CPF Account Value Thread 2026

[fr33d0m]

The risk-adjusted net present value is more likely to be higher for the other CPF LIFE payout plans in these circumstances (individual topping up their RA to the ERS, plenty of other assets, age 70 payout start, good health at 69.X) compared to the Basic Plan.

The RA-NPV difference is likely to be small as a percentage of net worth for a wealthy person, but that still doesn't mean it's wise to choose the smaller RA-NPV.

LOL. When all the stars are aligned....

 

[BBCWatcher]

That means escalating plan is no go for me.

Because…?

 

[fire]

Because…?

I prefer standard payout

 

[JivBunny]

My vital statistics
- CPF OA + CPF SA + CPF MA + CPFIS (at market value) + HDB principal and accrued interest withdrawn = ~1.25m SGD
- if HDB is valued at market valuation instead = ~1.35m SGD

The background
- 53 year old married male as at today
- started from 0 SGD in CPF accounts in 1996
- No cash top up into CPF
- No BTO, new launch EC luck ever
- 45k CPF HDB housing grant for purchase of resale HDB 4room in JW in 2008 June
- Some withdrawal of MA for medical and insurance purposes
- Some transfer of OA to SA to capture the higher interest rate
- software engineer for 29 years
- salary during career seldom hit on the CPF annual salary ceiling, been getting average salary most of my career despite NUS CS (Merit) degree. The strategy is a tortoise-vs-hare strategy where the slow-and-steady over long period of time has a higher probability of success - I've low unemployment downtime over my career - been gainfully employment most of the time constantly contributing to my accounts
- lifetime paper and realized profits and dividends of CPFIS account is ~400k SGD
- I've little outside of my CPF ecosystem, only around 480k SGD due to commitments to family/parents/church. Thus, I'm deeply grateful with the enforced saving discipline instilled by the CPF board
- I've been very careful with how I deploy my funds in CPF, having seen many of my peers screwed up their CPF, e.g. I bought low-cost HDB 4room in JW and have not moved since 2008; been happily married to the same lovely wife; using highly diversified low-costs ETF/Unit Trusts as CPFIS vehicle to capture the growth in world economy - I've no wish for Elon Musk/Bill Gates riches but screwing up my retirement safety net is a big no-no
- been grateful for the Lord for giving me such a bountiful retirement harvest in my CPF accounts, may He continues to bless and guide me with wisdom in the journey ahead. He'll forever be the cornerstone in my heart.

That’s very impressive .

Can you share some insights on ur CPFIS? Eg like which ETF/UT are you currently vested?

 

[laokorkor]

That’s very impressive .

Can you share some insights on ur CPFIS? Eg like which ETF/UT are you currently vested?

My CPFIS:

73,000 shares STI ETF
74,731.54 units Infinity Global Stock Index SGD C
28.32813 units Amundi IS Core MSCI Emerg Mkts A12S Acc

That's all, nothing else in my CPFIS..

Total CPFIS ~459k SGD

I'm currently dollar-cost-averaging into the Amundi unit trusts. With the runup in STI ETF, I'm currently strongly home bias for my CPFIS. My transactions in my CPFIS have been only buy dollar-cost-averaging since 2017. There's totally no sell transaction since 2017. Hopefully those fund management companies don't kaput or discontinue these products, the stingy part of me loathes paying brokerages to switch investments or generate downtime in the markets.

These investments are some of the very few collective instruments that are low costs. If you guys have lobangs, please ping in this thread - I'd love to look into them! LOL!

 

[highsulphur]

My CPFIS:

73,000 shares STI ETF
74,731.54 units Infinity Global Stock Index SGD C
28.32813 units Amundi IS Core MSCI Emerg Mkts A12S Acc

That's all, nothing else in my CPFIS..

Total CPFIS ~459k SGD

I'm currently dollar-cost-averaging into the Amundi unit trusts. With the runup in STI ETF, I'm currently strongly home bias for my CPFIS. My transactions in my CPFIS have been only buy dollar-cost-averaging since 2017. There's totally no sell transaction since 2017. Hopefully those fund management companies don't kaput or discontinue these products, the stingy part of me loathes paying brokerages to switch investments or generate downtime in the markets.

These investments are some of the very few collective instruments that are low costs. If you guys have lobangs, please ping in this thread - I'd love to look into them! LOL!

Do you invest much outside of cpf? All in equities?

 

[laokorkor]

Do you invest much outside of cpf? All in equities?

Outside CPF, I've only

2,000 shares Vanguard FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield UCITS ETF (LSE)
20,000 shares iShares Core MSCI Asia ex Japan ETF (HKEX)
and 6 months emergency fund in DBS multiplier account

Around 490k SGD. The 2 ETFs were selected to tilt away from the CPFIS STI ETF and CPF OA/SA/MA SGD home bias.

My STI ETF in CPF and LSE ETF outside CPF have been spitting out a reasonable amount of dividends, which I like. I know some of you advocate total returns investing, but that's just me - recall that personal finance is personal. LOL!

 

[highsulphur]

Outside CPF, I've only

2,000 shares Vanguard FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield UCITS ETF (LSE)
20,000 shares iShares Core MSCI Asia ex Japan ETF (HKEX)
and 6 months emergency fund in DBS multiplier account

Around 490k SGD. The 2 ETFs were selected to tilt away from the CPFIS STI ETF and CPF OA/SA/MA SGD home bias.

My STI ETF in CPF and LSE ETF outside CPF have been spitting out a reasonable amount of dividends, which I like. I know some of you advocate total returns investing, but that's just me - recall that personal finance is personal. LOL!

So you don't have any bond component? Or is that just SA of cpf?

 

[laokorkor]

So you don't have any bond component? Or is that just SA of cpf?

Yes. You're right.

Seen as a whole, I've a fully paid HDB 4room flat, and 69/31 stock/bond portfolio if bond is taken as emergency fund+CPF OA/SA/MA balance.

 

[highsulphur]

Yes. You're right.

Seen as a whole, I've a fully paid HDB 4room flat, and 69/31 stock/bond portfolio if bond is taken as emergency fund+CPF OA/SA/MA balance.

I thought I was already quite aggressive for equities but you are even more

 

[laokorkor]

I thought I was already quite aggressive for equities but you are even more

Depends on how you look at it. For my portfolio:

- Within 1+ year, I'll have access to CPF (turned 55).
- Also, 2 of my ETFs generate good dividends (passive income)
- dividend equities have less price volatility
- own a home and not a lick of debts

 

[BBCWatcher]

Seen as a whole, I've a fully paid HDB 4room flat, and 69/31 stock/bond portfolio if bond is taken as emergency fund+CPF OA/SA/MA balance.

I thought I was already quite aggressive for equities but you are even more

A 69/31 stocks/bonds portfolio is almost exactly what Vanguard chooses at about age 55 for their target date funds.

 

[kickass22]

The risk-adjusted net present value is more likely to be higher for the other CPF LIFE payout plans in these circumstances (individual topping up their RA to the ERS, plenty of other assets, age 70 payout start, good health at 69.X) compared to the Basic Plan.

The RA-NPV difference is likely to be small as a percentage of net worth for a wealthy person, but that still doesn't mean it's wise to choose the smaller RA-NPV.

The difference in Payout between Basic Plan and Standard plan is v. small and I don't see the benefit of choosing Standard Plan at age 65. I also can't see why wait till 70 .

 

[JivBunny]

My CPFIS:

73,000 shares STI ETF
74,731.54 units Infinity Global Stock Index SGD C
28.32813 units Amundi IS Core MSCI Emerg Mkts A12S Acc

That's all, nothing else in my CPFIS..

Total CPFIS ~459k SGD

I'm currently dollar-cost-averaging into the Amundi unit trusts. With the runup in STI ETF, I'm currently strongly home bias for my CPFIS. My transactions in my CPFIS have been only buy dollar-cost-averaging since 2017. There's totally no sell transaction since 2017. Hopefully those fund management companies don't kaput or discontinue these products, the stingy part of me loathes paying brokerages to switch investments or generate downtime in the markets.

These investments are some of the very few collective instruments that are low costs. If you guys have lobangs, please ping in this thread - I'd love to look into them! LOL!

It’s very impressive

What are you using to buy your ETF? Vickers or Poems?

 

[fr33d0m]

The difference in Payout between Basic Plan and Standard plan is v. small and I don't see the benefit of choosing Standard Plan at age 65. I also can't see why wait till 70 .

65 vs 70 is more about whether you want to start payout at 65. CPF LIFE is not a game....

 

[kickass22]

65 vs 70 is more about whether you want to start payout at 65. CPF LIFE is not a game....

I think I was discussing about two point :

1) Between Basic & Standard , the payout difference is small from what I see in the CPF estimator and I don't see the need to move to Standard Plan as I feel the Basic Plan as far more benefits than the standard Plan.

2) Drawing down your CPF Life 65 & 70 : My perspective is that you want to use your money when you are younger than older. So for me at least, I feel drawing down at 65 makes more sense than 70 plus. I can get higher payout at 70.

I certainly know the CPF is not a game....why else would I be reading and trying to understand it.

Appreciate your comments if your view is different from this.

 

[DevilPlate]

Thank you for your sharing and insights. Likewise, I am like you, a strong advocate for CPF

Shared this two days back on another thread.

Did full VHR to my CPF over the years.

Now.


CPF Total $1, 192, 322.79

OA 602, 648.45

SA 330, 041.63

MA 79, 000

CPFIS 180, 632.70

50 this year.

CPF is a good bond component. I will probably increase my CPFIS component over the next 2 years.

Are u going for max ERS upon 55yo? (Including yr spouse if any)

 

[DevilPlate]

I think I was discussing about two point :

1) Between Basic & Standard , the payout difference is small from what I see in the CPF estimator and I don't see the need to move to Standard Plan as I feel the Basic Plan as far more benefits than the standard Plan.

2) Drawing down your CPF Life 65 & 70 : My perspective is that you want to use your money when you are younger than older. So for me at least, I feel drawing down at 65 makes more sense than 70 plus. I can get higher payout at 70.

I certainly know the CPF is not a game....why else would I be reading and trying to understand it.

Appreciate your comments if your view is different from this.

For eg. let say u totally don’t need the payout between 65-70yo and u have few hundred Ks spare cash sitting in the bank…..you still want to start at 65yo?

All depends but yeah most people will start at 65yo since money not enough or can use the extra payout for holiday and other discretionary spending.

 

[tehhalia]

It’s non binary, can start between 65-70. If half way through like 67you feel like you want to draw Liao can start also.

 

[fr33d0m]

I think I was discussing about two point :

1) Between Basic & Standard , the payout difference is small from what I see in the CPF estimator and I don't see the need to move to Standard Plan as I feel the Basic Plan as far more benefits than the standard Plan.

2) Drawing down your CPF Life 65 & 70 : My perspective is that you want to use your money when you are younger than older. So for me at least, I feel drawing down at 65 makes more sense than 70 plus. I can get higher payout at 70.

I certainly know the CPF is not a game....why else would I be reading and trying to understand it.

Appreciate your comments if your view is different from this.

Let’s look from the drawdown perspective. I assume that you have outside assets which you can draw down, too.

CPF LIFE is relatively non-replenishable and with 4% guaranteed return(Basic, minus the longevity insurance, which I believe everyone should participate fully for tail risk). If you make more than 4% balanced long term return outside CPF, you should draw down CPF LIFE earlier. Then it also comes down to how much RA you would have at 65.