How to Calculate CPF Allocation (OA, SA, MA) in Singapore: A Step-by-Step Guide
Shows how each month's 37% CPF contribution is split between your Ordinary, Special and MediSave accounts by age group.
In Singapore, payslip maths decides how much you can save, invest and spend, and CPF takes a sizeable share before the money reaches your bank account. Knowing the numbers in advance makes salary negotiations, job switches and budgeting far less of a guess.
What you need
- Monthly salary (S$)
- Age group
Step by step
- Enter the monthly salary (S$).
- Enter the age group.
- The results update as you type, or press Calculate.
- Read the ordinary account first, then the supporting figures below it.
The formula
Each account receives a fixed percentage of wages: for 35 and below it is 23% OA, 6% SA and 8% MA, with more shifting to SA and MA as you get older.
Worked example
For example, with these inputs:
- Monthly salary (S$): 5,000
- Age group: 35 and below
the calculator returns:
- Ordinary Account: S$1,150.00
- Special Account: S$300.00
- MediSave Account: S$400.00
- Total: S$1,850.00
A second example
Now change the inputs to:
- Monthly salary (S$): 6,250
- Age group: 35 and below
the calculator returns:
- Ordinary Account: S$1,437.50
- Special Account: S$375.00
- MediSave Account: S$500.00
- Total: S$2,312.50
Practical tips
- Use your basic salary plus fixed allowances as the ordinary wage; bonuses are additional wages with their own ceiling.
- Overtime eligibility depends on your salary and role under Part IV of the Employment Act, not just your job title.
- Remember the S$8,000 monthly Ordinary Wage ceiling from January 2026: salary above it does not attract CPF.
- CPF rates drop in steps after age 55, so check which age band applies from the month after your birthday.
Background
Payslips must be itemised, showing basic pay, allowances, overtime, deductions and CPF. Comparing a payslip against an independent calculation is the easiest way to catch mistakes, especially in the first month of a new job, after a pay rise, or when you cross an age band.
The Employment Act sets out how hourly and daily rates are calculated for overtime, public holiday work and salary deductions. These formulas use the monthly basic rate of pay rather than gross salary, which is why the numbers can look lower than a simple division of your salary by hours worked.
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.
Related calculations
- Pro-Rated Annual Leave Calculator: Calculates leave earned for part of a year.
- Salary Converter (Annual, Monthly, Hourly): Converts an annual package into monthly, weekly, daily and hourly figures.
- CPF OA Interest Calculator: Projects your CPF Ordinary Account balance with the 2.5% floor rate and regular contributions.
- CPF Special Account Interest Calculator: Projects Special Account growth at the 4% floor rate.
Want to skip the arithmetic? The free CPF Allocation Calculator (OA, SA, MA) does all of this instantly and updates as you type.
Run your own numbers: CPF Allocation Calculator (OA, SA, MA)