Account created at age 55, formed by transferring OA + SA up to your chosen Retirement Sum. It funds your CPF LIFE monthly payouts from age 65.
The Retirement Account is created automatically on your 55th birthday. It's funded by combining your CPF Ordinary and Special Account balances, up to the Retirement Sum you've selected (BRS, FRS, or ERS).
RA exists for one purpose: to fund your monthly CPF LIFE payouts from age 65. Until then, the balance earns the same 4% guaranteed interest as your SA did.
On your 55th birthday, CPF sweeps your SA balance into RA up to your chosen Retirement Sum. Any shortfall is made up from your OA.
If your SA + OA combined doesn't reach your chosen Retirement Sum, your RA gets whatever is available. You'll receive a lower CPF LIFE payout but the scheme still applies.
Excess SA stays in SA earning 4%. Excess OA stays in OA earning 2.5%. From 2025, SA is closed for those above 55 — surplus SA above the FRS / ERS goes to OA, not back to SA.
From 55, RSTU top-ups go to RA directly. Tax relief of up to S$8,000 / year for self top-ups (and the same again for family-member top-ups).
You can top up RA all the way to the current Enhanced Retirement Sum (4× BRS from 2025). Once at ERS, no further top-ups are allowed.
Each top-up increases your eventual CPF LIFE monthly payout. Roughly: every additional S$10,000 in RA at 55 → S$50 – S$60 extra monthly payout from 65.
You can withdraw any RA balance above the Basic Retirement Sum at 55 — provided you own a property in Singapore with sufficient remaining lease.
Without a property: you keep the FRS in RA. The amount above FRS (i.e. any ERS top-ups) you also keep — those don't become withdrawable.
RA payouts: paid monthly via CPF LIFE from age 65 (or deferred up to 70 for higher payouts). Once you join CPF LIFE, the RA balance is committed — you can't reverse the decision.
The RA is created automatically on your 55th birthday by transferring your OA + SA balances up to your chosen Retirement Sum (BRS, FRS, or ERS). It earns 4% guaranteed and funds your CPF LIFE monthly payouts from age 65.
On your 55th birthday, CPF transfers your SA balance first, then OA, up to the chosen Retirement Sum. Whatever you don't reach goes into RA anyway (you just get smaller CPF LIFE payouts). Any excess above the Retirement Sum stays in OA (and historically SA, until SA was closed for 55+ from 2025).
Yes — via RSTU cash top-ups up to the ERS ceiling. Top-ups qualify for income tax relief (S$8,000/year self + S$8,000 family). Every S$10,000 added to RA roughly adds S$50 – S$60 to your monthly CPF LIFE payout.
Limited withdrawals only. You can withdraw any RA balance above the BRS at 55 if you own property (with at least 95-year remaining lease). Otherwise you keep at least the FRS. Once CPF LIFE payouts start, the committed RA balance is locked — payouts continue for life.