If you’re going for maximum tax reliefs then it’s $7,000 this month (CPF e-Cashier PayNow QR on June 29 I suggest just to give the CPF Board a little buffer, although June 30 should work too), then $7,000 every January 30 (PayNow QR again, allowing one day of buffer again). If a sibling or two can do the same, even better. The tax relief maximum isn’t the contribution limit, though. You’re allowed to push in more, up to the Enhanced Retirement Sum. She’s a long way from the ERS. Just make sure you’re maintaining adequate liquidity after these top ups.
If she’s turning 65 next year then she was born in 1956. One thing to check is whether her RA is so low because she already joined CPF LIFE and had that premium deducted already. That’d be wonderful news if so, wouldn’t it? But if not then she has a choice of remaining with the classic Retirement Sum Scheme or choosing CPF LIFE. Either way she can also choose to start monthly payouts at 65 or at any time up to age 70. The longer she waits the higher her monthly payout will be. Unless she needs the income she ought to wait, and unless she’s in poor health CPF LIFE is probably the better choice to protect her. (RSS payouts may end before she does.)
Well, that’ll depend on whether and how much she has withdrawn previously. But she probably doesn’t want to be going down from her current low balances if she can avoid it.
If she qualifies that will be a good program. That doesn’t mean you should wait for it, though. This year’s tax relief is still presumably available.
Silly/“stupid“ question: has she received her deceased spouse’s CPF savings already, either via nomination or via the public trustee if there was no nomination?
I should also point out that you and/or other family members who have sufficiently well funded Special Accounts may be able to transfer Ordinary Account funds to her Retirement Account. There’s no tax relief for such transfers, but it could be a viable option.