CPF OA Interest in Singapore: Your Questions Answered
These are the questions people ask most often about cpf oa interest. Each answer is short; follow the links for the full detail.
What does a cpf oa interest calculation tell me?
Projects your CPF Ordinary Account balance with the 2.5% floor rate and regular contributions.
What is the formula?
Uses monthly compounding as an approximation of CPF's monthly accrual and annual crediting.
What do I need to enter?
Current OA balance (S$), Monthly contribution (S$), Years, Interest rate (%).
Are these figures exact?
They follow the published CPF and MOM formulas, but your employer's payroll may round slightly differently or include allowances in a different way. Your payslip is the final reference.
Can you show an example?
For example, with these inputs:
- Current OA balance (S$): 50,000
- Monthly contribution (S$): 1,000
- Years: 10
- Interest rate (%): 2.5
the calculator returns:
- Projected OA balance: S$200,356.52
- Interest earned: S$30,356.52
Any tips?
- First- and second-year PRs contribute at graduated rates unless they opt in to full rates, so their figures will be lower.
- Overtime eligibility depends on your salary and role under Part IV of the Employment Act, not just your job title.
- CPF rates drop in steps after age 55, so check which age band applies from the month after your birthday.
Background
Contribution rates fall as workers get older, to keep older workers employable while their retirement savings continue to grow. The Government has been raising rates for workers above 55 in stages since 2022, with the latest change in January 2026 and another planned for 2027, so figures for senior workers change more often than for younger employees.
The Central Provident Fund is Singapore's mandatory savings scheme for citizens and permanent residents. Contributions are shared between employee and employer and flow into the Ordinary Account for housing, education and investment, the Special Account for retirement, and MediSave for healthcare. Because the money is locked up for specific purposes, many people underestimate how much of their total pay it represents.
CPF distinguishes between ordinary wages, which are paid for work in the month such as basic salary and fixed allowances, and additional wages, such as annual bonuses and leave encashment. Ordinary wages are capped at S$8,000 a month from January 2026, while additional wages are capped by an annual ceiling of S$102,000 minus the ordinary wages already subject to CPF in the year.
Related calculations
- CPF Contribution Calculator: Works out the monthly CPF contribution for Singapore Citizens and third-year-onwards PRs, split into employee and employer shares, using the 2026 rates and the S$8,000 Ordinary Wage ceiling.
- Take-Home Pay Calculator: Shows what lands in your bank account each month after the employee CPF deduction, for Singapore Citizens and full-rate PRs.
- Employer CPF & Hiring Cost Calculator: Estimates the full monthly cost of employing a local worker: salary, employer CPF and the Skills Development Levy.
- CPF on Bonus (Additional Wage) Calculator: Calculates CPF on a bonus or other additional wage using the AW ceiling of S$102,000 minus the ordinary wages already subject to CPF in the year.
Try it yourself with the CPF OA Interest Calculator.
Run your own numbers: CPF OA Interest Calculator