CPF Contribution Rates 2026: Complete Guide for Employees and Employers
Quick Answer
CPF contribution rates in 2026 apply to Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents, not Employment Pass or S Pass holders. The amount depends on age, salary, and employer status, and the combined contribution is split across three accounts until 55, when the Retirement Account replaces the Special Account. For younger workers the total rate is 37%, with Ordinary and Additional Wage ceilings capping the calculation.
Rates as of 2026. Verify with official sources before acting.
In 2026, employees aged 55 and below contribute 20% of their ordinary wages to CPF and employers contribute 17%, for a combined 37%, with progressively lower rates for older age groups. This article is a rate reference. It covers the 2026 CPF contribution rates by age group in a single table, the Ordinary Wage ceiling, the Additional Wage ceiling formula, and the account allocation breakdown for every age band. It is based on CPF Board tables effective from 1 January 2026, and rates for ages above 55 to 65 change again on 1 January 2027. For a broader explanation of what CPF is, how the three accounts work, and what happens to your money over time, see the CPF Guide 2026. To see your exact monthly contribution split, use the CPF contribution calculator.
Every working Singapore Citizen and Permanent Resident contributes to the Central Provident Fund each month. The amount depends on your age, your salary, and whether you're the employee or employer. This reference covers the 2026 rates, the wage ceilings that determine how much is calculated, and how those contributions are split across the three CPF accounts.
What Is CPF?
The Central Provident Fund is Singapore's mandatory savings scheme for Citizens and Permanent Residents. It is not a tax. The money goes into accounts under your own name and can be used for housing, healthcare, education, and retirement. Both you and your employer contribute every month, and the combined amount is split across three separate accounts with different purposes and interest rates.
Employment Pass and S Pass holders are not required to contribute to CPF. The scheme applies only to Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents employed in Singapore.
CPF Contribution Rates by Age Group (2026)
Contribution rates decrease as workers age, reflecting the government's goal of making older workers more affordable to employ while still building their retirement savings.
| Age Group | Employee Rate | Employer Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 and below | 20% | 17% | 37% |
| Above 55 to 60 | 18% | 16% | 34% |
| Above 60 to 65 | 12.5% | 12.5% | 25% |
| Above 65 to 70 | 7.5% | 9% | 16.5% |
| Above 70 | 5% | 7.5% | 12.5% |
CPF Board publishes these rates for Singapore Citizens and for Permanent Residents from their third year, with monthly wages above SGD 750. First and second year PRs pay lower graduated rates. These 2026 rates stay in force until 31 December 2026, and two bands rise after that, as set out in the 2027 section below.
On a monthly salary of SGD 6,000 for an employee aged 45, the total CPF contribution is 37% of SGD 6,000 = SGD 2,220 per month. Of that, you contribute SGD 1,200 (20%) and your employer adds SGD 1,020 (17%). To see your exact split, enter your salary and age into the CPF calculator.
What Changes From 1 January 2027?
From 1 January 2027, CPF rates rise for employees aged above 55 to 65. The rates below apply to wages earned from that date, for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents from their third year, with monthly wages above SGD 750. Brackets show the change from 2026 in percentage points.
| Age Group | Employee Rate | Employer Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Above 55 to 60 | 19% (+1) | 16.5% (+0.5) | 35.5% (+1.5) |
| Above 60 to 65 | 13% (+0.5) | 13% (+0.5) | 26% (+1) |
Rates for ages 55 and below, ages above 65, and first and second year PRs on graduated rates do not change. Sources: CPF Board rate table from 1 January 2027 and CPF FAQ on the 2027 senior worker changes.
On a monthly salary of SGD 6,000, an employee aged above 55 to 60 pays SGD 1,080 in 2026 and SGD 1,140 from January 2027, and the employer pays SGD 960 and then SGD 990, so the total goes from SGD 2,040 to SGD 2,130. Above 60 to 65, each side pays SGD 750 in 2026 and SGD 780 from January 2027, so the total goes from SGD 1,500 to SGD 1,560.
At the SGD 8,000 ceiling, the most an employee can pay on Ordinary Wages rises from SGD 1,440 to SGD 1,520 above 55 to 60, and from SGD 1,000 to SGD 1,040 above 60 to 65. Workers earning more than SGD 500 and up to SGD 750 a month pay phased-in rates, and their employee share becomes 0.57 of wages above SGD 500 for ages above 55 to 60, and 0.39 for ages above 60 to 65.
The increase goes into the Retirement Account, up to the Full Retirement Sum. Once you have set aside that sum, it goes to the Ordinary Account instead. The CPF allocation rate table from 1 January 2027 sets these ratios of the total contribution:
| Age Group | OA | RA | MA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Above 55 to 60 | 0.3382 | 0.3661 | 0.2957 |
| Above 60 to 65 | 0.1347 | 0.4615 | 0.4038 |
As a share of wages, that works out to about 12% OA, 13% RA and 10.5% MA above 55 to 60, and about 3.5% OA, 12% RA and 10.5% MA above 60 to 65.
What Is the Ordinary Wage (OW) Ceiling?
CPF contributions are not calculated on your entire salary if it exceeds a monthly ceiling. The CPF Ordinary Wage ceiling is SGD 8,000 per month from January 2026. Wages above this threshold are not subject to mandatory CPF contributions.
For example, an employee earning SGD 10,000 per month only pays CPF on SGD 8,000. The remaining SGD 2,000 is not included in the CPF calculation. This ceiling was raised from SGD 7,400 in 2025. It is the last step of the increases that began on 1 September 2023.
Additional Wage (AW) Ceiling
Bonuses and other variable payments (Annual Wage Supplement, performance bonuses) are subject to CPF contributions up to the Additional Wage ceiling. The AW ceiling is calculated as:
AW Ceiling = SGD 102,000 minus total Ordinary Wages subject to CPF for the year
For an employee earning SGD 6,000 per month (SGD 72,000 annually), the AW ceiling for bonus contributions would be SGD 102,000 minus SGD 72,000 = SGD 30,000. Any bonus above SGD 30,000 in that calendar year would not attract CPF contributions. The formula is on the CPF Board AW ceiling page.
How Is CPF Allocated Across Three Accounts?
Your total CPF contribution is split across three accounts, each serving a different purpose. The allocation shifts as you age, with a greater proportion moving toward retirement and healthcare as you grow older. From 55, the Retirement Account (RA) takes the place of the Special Account (SA).
| Age Group | OA (Housing) | SA or RA (Retirement) | MA (Healthcare) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 and below | 23% | 6% (SA) | 8% |
| Above 35 to 45 | 21% | 7% (SA) | 9% |
| Above 45 to 50 | 19% | 8% (SA) | 10% |
| Above 50 to 55 | 15% | 11.5% (SA) | 10.5% |
| Above 55 to 60 | 12% | 11.5% (RA) | 10.5% |
| Above 60 to 65 | 3.5% | 11% (RA) | 10.5% |
| Above 65 to 70 | 1% | 5% (RA) | 10.5% |
| Above 70 | 1% | 1% (RA) | 10.5% |
These percentages are a share of your wages, worked out by multiplying the ratios in the CPF Allocation Rates from 1 January 2026 table by the total contribution rate for each age group. Each row adds up to that total. For members aged above 55, the RA share goes to the RA up to the Full Retirement Sum, and any excess goes to the OA.
The CPF interest rates for 1 October to 31 December 2026 are 2.5% a year on the Ordinary Account and 4% a year on the Special, MediSave and Retirement Accounts. The Government pays extra interest on the first SGD 60,000 of your combined balances, of which no more than SGD 20,000 can come from the OA. That brings the maximum to 5% before age 55 and 6% after.
Voluntary Contributions
You can top up your CPF above the mandatory contribution amounts. Voluntary cash top-ups to your Special, Retirement or MediSave Account may qualify for income tax relief of up to SGD 8,000 per year, subject to the SGD 80,000 relief cap. Top-ups to the Special or Retirement Account earn at least the 4% floor rate, which CPF Board has extended to 31 December 2027. Top-ups that attract Matched Retirement Savings Scheme grants do not qualify for this relief.
Topping up an eligible family member's CPF account also qualifies for a separate SGD 8,000 tax relief. This makes voluntary CPF top-ups one of the more tax-efficient savings options available to working Singaporeans. See the CPF calculator for estimates of how top-ups affect your projected retirement balance.
Calculate your exact CPF split. Enter your age and monthly salary into the CPF contribution calculator to see your contributions and take-home pay. The calculator covers both the 2026 and the 2027 rates, including the account split for each age group.
CPF for Part-Time and Variable Income Workers
Your employer must pay CPF if you are a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident employee earning more than SGD 50 per month in total wages. If you earn above SGD 50 but not more than SGD 500, there is no employee share, and your employer pays only the employer share. Between SGD 500 and SGD 750, the employee share is worked out on a graduated formula. Self-employed persons do not have to contribute to the Ordinary or Special Account, but must contribute to MediSave if their annual net trade income exceeds SGD 6,000.
What Else Do People Ask?
What is the CPF contribution rate for employees under 55 in 2026?
From 1 January 2026, employees aged 55 and below earning more than SGD 750 a month contribute 20% of their ordinary wages to CPF, and employers contribute 17%, for a combined total of 37%. This is the highest combined rate and applies to the largest working-age group.
What is the CPF Ordinary Wage ceiling in 2026?
The Ordinary Wage (OW) ceiling is SGD 8,000 per month from January 2026. CPF contributions are calculated on the lower of your actual monthly salary or the OW ceiling. Wages above SGD 8,000 per month are not subject to mandatory CPF contributions.
How is CPF split across OA, SA, and Medisave?
The split depends on your age. For employees aged 35 and below, contributions work out to 23% of wages to the Ordinary Account, 6% to the Special Account, and 8% to Medisave. Above 55, the Special Account share goes to the Retirement Account, and the Ordinary Account share falls steeply with age.
What are the CPF contribution rates from 1 January 2027?
From 1 January 2027, employees aged above 55 to 60 contribute 19% and employers 16.5%, a total of 35.5%. For ages above 60 to 65 it is 13% each, a total of 26%. Rates for ages 55 and below, ages above 65, and first and second year PRs on graduated rates do not change.