If you work in Singapore, part of your pay goes into CPF every month — and your employer adds more on top. It can feel confusing at first, but really it just splits into a few accounts, each with one job. Here's the simple version. 👇
💵 Who pays, and how much?
If you're a Singapore Citizen or PR, both you and your employer put in a percentage of your salary, up to a monthly wage ceiling. When you're younger, more goes in; the rates slowly change as you get older. Want your exact split? Try the CPF contribution calculator.
🏠 OA — Ordinary Account
This is the one most people use first. Your OA can pay for your HDB flat, home loan, some insurance, investments and education. It earns around 2.5% a year.
🌱 SA — Special Account
The SA is for retirement. It earns higher interest (around 4%), which is why many people leave it alone to grow. It's meant to stay locked until you retire. (Since 2025, members aged 55 and above no longer have an SA — those savings moved to the Retirement Account, up to the Full Retirement Sum, with any excess going to the OA.)
🏥 MA — MediSave Account
MediSave is your healthcare account. It pays for hospital bills, some treatments, and approved health insurance like MediShield Life.
👴 RA — Retirement Account
When you turn 55, a new account appears: the Retirement Account. CPF moves your SA and OA savings into it, up to a set amount. From your payout age, the RA funds your monthly CPF LIFE payouts for life. See how big those could be with the CPF LIFE payout calculator, or project your balances with the retirement projection.
🔑 Why it's worth understanding
Your CPF quietly shapes two of the biggest money decisions in your life — your home and your retirement. Once you know what each account does, the rest of our CPF calculators make a lot more sense.