Introduction

In 2008, the chief executive of the Macau SAR proposed a Wealth Partaking Scheme (WPS) to share the achievements of economic development with residents. This Scheme was initiated to the impact of the financial crisis on the social economy, to lessen the life pressure brought about by fighting inflation, as well as to enhance regional economic benefits resulting from the sustainable development of the gaming industry. Therefore, the Macau SAR government has enacted the WPS in the form of administrative laws and regulations every year to issue an amount of wealth partaking to eligible residents from 2008 until now.

Beneficiaries

The WPS for each year will set a specific date on or before which those holding a valid or renewable Macau SAR permanent or non-permanent identity card issued in accordance with Law No. 8/2002 Macau SAR Resident Identity Card System may receive an amount of wealth partaking stipulated by law for the year concerned.

An amount of wealth partaking may also be issued to those under the age of 5 on the specified date mentioned above and who are not required to have a resident identity card in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 2of Article 3 of the above law as long as they eventually get a resident identity card.

An amount of wealth partaking may also be issued to holders of Macau SAR identity cards who are currently living abroad as referred to by Paragraph 2 of Article 15 on the date specified above as long as they present a valid medical certificate issued by a local public medical institution, or provide documents indicating their current condition as issued by a social support organization, to duly certify that they are unable to return to Macau to apply for a replacement identity cards due to being bedridden, paralyzed or partially paralyzed.

Identify of Beneficiaries and Modes of Distribution

Normally, the Macau SAR government will send a crossed cheque to each beneficiary via post to the address that the beneficiaries have specified, including foreign addresses. Moreover, in order to simplify administrative procedures and to increase the efficiency of distributing the amount of wealth partaking, the government will also disburse the respective amount to the beneficiaries via bank transfer to the appointed local bank account of the beneficiaries. Furthermore, the Social Welfare Bureau will assist certain residents who are in special circumstances to obtain the amount of wealth partaking.

Identity of Beneficiaries	Modes of Receiving amount of wealth partaking
General residents	Cheque
Teaching staffs receiving direct subsidy or subsidy for professional development	Bank transfer
Students in tertiary education receiving student aid from the Education Fund
Persons registered for receiving tax reimbursement or other payments from Financial Services Bureau through bank transfer
Civil servants have not yet registered for receiving tax reimbursement or other payments from Financial Services Bureau through bank transfer
Retired civil servants receiving retirement pension and other persons receiving survivor pension
Persons receiving subsidy for senior citizens
Persons receiving disability subsidy
Persons receiving financial assistance from the Social Welfare Bureau
Persons assisted by the Social Welfare Bureau including: (1) Minors whose guardianship has not been established; (2) Incompetent persons; (3) Persons being deprived of their liberty by rehabilitative measure; (4) Persons being deprived of their liberty by measures or subjected to criminal punishment; (5) Other persons requiring assistance from the Social Welfare Bureau	Amount of wealth partaking will be disbursed by the Social Welfare Bureau in an appropriate way

For eligible Macau SAR residents who have not received the wealth partaking amount by reason of death, the respective amount can be requested by the administrator of the deceased’s estate, which is required under Article 1917 of the Civil Code for the administration of the deceased estate until its liquidation and distribution, by other means as stipulated by law.

Amount to be Distributed

The amount of the WPS to be distributed is not fixed every year. In addition, the amount payable to holders of Macau SAR permanent and non-permanent identity cards is different. These amounts are subject to the administrative regulation promulgated every year. The amount issued annually since 2008 is listed as follows:

Year	Amount to be Distributed (MOP)
Year	Holders of Macau SAR Permanent Identity Card	Holders of Macau SAR Non-permanent Identity Card
2008	$5,000	$3,000
2009	$6,000	$3,600
2010	$6,000	$3,600
2011	$4,000	$2,400
2012	$7,000	$4,200
2013	$8,000	$4,800
2014	$9,000	$5,400
2015	$9,000	$5,400
2016	$9,000	$5,400
2017	$9,000	$5,400
2018	$9,000	$5,400
2019	$10,000	$6,000
2020	$10,000	$6,000
2021	$10,000	$6,000
2022	$10,000	$6,000
2023	$10,000	$6,000

Remarks:
* In 2011, the Macau SAR government promulgated No. 29/2011 Administrative Regulations Cash Subsidies 2011, with a view to issuing one-time cash subsidies to eligible Macau SAR residents to alleviate the living pressure caused by inflation. Residents holding a valid or renewable Macau SAR permanent or non-permanent identity card and meeting the conditions stipulated by the administrative regulation may obtain a cash grant of MOP3,000 and MOP1,800 respectively.

Cheque Cashing

In accordance with the provisions of the current Budget Law, crossed cheques issued by the Macau SAR government for annual amount of wealth partaking can be cashed in the year of cheques and valid for three years from December 31 of the same year. In other words, their permitted cashing period lasts until December 30 three years later.