How to Calculate CPF OA Interest in Singapore: A Step-by-Step Guide

Updated 5 Oct 2026 in CPF & Salary

Projects your CPF Ordinary Account balance with the 2.5% floor rate and regular contributions.

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

• Current OA balance (S$)
• Monthly contribution (S$)
• Years
• Interest rate (%)

Step by step

1. Enter the current oa balance (S$).
2. Enter the monthly contribution (S$).
3. Enter the years.
4. Enter the interest rate (%).
5. The results update as you type, or press Calculate.
6. Read the projected oa balance first, then the supporting figures below it.

The formula

Uses monthly compounding as an approximation of CPF's monthly accrual and annual crediting.

Worked 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

A second example

Now change the inputs to:

• Current OA balance (S$): 62,500
• Monthly contribution (S$): 1,000
• Years: 10
• Interest rate (%): 2.5

the calculator returns:

• Projected OA balance: S$216,402.66
• Interest earned: S$33,902.66

Practical tips

• Keep a copy of your payslips: MOM requires employers to issue itemised payslips, which makes checking deductions easy.
• First- and second-year PRs contribute at graduated rates unless they opt in to full rates, so their figures will be lower.
• 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

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.

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.

Total compensation in Singapore is more than the number on your offer letter. Employer CPF, variable bonuses, the Annual Wage Supplement (often called the 13th month) and benefits all add value, and comparing offers on take-home pay alone can hide meaningful differences.

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.

Want to skip the arithmetic? The free CPF OA Interest Calculator does all of this instantly and updates as you type.

Run your own numbers: CPF OA Interest Calculator