Question 1

How are CPF contributions calculated in Singapore?

Accepted Answer

CPF contributions are calculated based on your monthly gross income and age group. There are 8 age brackets, each with different employee and employer contribution rates. Your income is subject to CPF contributions up to the current income ceiling, which rose in stages from $6,000 to $8,000 between September 2023 and January 2026 following Budget 2023. SimplyCPF handles all these variables automatically. Just enter your income and birth date to get your exact contribution amounts.

Question 2

What are the CPF contribution rates by age group?

Accepted Answer

CPF contribution rates vary by age group. For employees aged 55 and below, the total contribution rate is 37% (20% employee + 17% employer). Rates step down for older age groups: above 55 to 60 (34% total), above 60 to 65 (25% total), above 65 to 70 (16.5% total), and above 70 (12.5% total). The allocation across accounts also changes with age: older workers see more allocated to MediSave rather than the Ordinary Account, and from 55 the middle share goes to the Retirement Account because the Special Account no longer receives contributions. Rates shown are those effective 1 January 2026. Use the calculator to see the exact rates for your age group.

Question 3

How does the CPF income ceiling change affect my take-home pay?

Accepted Answer

The CPF income ceiling rose from $6,000 to $8,000 in stages between September 2023 and January 2026. If your monthly income is above the old ceiling of $6,000, more of your income becomes subject to CPF contributions as the ceiling increases. This means your employee CPF contribution goes up and your take-home pay decreases slightly, but your total CPF savings (including employer contributions) increase. SimplyCPF's ceiling comparison feature shows you the exact dollar impact on both your take-home pay and your retirement savings.

Question 4

What is the difference between OA, SA, and MA in CPF?

Accepted Answer

CPF contributions are distributed across three accounts: the Ordinary Account (OA) for housing, insurance, investment, and education; the Special Account (SA) for retirement and retirement-related investments; and the MediSave Account (MA) for healthcare and medical insurance. The distribution varies by age: younger workers have more allocated to OA, while older workers see more going to SA and MA. The OA earns 2.5% p.a. (floor rate), while SA and MA earn a minimum of 4% p.a. with the potential to earn more when market rates are higher.

Question 5

Does SimplyCPF collect any of my data?

Accepted Answer

No data are being collected. The inputs are wiped on browser refresh. However, if you have checked the "Store input on this browser" checkbox, your input will be stored locally on your own browser only, no data are sent to or stored on any servers.

Question 6

Do I need to sign up or log in to use SimplyCPF?

Accepted Answer

No sign-up or login is required. SimplyCPF is completely free and ungated. You can start calculating your CPF contributions immediately without creating an account or providing any personal information.

Question 7

How are CPF interest rates determined?

Accepted Answer

CPF interest rates vary by account type. The Ordinary Account (OA) has a fixed floor rate of 2.5% per annum. The Special, MediSave, and Retirement Accounts (SMRA) have their rates pegged to the 12-month average yield of 10-year Singapore Government Securities (SGS) plus 1%, with a minimum floor rate of 4% per annum. You always receive the higher of the pegged rate or the floor rate.

Question 8

What is the difference between floor rate and pegged rate?

Accepted Answer

The floor rate is the minimum guaranteed interest rate your CPF accounts will earn regardless of market conditions. For SMRA accounts, the pegged rate is calculated as the 12-month average of 10-year SGS yield plus 1%. When the pegged rate falls below the floor rate (4%), you receive the floor rate instead. This ensures your CPF savings continue to grow even during periods of low interest rates.

Question 9

Why does my SMRA earn more than 4% sometimes?

Accepted Answer

Your SMRA (Special, MediSave & Retirement Accounts) earns more than 4% when the pegged rate exceeds the floor rate. The pegged rate is calculated as the 12-month average of 10-year Singapore Government Securities (SGS) yield plus 1%. When this calculated rate is higher than the 4% floor, you receive the higher pegged rate. This allows your CPF savings to benefit from higher market interest rates.

Question 10

How does the 10-year Singapore Government Securities (SGS) yield affect my CPF?

Accepted Answer

The 10-year SGS yield directly affects the interest rate for your Special, MediSave, and Retirement Accounts (SMRA). The SMRA interest rate is pegged to the 12-month average of the 10-year SGS yield plus 1%. When SGS yields are high, your SMRA earns more. When SGS yields are low and the calculated rate falls below 4%, the floor rate of 4% applies to protect your savings. This pegging mechanism ensures your CPF interest rates reflect market conditions while maintaining a safety net.

Question 11

Is SimplyCPF affiliated with the CPF Board?

Accepted Answer

No. SimplyCPF is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to the Central Provident Fund Board (CPF Board), Ministry of Manpower (MOM), or any other government agency. However, all contribution rates and income ceiling data are sourced directly from CPF Board publications. The calculation logic is open-source and fully verifiable on GitHub.

Question 12

I am a developer and I wish to contribute changes. How may I do so?

Accepted Answer

SimplyCPF is an open-source project released under the MIT licence. All contributions are welcome. Feel free to clone or fork the repository on GitHub and create a pull request. The project also provides a Developer API with 12 endpoints for programmatic access to CPF calculations. Visit the developer documentation for details.

Question 13

How are CPF contributions calculated?

Accepted Answer

CPF contributions are calculated by applying the contribution rate for your age group to your capped monthly income. Income above the prevailing CPF income ceiling is not subject to contributions. The total contribution is then distributed across your Ordinary Account (OA), Special Account (SA), and MediSave Account (MA) based on distribution rates for your age group.

Question 14

What is the CPF income ceiling for 2026?

Accepted Answer

The CPF income ceiling is S$8,000 per month from January 2026. This is the final step of the progressive increase from S$6,000 (pre-September 2023) announced in Budget 2023.

Question 15

How much do I contribute to CPF as an employee aged 55 and below?

Accepted Answer

Employees aged 55 and below contribute 20% of their capped monthly salary to CPF, while employers contribute 17%, for a total of 37%. Income above the ceiling is not subject to CPF contributions.

Question 16

Does my age affect my CPF contribution rate?

Accepted Answer

Yes. CPF contribution rates step down as you age. There are 8 age brackets: 55 and below (37% total), above 55 to 60 (34% total), above 60 to 65 (25% total), above 65 to 70 (16.5% total), and above 70 (12.5% total). The allocation across accounts also shifts: older workers see more allocated to MediSave rather than the Ordinary Account, and from 55 the middle share goes to the Retirement Account rather than the Special Account. Rates shown are those effective 1 January 2026.

Question 17

How much CPF will I have at 65?

Accepted Answer

That depends on your income, age, citizenship status, housing usage, and whether you top up or transfer savings along the way. SimplyCPF projects your balances using CPF floor interest rates and the current contribution rules so you can see a conservative estimate instead of guessing.

Question 18

What happens to my CPF at age 55?

Accepted Answer

At age 55, SimplyCPF models the transfer from your Special Account and, if needed, your Ordinary Account into your Retirement Account up to the Full Retirement Sum. Any remaining OA balance stays in OA, while SA is treated as closed after the transfer.

Question 19

How does the extra 1% CPF interest work in the projection?

Accepted Answer

The projection applies the extra 1% interest on the first S$60,000 of combined CPF balances, with the OA portion capped at the first S$20,000. After age 55, the extra interest that would otherwise go to OA is redirected to your Retirement Account instead.

Question 20

Are the CPF LIFE figures official quotes?

Accepted Answer

No. The CPF LIFE figures on SimplyCPF are clearly labelled as estimates. They use a simplified payout factor so you can compare scenarios quickly, but they are not official CPF Board quotes or guarantees.

Question 21

How much CPF LIFE will I get each month?

Accepted Answer

Your CPF LIFE payout depends mainly on your Retirement Account balance and when you start your payouts. SimplyCPF gives an estimated monthly payout across the Standard, Escalating, Basic, and defer-to-70 scenarios so you can compare the range before applying officially.

Question 22

What is the difference between the Standard, Escalating, and Basic plans?

Accepted Answer

The Standard Plan generally starts with a higher payout, the Escalating Plan starts lower but rises over time, and the Basic Plan usually pays less each month while leaving more in the Retirement Account early on. SimplyCPF shows all three side by side so the trade-offs are easier to understand.

Question 23

What happens if I defer my CPF LIFE payout to age 70?

Accepted Answer

Deferring your payout can increase your eventual monthly payout. SimplyCPF uses a simplified deferment uplift of about 7% per year deferred, capped at age 70, to help you compare the potential impact.

Question 24

Do I need the Full Retirement Sum to join CPF LIFE?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily. CPF LIFE payouts can still be estimated from lower Retirement Account balances, but the eventual payout will be lower. In SimplyCPF, balances below S$60,000 are shown as below the current threshold used for the simplified estimate.

CPF FAQ

General CPF Questions12

Contribution Rates4

Career Projection4

CPF LIFE4