CPF Account Value Thread 2026

[Andrew833]

https://www.cpf.gov.sg/service/arti...irement-account-savings-via-property-pledging

Just for everyone info. It seems BRS cannot be chosen at the point of RA creation. It is done AFTER RA is created. And to that smart aleck who say they will send letter can DIY online choose BRS please see above cannot leh.

Must be when the person reach age 55 (birthday), RA form on that day. Then log into CPF website to see for yourself.

 

[Andrew833]

Step 3 answer my one question. The other question is how to do BRS your post say online can do but in my other post with cpf url is need make appointment and cpf officer do for us. Anyway when I decide to do BRS I will then share

Bro, it's auto one, once you reach age 55 with property to last till age 95. You are auto with property pledge. Try to transfer RA to OA, you will know is it automated liao.

 

[mizarahi]

“All 3 account” VC3As (the portions that land in SA and OA), plus accrued interest on those amounts, can be withdrawn in lump sums from age 55+ if otherwise qualified.

A property pledge is not automatic. You have to take action to do it, and it’s inextricably linked to reducing your RA. You can ask the CPF Board to do this either shortly before 55 (to limit your RA funding level) or anytime before CPF LIFE payouts start.

You may already have a qualifying property charge in place (meaning a qualifying house that you’ve paid for using OA dollars). If so, you can skip the property pledge part, but you still must take action if you want to reduce your RA.

Yes, but that would reduce or eliminate your property charge. If you then want to reduce your RA (or even keep your RA reduced if previously reduced), you may need to pledge your property.

Shortly before age 55 the CPF Board will send you a letter explaining your choices. Nowadays practically everything is done online.

I remain mystified why there’s so much forum interest in reducing a government guaranteed, high yielding pension with a monthly payout that’s already too low to a pension level that’s ridiculously too low. I really wish there’d be at least as many questions about increasing your pension somewhere above the “default” FRS level. Too many of you have lost the plot.

Several of my cohort do not want to contribute to the interest pooling. Therefore, they chose BRS.
I did not ask them about annuity planning as they are richie rich.

 

[highsulphur]

Several of my cohort do not want to contribute to the interest pooling. Therefore, they chose BRS.
I did not ask them about annuity planning as they are richie rich.

They are practically able to self insured. But the irony is that extra money freed up means very little to them if they are that rich and probably make sense financially to get at least FRS

 

[sohguanh]

Bro, it's auto one, once you reach age 55 with property to last till age 95. You are auto with property pledge. Try to transfer RA to OA, you will know is it automated liao.

If you read royalmix post this auto is when you cannot meet FRS at the point of RA creation. After RA is created you can opt for BRS to withdraw half of your FRS from RA. This process is not auto you either DIY or book appt with cpf officer they help you submit.

 

[Andrew833]

If you read royalmix post this auto is when you cannot meet FRS at the point of RA creation. After RA is created you can opt for BRS to withdraw half of your FRS from RA. This process is not auto you either DIY or book appt with cpf officer they help you submit.

I personally experience it but didn't do the transfer from RA to OA. That's why I can't confirm on this. (If you meet FRS)

If you didn't meet FRS but above BRS, and you have property pledge, then you consisted meet the FRS criteria.

If you still in doubt, better speak to cpf officer.

I got problem reading royalmix post, recent one too technical? Previous posts, mostly direct from CPF website.
I share what I experience.

 

[sohguanh]

I personally experience it but didn't do the transfer from RA to OA. That's why I can't confirm on this. (If you meet FRS)

If you didn't meet FRS but above BRS, and you have property pledge, then you consisted meet the FRS criteria.

If you still in doubt, better speak to cpf officer.

I got problem reading royalmix post, recent one too technical? Previous posts, mostly direct from CPF website.
I share what I experience.

But royalmix post did mention if you still got use OA to pay say house after age 55 it is best you write in or request cpf to reserve that sum of monies so it will not get wiped into RA. The 5k + X (reserved) in OA will not be touched and flow into RA. This step obviously has to be done prior to RA creation. But of cuz if your SA alone can meet FRS non-issue.

 

[Andrew833]

But royalmix post did mention if you still got use OA to pay say house after age 55 it is best you write in or request cpf to reserve that sum of monies so it will not get wiped into RA. The 5k + X (reserved) in OA will not be touched and flow into RA. This step obviously has to be done prior to RA creation. But of cuz if your SA alone can meet FRS non-issue.

If your OA + SA did not meet FRS, before you go into age 55, then you need to ask CPF to reserve for you. Standard is all into RA, left 5k for you.
I thought you meet FRS already.

 

[mizarahi]

They are practically able to self insured. But the irony is that extra money freed up means very little to them if they are that rich and probably make sense financially to get at least FRS

Agreed. I told them the interest gain for not pooling is very minimal between BRS and FRS.
Guess different stroke for different folks.

 

[sohguanh]

If your OA + SA did not meet FRS, before you go into age 55, then you need to ask CPF to reserve for you. Standard is all into RA, left 5k for you.
I thought you meet FRS already.

Yes I meet. I am more kpo to know after meet FRS there exist a way to downgrade to BRS and it exist but come with strings attached. E.g cpf monies after 55 go back into RA since it is now half of FRS. But housing refund after 55 still can do so still got way out.

 

[royalmix]

Yes I meet. I am more kpo to know after meet FRS there exist a way to downgrade to BRS and it exist but come with strings attached. E.g cpf monies after 55 go back into RA since it is now half of FRS. But housing refund after 55 still can do so still got way out.

Since you only kpo, I deleted my post

I dun have, I also kpo, I better stop kpo ok, good luck.

 

[royalmix]

Several of my cohort do not want to contribute to the interest pooling. Therefore, they chose BRS.
I did not ask them about annuity planning as they are richie rich.

Agreed. I told them the interest gain for not pooling is very minimal between BRS and FRS.
Guess different stroke for different folks.

Are you sure you know what they are talking about?
Do you know how risk pooling works?
Everyone who join CPF Life has to contribute to risk pooling.
They did not tell you the key story.

 

[Andrew833]

Yes I meet. I am more kpo to know after meet FRS there exist a way to downgrade to BRS and it exist but come with strings attached. E.g cpf monies after 55 go back into RA since it is now half of FRS. But housing refund after 55 still can do so still got way out.

Bro, it's auto one, once you reach age 55 with property to last till age 95. You are auto with property pledge. Try to transfer RA to OA, you will know is it automated liao.
(Already post this earlier)
CPF auto transfer SA and OA to RA to form FRS. With property to last till age 95, you can try transfer from RA to OA (BRS) or keep in RA. (Near age 65 then transfer to withdraw also can.)

 

[BBCWatcher]

They are practically able to self insured. But the irony is that extra money freed up means very little to them if they are that rich and probably make sense financially to get at least FRS

Also ironic that, on average, the minority of CPF members who can genuinely self-insure against longevity risk are also more likely to live longer. (Lifespan is loosely positively correlated with wealth.)

But yeah, there are more than a few people who'd rather hoard vast quantities of dollars in predictably low yielding fixed deposits, T-bills, SSBs, other SGSes, and CPF OA instead of putting a relatively small portion of that big pile in CPF RA at age 55. (Oh the "horrors" of 15 years of 4.0% p.a. interest, thence a superb life annuity from age 70.) It doesn't make any logical or financial sense, but "whatever."

Yes I meet. I am more kpo to know after meet FRS there exist a way to downgrade to BRS and it exist but come with strings attached. E.g cpf monies after 55 go back into RA since it is now half of FRS.

No, it doesn't work that way. The portion of compulsory contributions (and VC3As for that matter) earmarked for RA stops flowing into RA once it's "adequately" funded. "Adequately" means you've met at least the Full Retirement Sum, and up to half the FRS can be met with a qualifying property pledge or charge. If you've met this threshold, the RA part automatically flows into OA.

Bro, it's auto one, once you reach age 55 with property to last till age 95. You are auto with property pledge.

No, there's nothing automatic about a property pledge. However, if you've used OA dollars to pay for a home, you likely have a valid property charge in place already. I believe that's what you mean in this context.

You would only ever pledge your property if you don't already have a property charge and you want to make a lump sum withdrawal from your RA. There's no point to a property pledge otherwise. I suppose you could pledge your property as part of a S$1 lump sum withdrawal from your RA (if you want to see how it works).

 

[sohguanh]

With property to last till age 95, you can try transfer from RA to OA (BRS) or keep in RA.

I think from royalmix post and cpf link when you withdraw your FRS to BRS it is monies credited to you I presume via PayNow nowadays. Always remember to withdraw from OA die die must have FRS. FRS is the holy grail by hook by crook try to meet so later all other cpf OA withdrawal is doable.

 

[Andrew833]

I think from royalmix post and cpf link when you withdraw your FRS to BRS it is monies credited to you I presume via PayNow nowadays. Once you got the cash you can top up to your OA but why do that becuz with BRS you cannot withdraw from OA liao. Always remember to withdraw from OA die die must have FRS. FRS is the holy grail by hook by crook try to meet so later all other cpf OA withdrawal is doable.

I don't understand this logic leh.
From another thread: https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/threads/cpf-life-standard-plan.7220258/page-2
The person age 65, start CPF Life, can opt to withdraw 20% of RA, this money is transfer into OA for his withdrawal. So, you can't withdraw from RA, only from OA.

Only OA can withdrawal vs PayNow to your bank account, immediately.

 

[sohguanh]

The person age 65, start CPF Life, can opt to withdraw 20% of RA, this money is transfer into OA for his withdrawal. So, you can't withdraw from RA, only from OA.

Ok now question is on age 65 which is still far from me. I more interested in age 55. Maybe royalmix is old enough to offer on age 65 onwards stories

 

[Andrew833]

Ok since you trust me, I tell age 65 stories. He (above guy) is confused with the rules. Different withdrawals have different rules with different reasons/objectives.

U pledge property, CPF approve and make the payment out of RA via paynow.

Age 65, you apply to withdraw 20%, CPF calculates, approve and make the transfer from RA to OA if you choose to start CPF Life Payout - that amt is reserved in OA for your withdrawal for immediate needs.

You request to start CPF Life Payout, CPF approve and make payout every mth to your paynow account, auto.

Yes, he is very confuse, questions until I'm abit confuse

 

[sohguanh]

Ok since you (sohguanh) trust me, I tell age 65 stories. He (above guy Andrew833) is confused with the rules. Different withdrawals have different rules with different reasons/objectives.

U pledge property, CPF approve and make the payment out of RA via paynow.

Age 65, you apply to withdraw 20%, CPF calculates, approve and make the transfer from RA to OA if you choose to start CPF Life Payout - that amt is reserved in OA for your withdrawal for immediate needs.

You request to start CPF Life Payout, CPF approve and make payout every mth to your paynow account, auto.

Thanks for age 65. I also found the cpf link. Based on the pic e.g 2 never select is age 70 and you never withdraw but it will still transfer the withdrawable amount to your OA. This cpf still got some heart I guess because age 70 soon go up lorry liao give ppl chance to withdraw even if they did not ask for.

https://www.cpf.gov.sg/service/arti...ayouts-how-is-the-amount-transferred-computed

 

[Andrew833]

@sohguanh
FYI, after age 55, if RA less than FRS but more than BRS. Monthly salary contribution to OA and MA only. If MA already reach BHS then only to OA.
I think at at age 65, CPF then transfer your OA to RA to fulfill FRS. (If OA got money to transfer)