Methodology and Sourcing Principles: Source Tiers, How Figures Are Stated, Guaranteed vs Non-guaranteed, Updates and Corrections

This page is the network's statement of method. It sets out the rules that every site in the Xiaopoxian Knowledge Network (34 planned as at October 2026) follows when choosing sources, writing figures, separating guaranteed from non-guaranteed items, labelling jurisdictions, and updating and correcting content. Readers can use it to judge how reliable any statement in the network is, what date it is correct to, and where to check it. It works alongside the sources list: this page gives the principles and the list gives the inventory, while rule changes and corrections are recorded in the changelog.

Four source tiers: what can support a figure

Every fact in the network is assigned a source tier before it is written in. The tier determines how it may appear in the body text.

Some further rules: public product documents from insurers and banks are used only as "single-institution examples" and do not represent the industry; where primary and secondary sources differ on the same fact, the primary source prevails; where a primary source exists in more than one version, the more recent one prevails, and a "consistency update" entry is added to the changelog.

How figures are stated: unit, currency, date and institution, every time

The standard format is "figure + unit/currency + meaning + institution + date", for example: S$150,000 (cap per adjudication award, FIDReC, as at October 2026). If any element is missing, readers cannot tell whether the figure still applies.

Two kinds of figures are handled differently:

1. Rule figures (number of free-look days, protection limits, tax rates, work pass thresholds): the effective date is stated; rules that have been announced but are not yet in force are always labelled "announced, not yet in force" and described in the future tense.
2. Rolling statistics (life insurance new business premiums, assets under management): the statistical period and publication date are stated, and the figures are used only as market background, never to argue for a particular choice.

One version of each number: key figures shared across the network (free-look period, Policy Owners' Protection Scheme limits, FIDReC caps, market size and so on) exist in one version only, with the "Key figures" table on the overview as the single reference. Other pages that cite them must match it and state the institution and date, and every citing page is checked when a figure is updated.

No in-house conversions: Singapore dollar, US dollar and Hong Kong dollar amounts are written as in the original; where a conversion is needed, the converted value given in the original is cited. For example, where an MAS report gives both Singapore-dollar and US-dollar figures, both may be shown. Rounding differences in percentages (such as the same growth rate written as 10% in one document and 10.1% in another) are written as "about".

Guaranteed vs non-guaranteed, fact vs opinion, law vs practice

The most common misreading in insurance and wealth content is mistaking an assumption for a promise. Every page in the network keeps three pairs apart:

Benefit illustrations: the LIA's Policy Illustration format for investment-linked policies requires illustrations at three rates of return, 0%, B% and C%, with the 0% scenario used to show the effect of charges. "Total Distribution Cost" must be shown year by year and is already included in the premium rather than charged on top (LIA MU 22/24 Appendix IV(b), 28 July 2026). When the network cites an illustration, it therefore also points readers to the 0% scenario and the effect of deductions, and notes that illustrated values, backtests and past performance are not indicative of future results. How to read illustrations for each type of policy is covered at saving.com.sg/how-to-read-a-benefit-illustration.

Cross-border content and jurisdiction labels

The network serves readers in Singapore, Hong Kong and mainland China, and the same term can mean different things in different jurisdictions (for example "cooling-off period", "illustration rate cap" and "tax resident"). For this reason:

1. Every path and every cross-border paragraph states the applicable jurisdiction in its first sentence: Singapore, Hong Kong or mainland China.
2. Terms follow local regulatory usage: in Singapore, "Policy Owners' Protection (PPF) Scheme" and "Central Provident Fund (CPF)"; in Hong Kong, "Insurance Authority (IA)" and "fulfilment ratio".
3. Tax, foreign exchange and CRS content covers only reporting obligations and the official position, without concluding whether tax is payable; where relevant, readers are told to obtain professional advice in their own jurisdiction.
4. No methods of circumventing foreign exchange controls or reporting obligations are provided. Restrictions on how mainland individuals may use purchased foreign currency are as interpreted by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange and the banks.
5. Outcomes are not compared directly across the two markets: only rules are compared (for example the number of cooling-off days), never illustrated returns.

What the network does not do

Clear boundaries are a precondition for trustworthy content. Every site in the network observes the following limits:

• No recommendations of specific products or institutions: path pages say "read first / read next", never "buy first / you should hold"; product comparisons show structures and bases of comparison only, without rankings.
• No promises about outcomes: no promises about returns, underwriting or loan approval, tax treatment or residency applications; wherever financing is discussed, risks such as margin calls and a net benefit lower than illustrated are stated alongside.
• No implied official endorsement: when citing official tools such as the MAS directories and compareFIRST, the network says only that they are public tools; the network has no affiliation with them, and its content has not been reviewed by any regulator.
• No internal materials: no commission schedules, channel terms, distributors' internal guides or unpublished quotations are used, and no real client information is written up; all reader profiles are hypothetical.
• No substitute for individual advice: the network provides general educational material and reading paths; advice on personal circumstances must come from licensed institutions and their representatives, lawyers or tax advisers.

Review cycle and corrections

Relationship to regulatory expectations

The network is not a financial institution, but its writing rules draw on regulators' published expectations of financial information:

1. Fair dealing: the MAS Guidelines on Fair Dealing (FSG-G04) took effect on 30 May 2024, replacing FAA-G11, and apply to all financial institutions. They set out five fair dealing outcomes, one of which is giving customers clear, relevant and timely information (the exact wording is as set out in the MAS Guidelines). The network's "definitions first, figures dated" rules take this as their reference.
2. Digital advertising: the MAS Guidelines on Standards of Conduct for Digital Advertising Activities were issued on 25 September 2025 and took effect on 25 March 2026. They apply to financial institutions and the third parties they appoint, including online content creators (MAS media release).
3. Sharing financial information online: the "7 Must-Knows When Sharing Financial Information Online", published jointly by MAS and the Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore (ASAS) in September 2025, warn that recommending the purchase, sale or holding of specific investment products, or tailoring information to personal circumstances, may require an MAS licence; that simply stating "this is not financial advice" does not remove legal liability; and that before promoting an institution one should check the MAS Financial Institutions Directory, be wary of entities on the Investor Alert List, and disclose any remuneration received.
4. Verification tools: the MAS directories page provides the Financial Institutions Directory (FID), the Financial Institution Representatives Register (FIRR) and the Investor Alert List, among others. The Investor Alert List is not exhaustive (page as at 17 September 2026): absence from it does not mean an entity is trustworthy, so check the FID and FIRR as well.

For these reasons, every page in the network sets out risks, limitations and the boundaries of its application, rather than relying on a single disclaimer. If you would like help interpreting this against your own circumstances, you can register your needs through the contact details on this site.