CPF / Take-Home Pay Calculator (Singapore)
Your Singapore salary and your actual take-home pay differ by two things: your CPF contribution, which is deducted from your paycheck but stays yours (in your CPF accounts) rather than disappearing like tax, and IRAS income tax, which is assessed annually rather than withheld from each paycheck the way many other countries do it. This calculator estimates your monthly CPF deduction using 2026 rates and projects your annual IRAS income tax, so you can see both your real take-home cash flow and what to set aside for your tax bill.
How CPF Contributions Work
CPF is a mandatory savings scheme, not a tax — the money deducted from your paycheck goes into your own CPF Ordinary, Special, and MediSave accounts, and your employer adds a separate contribution on top at no cost to you. For 2026, employees aged 55 and below contribute 20% of wages (employer adds 17%, for 37% combined), with lower rates at older age bands. Contributions apply only up to the Ordinary Wage ceiling of S$8,000 per month — salary above that isn’t subject to CPF.
Why Singapore Doesn’t Withhold Tax From Your Paycheck
Unlike the U.S. or many other countries, Singapore doesn’t deduct income tax from each paycheck. Instead, IRAS assesses your tax annually based on the income you declare, and you receive a Notice of Assessment with the amount due, payable as a lump sum or via a GIRO instalment plan (commonly up to 12 months). That’s why this calculator shows an annual tax figure and a suggested monthly set-aside amount rather than a per-paycheck deduction — there genuinely isn’t one.
A Few Practical Notes
This calculator applies CPF relief (contributions reduce taxable income) but doesn’t model other common reliefs — Earned Income Relief, spouse/child reliefs, course fees relief, and others — which most taxpayers qualify for and which would lower the tax estimate shown here. It also assumes standard employee CPF rates and doesn’t cover Additional Wages (bonuses), which have their own annual ceiling. Use the official IRAS tax calculator for a precise figure that accounts for your full relief entitlement.
Freedom Wealth Lab Apps provides general educational tools, not personalized financial or tax advice. Read our full Disclaimer and Affiliate Disclosure. Data sources: IRAS resident income tax rates and CPF Board 2026 contribution rates.
