# Withdrawing CPF at 55 and 65: what you can take and what stays for retirement

> What happens to your Special and Ordinary Account savings at 55, how much you can withdraw with or without the Full Retirement Sum or a property, what you can take at 65, and how the CPF LIFE premium is paid.

- Tool: [CPF Withdrawal Calculator](https://toolsg.com/en/cpf-withdrawal-calculator)
- Language: en (available: en, zh)
- Last verified against official sources: 2026-10-28
- Source site: ToolSG — a planning guide, not official or financial advice. Cite the agencies listed under Sources.

## Key figures at a glance

| Fact | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Retirement Account at 55 | SA first, then OA, up to the FRS — Created on your 55th birthday. The Special Account then closes and any leftover goes to your OA. | [CPF Board](https://www.cpf.gov.sg/member/retirement-income/milestones/reaching-age-55) |
| If you cannot set aside the FRS | $5,000 can be withdrawn — The rest goes to your Retirement Account. | [CPF Board](https://www.cpf.gov.sg/member/retirement-income/milestones/reaching-age-55) |
| Property owners | Up to half the FRS set aside with property — Lease must last to at least age 95. RA savings above the BRS can then be withdrawn. | [CPF Board](https://www.cpf.gov.sg/member/retirement-income/retirement-withdrawals/withdrawing-for-immediate-retirement-needs) |
| At 65 (born 1958 or later) | Up to 20% of RA savings — What you do not withdraw or use to raise payouts moves to your Ordinary Account. | [CPF Board](https://www.cpf.gov.sg/service/article/what-will-happen-to-my-cpf-savings-when-my-monthly-payouts-start) |
| Automatic CPF LIFE membership | At least $60,000 of retirement savings — Singapore Citizens and PRs born in 1958 or later, when payouts start. | [CPF Board](https://www.cpf.gov.sg/member/retirement-income/milestones/reaching-age-65) |
| CPF LIFE payouts start | Any time from 65 to 70 — Deferring raises payouts by up to 7% for each year. | [CPF Board](https://www.cpf.gov.sg/member/retirement-income/milestones/reaching-age-65) |

## Your CPF from 55 to 65: step by step

Most of this happens automatically; knowing the steps helps you decide what to withdraw.

1. **Turn 55** (Your 55th birthday) — Your Retirement Account is created from SA savings, then OA savings, up to the Full Retirement Sum. The Special Account then closes. Tools: [CPF Retirement Sum Calculator (BRS / FRS / ERS)](https://toolsg.com/en/cpf-retirement-sum-calculator)
2. **Decide what to withdraw** (From 55) — If the FRS is set aside, OA savings above it can be withdrawn, in as many withdrawals as you like. If not, $5,000 can be withdrawn. Property owners can use the property route.
3. **Choose when payouts start** (Between 65 and 70) — CPF LIFE payouts can start any time from 65 to 70. Deferring raises them by up to 7% for each year.
4. **Pay the CPF LIFE premium** (One week before payouts start) — The premium is paid from your RA. If you have not met the FRS in cash, OA savings move into the RA up to the FRS first.
5. **Decide on the 65 withdrawal** (From 65) — Up to 20% of RA savings at 65 can be withdrawn. What you do not withdraw or use to raise payouts moves to your OA.

## What happens at 55

On your 55th birthday CPF creates your **Retirement Account (RA)**. Your **Special Account savings move in first, then your Ordinary Account savings**, up to the **Full Retirement Sum (FRS)** for the year you turn 55. The Special Account then closes and any leftover goes to your Ordinary Account.

## What you can withdraw from 55

| Your situation | What you can withdraw |
| --- | --- |
| FRS set aside (in cash, or with property and cash) | Ordinary Account savings above the FRS, in as many withdrawals as you like |
| FRS cannot be set aside | $5,000. The rest goes to your Retirement Account |
| You own property with a lease lasting to at least age 95 | Set aside up to half the FRS with the property, and withdraw RA savings above the Basic Retirement Sum |

If you sell the property you must refund the withdrawn savings with interest, which restores your RA to the FRS. Interest earned, government grants and top-ups are generally not withdrawable under the property route.

## At 65

For members born in 1958 or later:

- **Up to 20% of your RA savings at 65** can be withdrawn from 65. What you do not withdraw or use to raise your payouts moves to your Ordinary Account for later cash withdrawals.
- Your **CPF LIFE premium** is paid from your RA one week before payouts start. If you have not set aside the FRS in cash, OA savings move into the RA up to the FRS first.
- You are included in CPF LIFE automatically with at least **$60,000** of retirement savings when payouts start.
- Payouts can start **any time from 65 to 70**, and deferring raises them by up to 7% a year.

CPF's pages say the additional amount at 65 excludes cash top-ups, CPF transfers and government grants, but do not say whether the 20% is taken before or after removing them. The calculator removes the amount you enter first and then takes 20%. Your Retirement Dashboard is the authority.

## Worked examples

| Case | Result |
| --- | --- |
| Turn 55 in 2026, SA $150,000 and OA $100,000 | RA set to $220,400; $29,600 can be withdrawn |
| Same, using the property route | RA kept at $110,200; $139,800 can be withdrawn |
| Turn 55 with $80,000 in total | $5,000 withdrawn; $75,000 to the RA |
| At 65, RA $213,000, OA $40,000, FRS $213,000 | Lump sum $42,600; premium $170,400 if withdrawn |

## Withdrawal limits

Online withdrawals have a default daily limit of $2,000, which you can raise to a maximum of $50,000.

## Common mistakes

- **Expecting a Special Account at 55.** It closes.
- **Forgetting the refund on the property route.** Selling the property means refunding the withdrawn savings with interest.
- **Treating the 20% as guaranteed.** Check your Retirement Dashboard.
- **Withdrawing everything at 65.** A lower RA means lower lifelong payouts.

## Related tools

- [CPF retirement sum calculator](https://toolsg.com/en/cpf-retirement-sum-calculator) — FRS, BRS, ERS and example payouts.
- [CPF contribution calculator](https://toolsg.com/en/cpf-calculator) — how your accounts grow.
- [CPF top-up tax relief calculator](https://toolsg.com/en/cpf-top-up-tax-relief-calculator) — topping up your RA.

## Frequently asked questions

**How much CPF can I withdraw at 55?**

If your savings cover the Full Retirement Sum, you can withdraw the Ordinary Account savings above it. If not, you can withdraw $5,000. Property owners can also withdraw RA savings above the Basic Retirement Sum by pledging the property.

**What happens to my Special Account at 55?**

It closes. Its savings move into your Retirement Account up to the FRS, and any leftover goes to your Ordinary Account.

**How much can I withdraw at 65?**

For members born in 1958 or later, up to 20% of RA savings at 65. What is not withdrawn or used to raise payouts moves to the Ordinary Account.

**When do CPF LIFE payouts start?**

Any time between 65 and 70. Deferring raises payouts by up to 7% for each year.

**Am I included in CPF LIFE automatically?**

If you are a Singapore Citizen or PR born in 1958 or later with at least $60,000 of retirement savings when payouts start.

**Is this the exact amount CPF will allow?**

No. It is an estimate. Your CPF Retirement Dashboard shows your exact withdrawable amount.


## Sources

- [CPF Board — Reaching age 55](https://www.cpf.gov.sg/member/retirement-income/milestones/reaching-age-55) — Retirement Account creation, the Special Account closing and the $5,000 (page updated 17 Dec 2025).
- [CPF Board — Withdrawing for immediate retirement needs](https://www.cpf.gov.sg/member/retirement-income/retirement-withdrawals/withdrawing-for-immediate-retirement-needs) — Withdrawing from 55, the property route and the daily withdrawal limit (page updated 11 Jun 2026).
- [CPF Board — How much CPF savings can I withdraw from age 55 to 64?](https://www.cpf.gov.sg/service/article/how-much-cpf-savings-can-i-withdraw-from-age-55-to-64) — Withdrawals with and without the FRS (page updated 4 Feb 2026).
- [CPF Board — Reaching age 65](https://www.cpf.gov.sg/member/retirement-income/milestones/reaching-age-65) — Payout start age, the premium, the OA transfer and CPF LIFE eligibility (page updated 14 Sep 2026).
- [CPF Board — What will happen to my CPF savings when my monthly payouts start?](https://www.cpf.gov.sg/service/article/what-will-happen-to-my-cpf-savings-when-my-monthly-payouts-start) — The 20% of RA savings at 65 (page updated 21 Aug 2026).