her unemployment persist.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id=""></a> <em><u>ANJ v ANK </u></em> <u><a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/17925-SSP.xml')">[2015] 4 SLR 1043</a> at [12] and [44]</u> </p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_53-p2_d"></a>(d)     In this case, the wife was gainfully employed and could maintain herself. As such, the High Court did not see a need to award her a substantial sum of maintenance. This decision was upheld on appeal.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_53-p2_e"></a>(e)     The Court of Appeal however noted that the wife had a <em>known</em> pre-existing medical condition of a slipped disc. The court decided to award nominal maintenance – to preserve the wife’s future right to obtain financial support from the husband should she become unable to work on account of that medical condition.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id=""></a> <em><u>AVM v AWH </u></em> <u><a class="pagecontent" href="javascript:viewPageContent('/SLR/17941-SSP.xml')">[2015] 4 SLR 1274</a> at [96] to [98]</u> </p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_53-p2_f"></a>(f)     In this case, the husband was unemployed and an undischarged bankrupt. The wife, on the other hand, was economically independent. Given the circumstances, the court decided not to order spousal maintenance.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_53-p2_g"></a>(g)     However, the court granted the wife liberty to apply for maintenance if the circumstances changed. In my view, although the court did not award nominal maintenance, the effect of its decision (i.e., the grant of liberty to apply) is similar in nature.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-2">My decision</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_54"></a>54     Applying the principles in [52] and [53] above, I found that it was inappropriate to award nominal maintenance for the Wife.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_54-p2_a"></a>(a)      <em>Reason A</em>. There is no evidence that the Wife was at risk of losing her job. In any event, an award of nominal maintenance based on Reason 1 is akin to making the Husband insure against the risk of the Wife losing her job. This is not the purpose of such maintenance.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_54-p2_b"></a>(b)      <em>Reason B.</em> I had already decided to award the matrimonial home to the Wife. As such, Reason B is moot.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_54-p2_c"></a>(c)      <em>Reason C</em>. Awarding nominal maintenance based on Reason C is unprincipled and unprecedented.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_55"></a>55     In my view, the Wife would be able to take care of herself financially after the divorce. She had been gainfully employed throughout her marriage and had been earning a relatively good income. Prior to the commencement of the divorce proceedings, the Wife’s income was comparable to the Husband’s. At the time of the ancillary matters hearing, her income was higher than the Husband’s.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">Maintenance – For the Children</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-2">Parties’ positions</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_56"></a>56     Finally, I come to the maintenance for the children.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_57"></a>57     The parties’ positions on this issue were as follows:</p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="8.28%"><col width="46.38%"><col width="23.2%"><col width="22.14%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Items</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Husband’s position</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Wife’s position</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(a)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Children’s monthly expenses</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$4,521.00</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$6,123.02</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(b)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Husband’s monthly income</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$5,750.78<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_61" id="Ftn_61_1"><sup>[note: 61]</sup></a></span></p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$8,652.02<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_62" id="Ftn_62_1"><sup>[note: 62]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(c)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Wife’s monthly income</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">No indication</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$9,490.91<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_63" id="Ftn_63_1"><sup>[note: 63]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(c)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Husband-Wife monthly income ratio</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">45:55<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_64" id="Ftn_64_1"><sup>[note: 64]</sup></a></span></p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">50:50<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_65" id="Ftn_65_1"><sup>[note: 65]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">(d)</p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Husband’s share of children’s monthly maintenance</p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$2,034.45</p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$3,061.51</p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_58"></a>58     The Wife also applied to recover from the Husband $41,892.44 as arrears in maintenance from March 2023 to September 2024 – i.e., 18-month when he resided at his parents’ flat with the Daughters.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-2">My decision</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">Children’s monthly expenses</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_59"></a>59     I found the children’s monthly expenses to be as follows:</p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="19.7278911564626%"><col width="20.0680272108844%"><col width="20.0680272108844%"><col width="20.0680272108844%"><col width="20.0680272108844%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>1<sup>st</sup> Child</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>2<sup>nd</sup> Child</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>3<sup>rd</sup> Child</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>4<sup>th</sup> Child</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Monthly expenses</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$1,431.81</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$1,499.80</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$1,380.41</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$1,326.00</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Total</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="" colspan="4" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>$5,638.02</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_60"></a>60     For a detailed analysis of how I have come to these findings, see <b><u>Annex A–1</u></b> to <b><u>Annex A–3</u></b>.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">Husband-Wife monthly income ratio</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_61"></a>61     I now come to the assessment of the parties’ relative monthly income ratio. This assessment in relevant to determine what their respective shares in child maintenance are.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_62"></a>62     Based on the parties’ IRAS Notices of Assessment, their monthly incomes were as follows:</p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="33.6%"><col width="33.42%"><col width="32.98%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Year of Assessment</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Husband’s annual income<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_66" id="Ftn_66_1"><sup>[note: 66]</sup></a></span></b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Wife’s annual income<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_67" id="Ftn_67_1"><sup>[note: 67]</sup></a></span></b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">2023</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$106,954</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$123,877</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">2022</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$106,958</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$113,694</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">2021</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$97,561</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$104,102</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Total </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$311,473</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$341,673</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Average monthly income</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>$8,652.02 (48%)</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>$9,490.91 (52%)</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_63"></a>63     Based on the above, the Husband’s monthly income was $8,652.02. Despite this, he submitted that his monthly income was only $5,750.78. This submission was based on his purported income between September 2023 and November 2023.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_68" id="Ftn_68_1"><sup>[note: 68]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_64"></a>64     I have difficulty accepting the Husband’s bare assertion of his monthly income. This is because it was not supported by any documentary evidence. It is trite law that he who asserts must prove. The Husband did not offer any explanation for his failure to adduce the requisite evidence.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_65"></a>65     In the circumstances, I preferred to rely on the IRAS Notices of Assessment to derive the Husband’s monthly income and the relative monthly income ratio between the parties.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">Husband’s share of children’s monthly maintenance</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_66"></a>66     According to [62], the ratio is <b>48 (Husband): 52 (Wife)</b>. Based on this ratio, the Husband’s share of child maintenance is as follows:</p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="22.66%"><col width="19.32%"><col width="19.34%"><col width="19.34%"><col width="19.34%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>1<sup>st</sup> Child</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>2<sup>nd</sup> Child</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>3<sup>rd</sup> Child</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>4<sup>th</sup> Child</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Children’s monthly expenses</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$1,431.81</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$1,499.80</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$1,380.41</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">$1,326.00</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Monthly maintenance payable (Each child)</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>$700</b> (rounded up from $687.27)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>$700</b> (rounded down from $719.90)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>$700</b> (rounded up from $662.60)</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>$700</b> (rounded up from $636.48)</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Monthly maintenance payable (Total)</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="" colspan="4" rowspan="1" valign="middle"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>$2,800</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_67"></a>67     In my view, the Husband could afford to pay the above child maintenance. His monthly income was $8,652.02. Given that his monthly expenses were $2,050, the Husband would still have a surplus of funds after deducting the child maintenance ($2,800). This is so even if his monthly income was $5,750.78 as alleged by him.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-3">Maintenance arrears: March 2023 to September 2024 </p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_68"></a>68     I now come to the Wife’s claim for arrears of child maintenance. According to the Wife –</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_68-p2_a"></a>(a)     For a period of 18 months (i.e., between March 2023 to the ancillary matters hearing) (“<b>Relevant Period</b>”), the Plaintiff had failed to contribute to the Twins’ maintenance. On the other hand, she had been paying for “some of [the Daughters’] expenses” during the same period.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_69" id="Ftn_69_1"><sup>[note: 69]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_68-p2_b"></a>(b)     As the Husband had interim care and control of the Daughters during the Relevant Period, the Wife was prepared to ask for only half of the maintenance arrears (instead of the full amount) for the Twins.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_70" id="Ftn_70_1"><sup>[note: 70]</sup></a></span></p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_69"></a>69     Based on the monthly child maintenance of $700/child, the maintenance arrears would come to <b>$12,600</b> – i.e., $700/month x ½ x 18 months x 2 children).</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_70"></a>70     I am unable to accept the Wife’s application.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_70-p2_a"></a>(a)     It is not clear from the Wife’s evidence <em>what</em> exactly she had paid towards the Daughters’ maintenance during the Relevant Period, and <em>how much</em> such payments were. In the absence of clear evidence on these matters, there is no basis for the Wife to claim that she had paid $12,600 in child maintenance for the Daughters. This is especially so when they were residing with the Husband at the material time.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_70-p2_b"></a>(b)     The Wife’s argument for maintenance arrears for the Twins cuts both ways. The Husband could similarly make a case that the Wife ought to pay him maintenance arrears for the Daughters.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_71"></a>71     Accordingly, I rejected the Wife claim for maintenance arrears during the Relevant Period.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">Conclusion</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_72"></a>72     These are the reasons for my decision on the ancillary matters.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_73"></a>73     Parties are to bear their own costs.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_74"></a>74     Before concluding, I have a few words for the parties. The following part of this judgement is addressed to them directly as parents:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_74-p2_a"></a>(a)     Many events have taken place since 4 March 2023. During the past 18 months, family members – who used to be close – have grown apart. From the CER, it appears that even before 4 March 2023, there were already cracks in your relationship between you and your children.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_74-p2_b"></a>(b)     Moving forward, you should seriously reflect on the effect of your actions on your children’s wellbeing. It is obvious to me that each of you love your children dearly. It is however less clear to me, and perhaps even to you yourself, whether you have expressed that love and acted in your children’s interests in the best way possible.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_74-p2_c"></a>(c)     Given the current state of the family as well as the orders that I have made, you cannot adopt a “business as usual” mindset in your parenting approach. You must look within themselves – and seek professional help if possible – to see how you can salvage your relationship with your children. Now is the time for course correction. For instance, <em>be less controlling</em> of your children – and <em>be more conscious and sensitive</em> of their feelings and needs.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_74-p2_d"></a>(d)     While you may be anxious to focus your attention on the 2<sup>nd</sup> Child, please do not forget that you have three other children. Each of them needs your personal care and attention. As all parents and educators know – <em>each child is special</em>, and each parent-child relationship is dynamic.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_74-p2_e"></a>(e)     In the coming weeks and months, you will make new discoveries about your children – especially with those who have not been under your care for the past 18 months. Be <em>less comparing</em> between the children – and <em>more cherishing</em> of their individuality.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_74-p2_f"></a>(f)     One thing is clear. The next lap of your children’s life will be tough. <em>They will need all the emotional support that you can provide. They will also need both of you to work together to act in their best interests.</em> Now is your opportunity to make things right. Please be there for them. Life does not dish out second chances often.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id=""></a>_____________</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id=""></a></p><div align="right"> <b><u>Annex A–1</u></b> </div><p></p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id=""></a></p><div align="center"> <b>MONTHLY EXPENSES – 1<sup>ST</sup> CHILD [15 YEARS OLD]</b> </div><p></p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="7.97840431913617%"><col width="36.0727854429114%"><col width="18.5562887422516%"><col width="19.3361327734453%"><col width="18.0563887222555%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Expense item</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Husband’s computation ($)</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Wife’s computation ($)</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Court’s finding ($)</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">1</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Food/Groceries</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">300</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">300</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>300</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">2</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Clothes/Shoes</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">70</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>70</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">To also cover the expenses in s/n 7.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">3</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Transport</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Husband ferries the child around</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) The 1<sup>st</sup> Child is at an age where she will need to travel often, e.g., because of school-related activities or outings with friends. The timings of such activities and outings may be irregular and ad hoc. They may even be fixed at short notice.</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) It will not be realistic to expect the 1<sup>st</sup> Child to always rely on the Husband to provide transport for such activities and outings.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">4</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School lunch</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">120</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>0</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Covered under s/n 8.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">5</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School fees</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">25</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">25</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>25</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">6</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School bus</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Husband ferries the child around</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>0</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">7</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School uniform/Bag</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">21</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Covered under s/n 2.</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>0</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Covered under s/n 2.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">8</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Pocket money</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">100</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>120</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">To also cover the expenses in s/n 4.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">9</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Books, Toys, Stationery, Pencil cases, Ipad case, laptop case, earphones, calculators, etc</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">30</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">30</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>30</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">10</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Family outings: food, drinks &amp; entry</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">100</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">100</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>100</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">11</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Archery lessons, etc.</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">512</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">300</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">For all enrichment classes (i.e., Taekwondo and Archery).</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>300</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">I agree with the Wife that it is unclear how the Husband had derived the figure of $512.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_71" id="Ftn_71_1"><sup>[note: 71]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">12</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Tuition</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">232.87</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">232.87</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>232.87</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">13</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Medical care</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">17</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>50</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">To also cover the expenses in s/n 14.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">14</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Counselling/Therapy</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">39</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Covered under s/n 13.</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>0</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Covered under s/n 13.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">15</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Personal Care (Hair/Nail grooming, hygiene)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>50</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">16</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Dental</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Covered under s/n 13.</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>0</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">17</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Insurance</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">18.94</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">18.94</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>18.94</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">18</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Supplements/Medication</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">30</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>30</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">19</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Share of utilities/gas/internet</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">30</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>30</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Based on the child residing with the Wife.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">20</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Mobile phone bill</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">25</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>25</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">According to the Wife, the 1<sup>st</sup> Child has a mobile phone, and the phone bills are paid for by the Husband.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_72" id="Ftn_72_1"><sup>[note: 72]</sup></a></span> This has not been disputed by the Husband.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Total</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>1,515.81</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>1,411.81</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>1,431.81</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-1"><a id=""></a></p><div align="right"> <b><u>Annex A–2</u></b> </div><p></p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id=""></a></p><div align="center"> <b>MONTHLY EXPENSES – 2<sup>nd</sup></b> <b>CHILD [13 YEARS OLD]</b> </div><p></p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="7.06%"><col width="28.38%"><col width="21.54%"><col width="21.54%"><col width="21.48%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Expense item</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Husband’s computation ($)</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Wife’s</b> </p> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>computation ($)</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Court’s finding ($)</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">1</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Food/Groceries</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">300</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">300</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>300</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">2</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Clothes/Shoes</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">70</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>70</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">To also cover the expenses in s/n 7.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">3</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Transport</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Husband ferries the child around</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) The 2<sup>nd</sup> Child is at an age where she will need to travel often, e.g., because of school-related activities or outings with friends. The timings of such activities and outings may be irregular and ad hoc. They may even be fixed at short notice.</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) It will not be realistic to expect the 2<sup>nd</sup> Child to always rely on the Husband to provide transport for such activities and outings.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">4</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School lunch</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">120</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>0</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Covered under s/n 8.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">5</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School fees</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">25</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">25</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>25</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">6</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School bus</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Husband ferries the child around</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>0</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">7</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School uniform/Bag</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">21</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Covered under s/n 2.</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>0</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Covered under s/n 2.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">8</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Pocket money</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">100</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>120</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">To also cover the expenses in s/n 4.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">9</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Books, Toys, Stationery, Pencil cases, Ipad case, laptop case, earphones, calculators, etc</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">30</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">30</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>30</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">10</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Family outings: food, drinks &amp; entry</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">100</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">100</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>100</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">11</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Archery lessons, etc.</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">60</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">150</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>150</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) I accept the Wife’s explanation<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_73" id="Ftn_73_1"><sup>[note: 73]</sup></a></span> as to why $150 is a more reasonable amount for this item.</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) Additionally, the Wife’s figure of $150 is closer to the quantum of a similar expense item of the 1<sup>st</sup> Child than the Husband’s figure.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">12</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Tuition</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">150</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>150</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">I accept the Wife’s explanation<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_74" id="Ftn_74_1"><sup>[note: 74]</sup></a></span> as to why $150 is a more reasonable amount for this expense item.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">13</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Medical care</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">100</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>100</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">To also cover the expenses in s/n 14.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">14</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Counselling/Therapy</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">100</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Covered under s/n 13.</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>0</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Covered under s/n 13.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">15</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Personal Care (Hair/Nail grooming, hygiene)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>50</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">16</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Dental</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Covered under s/n 13.</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>0</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">17</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Insurance</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">269.80</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">269.80</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>269.80</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">18</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Supplements/Medication</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>30</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">The award of $30 is closer to the quantum of a similar expense item of the 1<sup>st</sup> Child.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">19</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Share of utilities/gas/internet</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">30</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>30</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Based on the child residing with the Wife.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">20</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Mobile phone bill</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>25</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">The award of $25 is closer to the quantum of a similar expense item of the 1<sup>st</sup> Child.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Total</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>1,126.80</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>1,524.80</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>1,499.80</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-1"><a id=""></a></p><div align="right"> <b><u>Annex A–3</u></b> </div><p></p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id=""></a></p><div align="center"> <b>MONTHLY EXPENSES – TWINS EACH [7 YEARS OLD]</b> </div><p></p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="4.96%"><col width="28.38%"><col width="22.14%"><col width="22.14%"><col width="22.38%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Expense item</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Husband’s computation ($)</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Wife’s</b> </p> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>computation ($)</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Court’s finding ($)</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">1</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Food/Groceries</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">200</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">300</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>200</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) In arriving at $200, consideration is given to the figure for a similar expense item for the Daughters ($300).</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) Being much younger than the Daughters, the Twins are likely to consume less in food/groceries. </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">2</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Clothes/Shoes</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>50</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">3</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Transport</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Husband ferries the child around</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>0</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) The Twins are young and are unlikely to travel by themselves for the foreseeable future, e.g., for school-related activities or outings with friends.</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) If there are such activities, then the Huband can ferry them around.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">4</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School lunch</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">60</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">60</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>60</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">5</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School fees</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">25</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">25</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>25</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">6</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School bus</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Husband ferries the child around</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>0</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">7</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">School uniform/Bag</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">21</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">21</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>21</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">8</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Pocket money</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">80</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>0</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) According to the Wife, she gives $80 to each of the Twins to spend during recess. There is no evidence from her that she gives a separate amount for the Twins’ school lunch (s/n 4).<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_75" id="Ftn_75_1"><sup>[note: 75]</sup></a></span></p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) Based on the Wife’s computation, the combined figures for the Twins’ school lunch ($60) and pocket money ($80) is $140.</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(3) This figure is higher than the Wife’s computation for similar items for the Daughters ($100 each).</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(4) No good reason has been offered on why the Twins’ expense should be higher than their much older siblings.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">9</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Books, Toys, Stationery, Pencil cases, Ipad case, laptop case, earphones, calculators, etc</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">30</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">30</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>30</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">10</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Family outings: food, drinks &amp; entry</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">60</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">100</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>100</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) The Daughters have been awarded $100 each for this expense item.</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) The figure of $100 is awarded to each of the Twins on the basis that, in principle, they should be allowed to enjoy family outings to the same extent as the Daughters.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">11</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Archery lessons, etc.</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">250</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>240</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) The Wife exhibited WhatsApp messages to support her evidence that she paid for the twins’ swimming lessons. </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) The amount reflected in these messages is $480.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_76" id="Ftn_76_1"><sup>[note: 76]</sup></a></span></p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(3) If $480 is the fees for the Twins, then their individual fee should be $240.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">12</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Tuition</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">100</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>100</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) According to the Wife, she intends to enroll the Twins for Chinese tuition because they are not doing will in this subject.<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_77" id="Ftn_77_1"><sup>[note: 77]</sup></a></span></p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) There is no reason for me to doubt either (a) the Wife’s evidence, or (b) the reasonableness of the figure that she has given for this item ($100).</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">13</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Medical care</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">25</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>25</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) I find it reasonable for provision to be made to cover the Twins’ medical (s/n 13) and dental (/n 16) needs.</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) The figure of $25 monthly proposed by the Wife appears to be reasonable.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">14</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Counselling/Therapy</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Covered under s/n 13.</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>0</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">15</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Personal Care (Hair/Nail grooming, hygiene)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">50</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>50</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">16</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Dental</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Covered under s/n 13.</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>0</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Covered under /n 13.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">17</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Insurance</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">3<sup>rd</sup> Child – 404.41</p> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">4<sup>th</sup> Child – 350.00</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">3<sup>rd</sup> Child – 404.41</p> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">4<sup>th</sup> Child – 350.00</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>3<sup>rd</sup> Child – 404.41</b> </p> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>4<sup>th</sup> Child – 350.00</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">18</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Supplements/Medication</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">25</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>25</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">19</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Share of utilities/gas/internet</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">30</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>30</b> </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Based on the child residing with the Wife.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">20</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">Toiletries/Personal care</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">0</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">20</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>20</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Total</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">3<sup>rd</sup> Child – 900.41</p> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">4<sup>th</sup> Child – 846.00</p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">3<sup>rd</sup> Child – 1,620.41</p> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1">4<sup>th</sup> Child – 1,566.00</p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>3<sup>rd</sup> Child – 1,380.41</b> </p> <p align="right" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>4<sup>th</sup> Child – 1,326.00</b> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-2"><a id=""></a></p><div align="right"> <b><u>ANNEX B</u></b> </div><p></p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id=""></a></p><div align="center"> <b><font style="text-transform: uppercase;">ANCILLARY MATTERS – Divorce No. 1133 of 2023</font></b> </div><p></p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id=""></a></p><div align="center"> <b><font style="text-transform: uppercase;">ORDERS MADE</font></b> </div><p></p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">Custody</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_1_1"></a>1       The Husband and Wife (“<b>Parties</b>”) shall have <b><em>joint custody</em></b> of the children of their marriage, namely –</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_1-p2_a"></a>(a)     [AAA] – <b>1<sup>st</sup> Child</b> – Female, 15 years (D.O.B. xx January 2009).</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_1-p2_b"></a>(b)     [BBB] – <b>2<sup>nd</sup> Child</b> – Female, 13 years (D.O.B. xx November 2010).</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_1-p2_d"></a>(d)     [CCC] – <b>3<sup>rd</sup> Child</b> – Male, 7 years (D.O.B. xx March 2017).</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_1-p2_d_2"></a>(d)     [DDD] – <b>4<sup>th</sup> Child</b> – Male, 7 years (D.O.B. xx March 2017).</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">Care and Control</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_2_3"></a>2        <b><em>Before 16 November 2024, 8 pm</em></b> –</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_2-p2_a_4"></a>(a)     The Husband shall continue to have interim care and control of the Daughters.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_2-p2_b_5"></a>(b)     The Wife shall continue to have interim care and control of the Twins.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_3_6"></a>3        <b><em>By 16 November 2024 (Saturday) 8 pm</em></b>, the Husband shall return the Daughters to the Parties’ matrimonial home at [XXX].</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_4_7"></a>4        <b><em>From 16 November 2024, 8 pm</em></b>, the Wife shall have sole care and control of all the children.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">Access</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_5_8"></a>5        <b><em>Before 16 November 2024, 8 pm</em></b> (i.e., before the Wife has sole care and control of all four children), each party shall be granted the access to the children who are not under his/her interim care and control on the following terms:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_5-p2_a_9"></a>(a)     Between Monday and Thursday – Meal access (from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm) on two days. The details of these meal access shall be mutually discussed and agreed in writing between the Parties.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_5-p2_b_10"></a>(b)     From Friday (after school) to Saturday (8 pm) – Reasonable access.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_6_11"></a>6        <b><em>From 18 November 2024</em></b> (i.e., after the Wife has sole care and control of all four children), the Husband shall be granted the following access to the children:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_6-p2_a_12"></a>(a)     Between Monday and Thursday – Meal access (from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm) on two days. The details of these meal access shall be mutually discussed and agreed in writing between the Parties.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_6-p2_b_13"></a>(b)     From Friday (after school) to Saturday (8 pm) – Reasonable access.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_6-p2_c"></a>(c)     Overnight access on the same terms as in [6(b)] after the Husband purchases his own accommodation.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_7_14"></a>7       The Husband’s immediate family members shall be allowed to be at the above access sessions.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_8_15"></a>8       For the Chinese New Year (“<b>CNY</b>”) public holiday period, the access arrangements shall be as follows:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_8-p2_a_16"></a>(a)     On CNY Eve, the Wife shall have her time with the children till 5 pm.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_8-p2_b_17"></a>(b)     On CNY Eve from 5 pm, the Husband shall have time with the children till CNY Day 1, 3 pm.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_8-p2_b_18"></a>(b)     On CNY Day 1 from 3 pm, the Wife shall have her time with the children.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_8-p2_c_19"></a>(c)     For CNY Day 2, the Parties shall mutually discuss and agree on their respective times with the children.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_9_20"></a>9       Save for CNY as dealt with above, the Parties shall have alternate public holiday access to the children.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_10_21"></a>10     During the children’s June and November/December school holidays, the Parties’ access to the children shall be as follows:</p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="8.03839232153569%"><col width="20.6758648270346%"><col width="71.2857428514297%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" colspan="2" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>School holiday period</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Arrangement</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(i)</p> </td><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">June</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) The Husband shall have the 1<sup>st</sup> and 4<sup>th</sup> week. </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) The Wife shall have the 2<sup>nd</sup> and 3<sup>rd</sup> week.</p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(ii)</p> </td><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">November / December</p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(1) The Husband shall have the last 2 weeks of November as well as the last week of December. </p> <p align="justify" class="Table-Para-1">(2) The Wife shall have the first 3 weeks of December.</p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_11_22"></a>11     There shall be no special arrangement for Parties during the children’s March and September school holidays.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_12_23"></a>12     Parties may depart from the access arrangements in [5] to [11] above by mutual agreement in writing.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">Division of matrimonial assets </p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_13_24"></a>13     The Parties’ matrimonial assets shall be divided in the proportion of <b>30% (Husband) and 70% (Wife)</b>.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_14_25"></a>14     The abovementioned division shall be implemented as follows:</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_14-p2_a_26"></a>(a)     The Husband shall be entitled to <b><em>$192,696.80</em></b> in the Wife’s CPF accounts pursuant to s 112 of the Women’s Charter 1961.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_14-p2_b_27"></a>(b)     Pursuant to [14(a)] above, the CPF Board shall, from the monies standing to the credit of the Wife in the following CPF accounts, transfer the amounts specified as follows to the Husband’s CPF accounts.</p> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Judg-2-tblr" frame="all" pgwide="1"><colgroup><col width="61%"><col width="39%"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Wife’s CPF accounts to transfer from</b> </p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1"> <b>Amount to transfer ($)</b> </p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Ordinary Account</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">70,000<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_78" id="Ftn_78_1"><sup>[note: 78]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="br" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Special Account</p> </td><td align="left" class="b" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">122,696.80<span class="FootnoteRef"><a href="#Ftn_79" id="Ftn_79_1"><sup>[note: 79]</sup></a></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="r" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">Total</p> </td><td align="left" class="" rowspan="1" valign="top"> <p align="center" class="Table-Para-1">192,696.80</p> </td></tr></tbody></table><br clear="left"><br clear="left"> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_14-p2_c_28"></a>(c)     Upon the transfer of monies in [14(b)] above, the Husband shall transfer his rights, title and interests in the matrimonial home at [XXX] (other than by way of sale) to the Wife.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_14-p2_d_29"></a>(d)     The Registrar / Assistant Registrar of the Family Justice Courts under s 31 of the Family Justice Act 2014 is empowered to execute, sign, or endorse all necessary documents relating to matters contained in this Order should either party fail to do so within seven days of written request being made to the party.</p> <p class="Judg-2"><a id="p1_14-p2_e_30"></a>(e)     Aside from the matrimonial home, each party shall retain the assets in their sole names. There shall be no further claims against Parties and/or their assets.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">Maintenance</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-2">Wife</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_15_31"></a>15     There shall be no maintenance for the Wife.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-2">Children</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_16_32"></a>16     The Husband shall pay the Wife a fixed sum of <b><em>$700 each month</em></b> as his contribution towards the maintenance of <b><em>each</em></b> of the four children (i.e. total maintenance payment of $2,800 each month).</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_17_33"></a>17     The Husband shall pay the maintenance in [16] above into the Wife’s <b><em>POSB Account No. xxx</em></b> on the first day of each month beginning from November 2024.</p> <p class="Judg-Heading-1">Others</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_18_34"></a>18     Liberty to apply.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id="p1_19_35"></a>19     Each party shall bear their own legal costs.</p> <p class="Judg-1"><a id=""></a>Date: 14 October 2024</p> <hr align="left" size="1" width="33%"><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_1_1" id="Ftn_1">[note: 1]</a></sup>Husband’s affidavit dated 19 April 2023 at [59].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_2_1" id="Ftn_2">[note: 2]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 28 December 2023 at [82].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_3_1" id="Ftn_3">[note: 3]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 23 March 2023 at [61].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_4_1" id="Ftn_4">[note: 4]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 28 December 2023 at [73] to [77].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_5_1" id="Ftn_5">[note: 5]</a></sup>See e.g., Wife’s affidavit dated 11 May 2023 at pages 217 to 236.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_6_1" id="Ftn_6">[note: 6]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 28 December 2023 at [81], [97].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_7_1" id="Ftn_7">[note: 7]</a></sup>Wife’s submissions dated 26 September 2024 at [39].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_8_1" id="Ftn_8">[note: 8]</a></sup>Wife’s submissions dated 26 September 2024 at [40].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_9_1" id="Ftn_9">[note: 9]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 23 March 2023 at [55] to [59].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_10_1" id="Ftn_10">[note: 10]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 28 December 2023 at [99].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_11_1" id="Ftn_11">[note: 11]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 28 December 2023 at [104].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_12_1" id="Ftn_12">[note: 12]</a></sup>Defendant’s Written Submissions for Ancillary Matters dated 26 September 2024 at pages 16 and 17.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_13_1" id="Ftn_13">[note: 13]</a></sup>Plaintiff’s Written Submissions Ancillary Hearing dated 26 September 2024 at at [12] and [13].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_14_1" id="Ftn_14">[note: 14]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 20 March 2023 at pages 54.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_15_1" id="Ftn_15">[note: 15]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 24 July 2024 at [22] and [23].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_16_1" id="Ftn_16">[note: 16]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 20 March 2023 at [68] and page 69.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_17_1" id="Ftn_17">[note: 17]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 24 July 2024 at [25].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_18_1" id="Ftn_18">[note: 18]</a></sup>Defendant’s Written Submissions for Ancillary Matters dated 26 September 2024 at [34].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_19_1" id="Ftn_19">[note: 19]</a></sup>During oral submission, the parties agreed that one reasonable way to determine the value of the matrimonial home is to take the median of the highest and lowest valuation of the property. There was consensus that the median valuation was $1,422,500. The <em>net</em> value of the matrimonial home was derived by deducting the outstanding mortgage (agreed to be at $407,225.06) from the median valuation.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_20_1" id="Ftn_20">[note: 20]</a></sup>Plaintiff’s Written Submissions Ancillary Hearing dated 26 September 2024 at page 29; Defendant’s Written Submissions Ancillary Hearing dated 26 September 2024 at page 46.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_21_1" id="Ftn_21">[note: 21]</a></sup>Plaintiff’s Written Submissions Ancillary Hearing dated 26 September 2024 at page 29; Defendant’s Written Submissions Ancillary Hearing dated 26 September 2024 at page 46 to 48.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_22_1" id="Ftn_22">[note: 22]</a></sup>This is based on the Husband’s valuation. The Wife had no strong views on this.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_23_1" id="Ftn_23">[note: 23]</a></sup>Plaintiff’s Written Submissions Ancillary Hearing dated 26 September 2024 at page 29; Defendant’s Written Submissions Ancillary Hearing dated 26 September 2024 at page 46 to 48.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_24_1" id="Ftn_24">[note: 24]</a></sup>This is based on the Wife’s valuation. The Husband had no strong views on this.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_25_1" id="Ftn_25">[note: 25]</a></sup>Total of A + B + C.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_26_1" id="Ftn_26">[note: 26]</a></sup>Rounded down from 51.75.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_27_1" id="Ftn_27">[note: 27]</a></sup>Rounded up from 48.25.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_28_1" id="Ftn_28">[note: 28]</a></sup>Defendant’s Written Submissions Ancillary Hearing dated 26 September 2024 at [126] to [132].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_29_1" id="Ftn_29">[note: 29]</a></sup>Defendant’s Written Submissions Ancillary Hearing dated 26 September 2024 [105].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_30_1" id="Ftn_30">[note: 30]</a></sup>See e.g., Wife’s affidavit dated 28 December 2023 at [87].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_31_1" id="Ftn_31">[note: 31]</a></sup>Husband’s affidavit dated 7 June 2024 at [6(b)].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_32_1" id="Ftn_32">[note: 32]</a></sup>Husband’s affidavit dated 2 August 2024 at [29]; Husband’s affidavit dated 7 June 2024 at [6(I)(b)].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_33_1" id="Ftn_33">[note: 33]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 6 June 2024 at [46(a)].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_34_1" id="Ftn_34">[note: 34]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 28 December 2023 at [71] and [88].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_35_1" id="Ftn_35">[note: 35]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 28 December 2023 at [73] to [76].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_36_1" id="Ftn_36">[note: 36]</a></sup>Plaintiff’s Written Submissions Ancillary Hearing dated 26 September 2024 at [47] to [51].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_37_1" id="Ftn_37">[note: 37]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 28 December 2023 at [46]; Husband’s affidavit dated 27 December 2023 at [18(a)].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_38_1" id="Ftn_38">[note: 38]</a></sup>Defendant’s Written Submissions Ancillary Hearing dated 26 September 2024 at [111(f)].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_39_1" id="Ftn_39">[note: 39]</a></sup>Defendant’s Written Submissions Ancillary Hearing dated 26 September 2024 at [109].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_40_1" id="Ftn_40">[note: 40]</a></sup>Defendant’s Written Submissions Ancillary Hearing dated 26 September 2024 at [109].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_41_1" id="Ftn_41">[note: 41]</a></sup>The Husband’s position was that the renovations and furniture came to $26,623.00 and were contributed equally by the parties.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_42_1" id="Ftn_42">[note: 42]</a></sup>The Wife’s position is similar to the Husband’s position that the fees amount to “approximately $20,000.00”: Plaintiff’s Ancillary Matters Fact and Position Sheet at [8]. The Husband’s position was that between 2019 and 2021, the maintenance fees were paid via his personal bank account and from 2022 onwards, the Wife transferred the fees to him to pay via an online application.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_43_1" id="Ftn_43">[note: 43]</a></sup>The Husband highlighted that the Wife’s alleged contribution of $96,000 was not substantiated: 2 August 2024 at [24].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_44_1" id="Ftn_44">[note: 44]</a></sup>Husband’s affidavit dated 27 December 2023 at [17(f)].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_45_1" id="Ftn_45">[note: 45]</a></sup>Husband’s affidavit dated 27 December 2023 at [18(d)].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_46_1" id="Ftn_46">[note: 46]</a></sup>Defendant’s Written Submissions Ancillary Hearing dated 26 September 2024 at [129].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_47_1" id="Ftn_47">[note: 47]</a></sup>Defendant’s Written Submissions Ancillary Hearing dated 26 September 2024 at [129].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_48_1" id="Ftn_48">[note: 48]</a></sup>Defendant’s Written Submissions Ancillary Hearing dated 26 September 2024 at [130].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_49_1" id="Ftn_49">[note: 49]</a></sup>Husband’s affidavit dated 2 August 2024 at [32].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_50_1" id="Ftn_50">[note: 50]</a></sup>Defendant’s Written Submissions Ancillary Hearing dated 26 September 2024 at [126] to [132].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_51_1" id="Ftn_51">[note: 51]</a></sup>Rounded down from 33%.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_52_1" id="Ftn_52">[note: 52]</a></sup>Rounded down from 67%.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_53_1" id="Ftn_53">[note: 53]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 6 June 2024 at [57] and [58].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_54_1" id="Ftn_54">[note: 54]</a></sup>See [41] above.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_55_1" id="Ftn_55">[note: 55]</a></sup>See [25] above.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_56_1" id="Ftn_56">[note: 56]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 6 June 2024 at [61].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_57_1" id="Ftn_57">[note: 57]</a></sup>The Wife had sufficient funds ($356,175.16) in her CPF accounts.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_58_1" id="Ftn_58">[note: 58]</a></sup>Defendant’s Written Submissions for Ancillary Matters dated 26 September 2024 at [82] and [86].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_59_1" id="Ftn_59">[note: 59]</a></sup>Defendant’s Written Submissions Ancillary Matters Fact and Position Sheet dated 26 September 2024 at page 9.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_60_1" id="Ftn_60">[note: 60]</a></sup>Plaintiff’s Written Submissions – Ancillary Matters Hearing at page 4.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_61_1" id="Ftn_61">[note: 61]</a></sup>Based on income generated between September and November 2023: Husband’s affidavit dated 27 December 2023 at [3(d)].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_62_1" id="Ftn_62">[note: 62]</a></sup>Based on IRAS Notices of Assessment for the Year of Assessment for 2021 to 2023. See Defendant’s Written Submissions for Ancillary Matters dated 26 September 2024 at [77].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_63_1" id="Ftn_63">[note: 63]</a></sup>Based on IRAS Notices of Assessment for the Year of Assessment for 2021 to 2023. See Defendant’s Written Submissions for Ancillary Matters dated 26 September 2024 at [77].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_64_1" id="Ftn_64">[note: 64]</a></sup>Plaintiff’s Written Submissions Ancillary Matters Hearing dated 26 September 2024 at [32].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_65_1" id="Ftn_65">[note: 65]</a></sup>The Wife had submitted for 50:50 even though the ratio should be 48:52 based on the Wife’s own calculations: Defendant’s Written Submissions for Ancillary Matters dated 26 September 2024 at [77] and [79].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_66_1" id="Ftn_66">[note: 66]</a></sup>Husband’s affidavit dated 27 December 2023 at pages 27 to 29.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_67_1" id="Ftn_67">[note: 67]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 28 December 2023 at pages 92 to 95.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_68_1" id="Ftn_68">[note: 68]</a></sup>Husband’s affidavit dated 27 December 2023 at [3(d)].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_69_1" id="Ftn_69">[note: 69]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 6 June 2024 at [73].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_70_1" id="Ftn_70">[note: 70]</a></sup>Defendant’s Written Submissions Ancillary Matters Fact dated 26 September 2024 at [21].</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_71_1" id="Ftn_71">[note: 71]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 6 June 2024 at page 27.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_72_1" id="Ftn_72">[note: 72]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 6 June 2024 at page 28.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_73_1" id="Ftn_73">[note: 73]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 6 June 2024 at page 30.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_74_1" id="Ftn_74">[note: 74]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 6 June 2024 at page 30.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_75_1" id="Ftn_75">[note: 75]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 6 June 2024 at pages 32 and 35.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_76_1" id="Ftn_76">[note: 76]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 6 June 2024 at pages 228 to 230.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_77_1" id="Ftn_77">[note: 77]</a></sup>Wife’s affidavit dated 6 June 2024 at pages 33 and 36.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_78_1" id="Ftn_78">[note: 78]</a></sup>The Wife had $86,346.21 in her CPF Ordinary Account as at 14 December 2023.</p><p class="Footnote"><sup><a href="#Ftn_79_1" id="Ftn_79">[note: 79]</a></sup>The Wife had $201,396.71 in her CPF Special Account as at 14 December 2023.</p></div></content></root> 1824

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