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Register for the event
Endowus invites you to our exclusive event with Macquarie Asset Management, as we discuss unlocking opportunities in Infrastructure- a $1.3tn asset class.
This event is reserved for Accredited Investors (AIs) only. To register for the event, please indicate one of the following:
- The Retirement Sum Topping-Up Scheme (RSTU) lets you make voluntary cash top-ups to your Special Account (SA) or Retirement Account (RA), earning a risk-free floor interest rate of 4% per annum.
- Cash top-ups to yourself qualify for up to $8,000 in tax relief per calendar year; topping up to a loved one’s account qualifies for an additional $8,000 worth of tax relief
- The 2026 top-up ceiling is $220,400 (the Full Retirement Sum, or FRS) for members below 55, and $440,800 (the Enhanced Retirement Sum, or ERS) for members aged 55 and above—but tax relief only applies to top-ups up to the FRS, not beyond it.
For CPF members who want to grow their retirement savings efficiently, the Retirement Sum Topping-Up Scheme (RSTU) offers a compelling combination: risk-free, compounding returns alongside a meaningful tax benefit. But the rules vary by age, the top-up limit resets every year, and the decision to top up cannot be undone. This guide covers what you need to know to make an informed decision for 2026.
What is the Retirement Sum Topping-Up Scheme (RSTU)?
The RSTU is a voluntary scheme administered by the CPF Board that allows CPF members to make cash top-ups to their own or their loved ones' Special Account (SA) or Retirement Account (RA). The money earns a floor interest rate of 4% per annum, compounded annually — and for cash top-ups, you may also enjoy tax relief in the same calendar year.
Who tops up to which account depends on age. If you are below 55, top-ups go to your SA. If you are 55 or above, they go to your RA, because your SA will close when you turn 55.
It is also worth distinguishing between two ways to build up your SA or RA. A cash top-up under RSTU involves putting fresh funds directly into your SA or RA. A CPF transfer moves existing OA savings internally to your SA or RA. Both earn the same 4% interest rate and both are irreversible. However, only cash top-ups qualify for tax relief.
What are the CPF top-up limits for 2026?
How much you can top up depends on your age and your existing CPF balances. The CPF Board sets a ceiling each year, and it rises annually.
If you are below 55
Top-ups go to your SA and are capped at the current year's FRS, less your existing SA savings and SA investments. The 2026 FRS is $220,400.
If you are 55 and above
Top-ups go to your RA and are capped at the current year's ERS, less your existing RA savings and RA savings used for CPF LIFE premiums. The 2026 ERS is $440,800—four times the Basic Retirement Sum (BRS). The ERS increases every January, so members who have already topped up to the previous year's ERS can make additional top-ups each new year.
What do these amounts translate to in monthly payouts?
The retirement sum you set aside directly determines your future CPF LIFE (CPF Lifelong Income for the Elderly) payout. Based on CPF Board estimates for members who turn 55 in 2026, using the CPF LIFE Standard Plan at 4% interest:
To check your personalised top-up limit and how much more you can contribute, log in to your CPF Retirement Dashboard.
How much tax relief can you get from topping up CPF?
Tax relief for topping up to your own CPF account
Cash top-ups to your own SA or RA qualify for up to $8,000 in tax relief per calendar year. This relief is available to the person making the top-up, not the recipient.
One important limit to note: tax relief applies only to top-ups up to the FRS—not beyond it. If you are aged 55 or above and choose to top up from your FRS to the higher ERS, the portion above your FRS does not generate additional tax relief.
Tax relief for topping up your loved ones’ CPF
If you make cash top-ups to a loved one's SA or RA, you can claim an additional $8,000 in tax relief per calendar year, bringing the combined maximum to $16,000 per year.
Loved ones, by CPF’s definition, refers to your parents, parents-in-law, grandparents, grandparents-in-law, spouse, and siblings. For spouse and siblings, they must not have had annual income exceeding $8,000 in the year before the top-up, or must be handicapped, in order for you—as the giver—to receive tax relief on top-ups made to their accounts.
Tax relief is not available for top-ups made to other CPF members such as friends or distant relatives—but those top-ups can still be made if you wish to help grow someone else's retirement savings.
What about MediSave top-ups?
Voluntary cash top-ups to the MediSave Account (MA) are eligible for the same tax relief, but they share the same $8,000 tax relief cap as RSTU top-ups to your SA or RA.
MediSave top-ups are capped at the Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS), which is $79,000 in 2026 for members below age 65. Once your MA reaches the BHS, any further contributions are redirected to your SA or RA.
What is the deadline for CPF top-up tax relief?
Tax relief for CPF top-ups is assessed on a calendar-year basis. To qualify for tax relief in the following year's income tax assessment, your top-up must be completed by 31 December.
Beyond the tax deadline, there is a separate financial argument for topping up as early in the year as possible. CPF interest is calculated monthly and credited annually. According to CPF, topping up in January rather than December can earn you up to 20% more interest over ten years.
What else do you need to know before topping up?
CPF top-ups are irreversible
This is the most consequential rule in the RSTU. Cash top-ups and CPF transfers are both irreversible—the money is committed to building retirement savings for higher payouts and cannot be withdrawn for any other purpose. Before topping up, consider whether you need to preserve liquidity elsewhere. If you plan to use your OA savings to finance a property purchase, for instance, it is worth ensuring that buffer remains in place first.
The Matched Retirement Savings Scheme (MRSS)
For eligible lower-income seniors, the government matches every dollar of cash top-ups made to the RA, up to $2,000 per year with a lifetime cap of $20,000. This matching grant is credited to the recipient's RA at the start of the following year.
One important constraint: top-ups that attract the MRSS matching grant do not qualify for tax relief. If you are topping up for a parent or family member who is eligible for MRSS, the matched portion cannot simultaneously generate tax relief for you as the giver. You can check eligibility via the CPF Retirement Dashboard.
The Matched MediSave Scheme (MMSS)
From 2026 to 2030, the government is also running the Matched MediSave Scheme (MMSS) — a parallel scheme for MediSave top-ups. Eligible CPF members aged 55 to 70 with MA balances below half the prevailing BHS may receive a dollar-for-dollar matching grant of up to $1,000 per year. As with MRSS, top-ups that attract the MMSS grant do not qualify for tax relief.
Should you top up your CPF or invest your cash?
For most members, topping up SA or RA at least to the tax-relief ceiling ($8,000 self) is straightforward to justify: the risk-free 4.0% p.a. return plus the tax saving are attractive benefits.
The more nuanced question arises for members who have already hit the FRS or ERS, or who are weighing the opportunity cost of locking money into CPF versus deploying it in an investment portfolio. CPF savings are illiquid by design: they are committed to retirement payouts and cannot be accessed early for other needs. Members with a longer time horizon, a higher risk tolerance, or specific goals—early financial independence, a property purchase, a business—may find it more appropriate to direct surplus savings into an investment account rather than continue topping up CPF beyond the tax-relief ceiling.
The decision is rarely binary. Many members may find that topping up to the $8,000 tax relief limit and then directing additional savings into a separately managed investment portfolio gives them the best of both worlds. Some may even find that the tax relief at their current income bracket is not worth the illiquidity.
Endowus Flagship Portfolios offer broad diversification to capture opportunities and spread risks across geographies and sectors. Available for cash and CPF investing, enjoy full flexibility to choose from six portfolios with varying allocations to equities and fixed income to suit your goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon—explore them here.
Frequently asked questions about CPF top-ups under the RSTU scheme
How do you make a CPF top-up to yourself or a loved one?
Cash top-ups for yourself and loved ones under the RSTU can be made on the CPF website. These are the pages to do so:
If you are topping up for a loved one, you will need their NRIC.
As a parent, can I make a cash top-up to my child’s CPF account, and do I get tax relief?
You can make a cash top-up directly to your child's Special Account (SA) via the RSTU or to their MediSave Account (MA) to give them an early financial head start. However, you will not receive any tax relief for topping up your child's CPF accounts.
Is there a limit on how much tax relief I qualify for from CPF top-ups?
Yes, in two ways. First, RSTU cash top-ups to yourself and voluntary MediSave contributions share a combined self-relief cap of $8,000. Cash top-ups to eligible loved ones give you a further $8,000, for a maximum of $16,000 under RSTU.
Second, a broader personal income tax relief cap of $80,000 applies to all reliefs combined, including CPF top-ups. If your total reliefs already approach this ceiling, additional top-ups may not generate further tax savings—though they still grow at 4% per annum.
Do I have to claim tax relief for CPF top-ups?
No, the CPF Cash Top-up Relief is granted automatically based on records sent to IRAS by CPF.
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