The Fifth C

CPF Withdrawal at Age 55 — How Much Can You Take Out?

At 55, CPF creates your Retirement Account and sets aside a Retirement Sum. Here's exactly how that works, and how much you can actually withdraw in cash.

What Happens at 55

On your 55th birthday, CPF Board combines your Ordinary Account (OA) and Special Account (SA) balances and uses them to open a new Retirement Account (RA). A Retirement Sum is set aside in the RA — by default the Full Retirement Sum of $220,400 — to fund your CPF LIFE payouts from age 65 onward.

Anything left over after setting aside your chosen Retirement Sum, plus your MediSave Account balance (untouched), is yours to withdraw in cash — subject to a $5,000 minimum withdrawal amount.

Retirement sums and withdrawal rules per data/constants.json. Source: CPF Board.

The Three Retirement Sums

Sum Amount Requires
Basic Retirement Sum (BRS) $110,200 Property pledge or charge covering the BRS-FRS gap
Full Retirement Sum (FRS) $220,400 Default — no property pledge needed
Enhanced Retirement Sum (ERS) $440,800 Voluntary top-up for a higher monthly payout

Figures shown are current CPF Board figures. See the retirement planner to project your own balance.

Related CPF Tools

CPF Retirement Planner Project your balance at 55 and 65 CPFIS Investing Should you invest your OA? OA/SA/MA Breakdown Where your contributions go FIRE Calculator CPF LIFE factored into early retirement

CPF Withdrawal at 55 — Frequently Asked Questions

How much CPF can I withdraw at age 55?
At 55, your OA and SA balances are combined and used to set aside your Retirement Sum in a new Retirement Account (RA) — by default the Full Retirement Sum ($220,400). Any amount above what's needed to meet your chosen Retirement Sum (after setting aside your CPF property charge, if any) can be withdrawn in cash, subject to a minimum withdrawal of $5,000.
What is the difference between BRS, FRS, and ERS?
The Basic Retirement Sum ($110,200) applies if you have a property charge or pledge covering the difference. The Full Retirement Sum ($220,400) is the default — exactly 2x the BRS. The Enhanced Retirement Sum ($440,800) is 4x the BRS and the maximum you can voluntarily set aside for a higher monthly CPF LIFE payout. You choose how much to set aside between BRS and ERS; whatever is above that (down to BRS if you have sufficient property pledge) can be withdrawn.
Can I withdraw all my CPF at 55 if I have a paid-up HDB flat?
No — having a paid-up property does not let you withdraw everything. You can pledge your property to set aside only the Basic Retirement Sum instead of the Full Retirement Sum, which frees up more cash for withdrawal, but you must still set aside at least the BRS in your Retirement Account (in cash or via the property pledge).
Do I have to withdraw my CPF at 55, or can I leave it in?
Withdrawal is optional. Many people leave excess funds in their CPF accounts to continue earning CPF interest — the Retirement Account pays 4.0% per year, plus extra interest tiers on top (such as an extra 1% on the first $40,000 of combined SA/RA balances for members 55 and above), which is often higher than fixed deposit rates. Funds in the RA continue earning this interest until CPF LIFE payouts begin at age 65 (or later if deferred).
When do CPF LIFE payouts start?
CPF LIFE payouts begin at your chosen payout start age, which can be anywhere from 65 to 70. Deferring your payout start age increases your monthly payout by up to 7% per year deferred. Between 55 and the payout start age, your Retirement Account balance continues to earn interest.