What is the CPF Retirement Account (RA)?

The CPF Retirement Account (RA) is created on a member’s 55th birthday from Special and Ordinary Account savings, up to the Full Retirement Sum. It earns 4% a year plus extra interest on the first SGD 60,000, and funds the CPF LIFE payouts that start from 65.

Updated Published 5 min read CPF
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Singapore · Q4 2026 · Retirement Account interest
4%
floor rate
With extra interestup to 6%
FRS · turning 55 in 2026SGD 220,400
Created atage 55
Payouts fromage 65
RA interest rate4%1 Oct – 31 Dec 2026
Floorto 31 Dec 20274% legislated floor
Extra interest+2% / +1%first SGD 30,000 / next SGD 30,000
BRS · 2026SGD 110,200with a property pledge
FRS · 2026SGD 220,400set aside at 55
ERS · 2026SGD 440,800top-up ceiling
On this pageHow it is formedWorked exampleWhat it means for youMisconceptionsRelated termsSources

Key takeaways

  • At 55 the RA is formed by transferring Special Account and then Ordinary Account savings, up to the Full Retirement Sum of SGD 220,400 for members turning 55 in 2026.
  • RA savings earn 4% a year, a floor the Government has extended to 31 Dec 2027, plus extra interest of 2% on the first SGD 30,000 and 1% on the next SGD 30,000 of combined balances for members 55 and above.
  • Members who own a property with a lease lasting to at least age 95 may set aside the Basic Retirement Sum of SGD 110,200 instead, and withdraw savings above it.
  • The RA can be topped up in cash or by CPF transfer to the Enhanced Retirement Sum of SGD 440,800; cash top-ups earn tax relief of up to SGD 8,000 a year.
  • The RA balance at 65 becomes the CPF LIFE premium; a member turning 55 in 2026 with the FRS is estimated to receive about SGD 1,780 a month for life on the Standard Plan.
Definition

How the Retirement Account is formed and paid

Before 55 a member has three accounts. On the 55th birthday CPF Board opens the RA and moves Special Account savings first, then Ordinary Account savings, until the Full Retirement Sum is met; since 2025 the Special Account then closes and any remainder goes to the OA.

Base interest4%Pegged to the 12-month average 10-year SGS yield plus 1%, with a 4% floor; reviewed quarterly.
Extra interest+2% / +1%On the first SGD 30,000 and the next SGD 30,000 of combined balances (at most SGD 20,000 from the OA), for members 55 and above.
Effective on SGD 30,0006%The highest rate any CPF balance earns. It falls towards the base rate as the balance grows past SGD 60,000.

From 65 the RA balance is used as the premium for a CPF LIFE plan, which pays a monthly income for life; payouts can be deferred to 70 for a higher amount. The three retirement sums — Basic, Full and Enhanced — are fixed for a cohort at 55 and rise for each later cohort.

Worked example

A year of interest on four RA balances

Extra interest is what makes the first SGD 60,000 in the RA the best-paid savings in the CPF system. The table applies the Q4 2026 base rate and the two extra-interest tiers to a member aged 55 or above whose RA is their only CPF balance.

RA balanceBase at 4%With extra interestEffective
SGD 30,000SGD 1,200SGD 1,8006.00%
SGD 60,000SGD 2,400SGD 3,3005.50%
SGD 110,200SGD 4,408SGD 5,3084.82%
SGD 220,400SGD 8,816SGD 9,7164.41%

Full Retirement Sum 2026 → CPF LIFE

FRS set aside at 55 (2026 cohort)SGD 220,400
Est. monthly payout from 65SGD 1,780 / month

CPF LIFE Standard Plan, payouts from 65, member turning 55 in 2026 — CPF Board estimate. Basic Retirement Sum: about SGD 950 a month; Enhanced: about SGD 3,440.

What it means for you

Where the RA changes a member’s options

Turning 55CPF calculator
Savings above the FRS (or the BRS with a property pledge) become withdrawable, and at least SGD 5,000 can be withdrawn regardless of balance. Everything set aside in the RA keeps earning 4% plus extra interest.
Choosing BRS or FRSFull Retirement Sum tracker
The Basic sum (SGD 110,200) is available only with a property whose lease runs to age 95, and halves the CPF LIFE payout relative to the Full sum. The tracker shows the sums for every cohort year.
Topping upCPF calculator
Cash top-ups under the Retirement Sum Topping-Up scheme earn up to SGD 8,000 of tax relief a year and can lift the RA to the Enhanced sum of SGD 440,800.
Payout planCPF LIFE plan comparator
Standard, Basic and Escalating plans convert the same RA balance into different payout shapes: level, lower-with-bequest, or rising 2% a year. Starting later than 65 raises the payout by up to 7% per year of deferral.
Housing refundsCPF accrued interest calculator
Selling a home after 55 refunds the CPF used plus accrued interest to the RA first, up to the FRS, before any cash proceeds are released.
Common misconceptions

Five things people get wrong

The RA is funded by new contributions after 55.
It is created by transferring existing SA and OA savings at 55. Contributions after 55 are allocated across the RA, OA and MediSave Account by the age-band ratios.
There is one “minimum sum”.
There are three tiers — Basic (SGD 110,200), Full (SGD 220,400) and Enhanced (SGD 440,800) for the 2026 cohort — and each member’s tier is fixed at 55.
RA interest is the same as OA interest.
The RA earns 4%, the OA 2.5%, and extra interest of up to 2% applies to the first SGD 30,000 of combined balances for members 55 and above.
Payouts start at 55.
CPF LIFE payouts start from the payout eligibility age of 65, and can be deferred to 70. Between 55 and 65 the RA keeps compounding.
The retirement sum rises for me every year.
The sums rise for each new cohort turning 55. A member’s own sum is the one published for the year they turned 55 and does not change afterwards.
Sources: CPF Board

This page is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice. All figures and worked examples are estimates for illustrative purposes, are subject to change, and do not reflect any individual’s circumstances. Always refer to the CPF Board and seek independent professional advice before making any financial decisions.