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Singapore CPF Rates by Age

Free Singapore CPF rates calculator. Employee and employer contribution rates step down with age, from 37 percent under 55 to lower bands for older workers.

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CPF contribution by age band.

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CPF rates are not one flat number

Most people know the headline 37 percent CPF rate, 20 percent from the employee and 17 percent from the employer, but that figure only holds up to age 55. After that it steps down through four senior bands, because the policy goal shifts from building savings to keeping older workers employable while still adding to their nest egg. This tool applies the correct split for the age band you pick and shows the employee share, the employer share, and the combined contribution on your monthly wage.

The wage ceiling that caps the maths

CPF is not charged on your entire salary if you earn well. Ordinary Wage contributions are levied only up to the monthly Ordinary Wage ceiling, which rose to $8,000 from 1 January 2026 as part of a multi-year increase. Earn $12,000 a month and CPF still applies only to the first $8,000, so the contribution flattens out above the ceiling. This calculator applies that cap automatically, which is why a high salary does not produce a proportionally higher CPF figure.

A $6,000 salary under and over 55

Take a worker earning $6,000 a month, below the $8,000 ceiling so the full wage counts. In the 55-and-below band the employee pays 20 percent, which is $1,200, and the employer adds 17 percent, which is $1,020, for a total of $2,220 going into CPF each month. Move the same worker into the above-55-to-60 band and the rates fall to 17 and 15.5 percent, trimming the total to $1,950.

On a $6,000 wageEmployeeEmployerTotal
55 and below$1,200$1,020$2,220
Above 55 to 60$1,020$930$1,950
Above 60 to 65$690$720$1,410
Monthly CPF on $6,000, age 55 and below Employee $1,200 Employer $1,020 Total into CPF: $2,220 a month (37%) The employer 17% is on top of your salary, not deducted from it. Only the employee $1,200 reduces your take-home. Above 55 both shares fall, so the bar shrinks each band.

Where the money goes by age

The total is only half the story. CPF splits each contribution across the Ordinary, Special or Retirement, and MediSave accounts, and that allocation also shifts with age. Younger workers see the bulk routed to the Ordinary Account, which can fund a home, while older workers have more channelled to MediSave and retirement, where it earns the higher 4 percent floor rate. So two people contributing the same dollar amount can end up with very different balances by purpose depending on their age band. A separate CPF allocation tool on this site breaks down that split.

For an employer running payroll, the age band matters for budgeting too, because the 17 percent employer share on a worker aged 55 and below is a real cost on top of salary. When you weigh hiring an older worker, the lower senior employer rate slightly reduces that on-cost, though the gap has narrowed as senior rates have risen. The point is that the headline salary a candidate negotiates is not the full cost to the business, and this tool makes the employer slice visible alongside the employee deduction so both sides see the same picture.

A note on permanent residents

New Singapore permanent residents do not start on the full rates straight away. For the first two years of PR status, both employee and employer contribute at graduated rates that ramp up toward the standard figures, a transition arrangement that softens the impact on take-home pay for someone who has just converted. This calculator uses the standard age-banded rates, so a recently approved PR in their graduated years should expect lower contributions than shown here until the full rate kicks in. Citizens and PRs past the graduated period use the rates modelled above.

Frequently asked

Why did senior CPF rates go up recently?

Singapore has been raising contribution rates for workers above 55 in steps over several years to strengthen retirement adequacy as people live and work longer. The increases are shared between employer and employee, and they narrow the old gap where senior rates dropped sharply. The figures in this tool reflect the current senior rates, but they are still scheduled to rise further for some bands, so check the CPF Board for the latest before relying on them for payroll.

Does my bonus get CPF too?

Yes, but under a separate Additional Wage ceiling rather than the monthly Ordinary Wage ceiling used here. The Additional Wage ceiling is the annual total wage ceiling of $102,000 minus the Ordinary Wages that already attracted CPF for the year. This calculator covers the monthly salary contribution only, so for a year with a large bonus you would add the Additional Wage piece separately.

Frequently asked questions

Do CPF rates drop after 55?
Yes. The total 37% rate (20% employee, 17% employer) applies up to age 55, then steps down for the 55-60, 60-65, 65-70 and over-70 bands. Senior worker rates have been rising in recent years to strengthen retirement adequacy.
What is the CPF Ordinary Wage ceiling in 2026?
The monthly Ordinary Wage ceiling rose to $8,000 from 1 January 2026, up from $6,800 in 2023. This is part of a phased increase announced by the CPF Board. CPF contributions on ordinary monthly wages are capped at this ceiling regardless of actual salary, so a worker earning $10,000 a month pays employee CPF on only $8,000.
Are CPF contributions compulsory for Singapore permanent residents?
Yes, CPF contributions are mandatory for both Singapore citizens and permanent residents (PRs) working in Singapore under a contract of service. New PRs in their first two years of PR status contribute at graduated rates that are lower than the full citizen rates. From the third year onward, PRs contribute at the same age-banded rates as citizens. Work pass holders such as Employment Pass and S Pass holders are not covered by CPF.
Does a bonus attract CPF contributions?
Yes. Bonuses and other additional wages are subject to CPF under the Additional Wage (AW) ceiling, which is calculated as $102,000 minus the total Ordinary Wages that already attracted CPF for that calendar year. For example, if an employee earned $72,000 in ordinary wages in the year, only the first $30,000 of bonuses in that year would attract CPF. Amounts above the AW ceiling are not subject to CPF contributions for either the employee or the employer.

Related calculators

Sources

  1. CPF Board — Contribution Rates and Wage Ceilings, Central Provident Fund Board, Singapore
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