CPF Accrued Interest Calculator
Paying for your home with CPF isn't free — you give up the OA interest, and must refund it when you sell. See how much that 'accrued interest' adds up to.
Compounded at the 2.5% OA interest rate.
Accrued interest (opportunity cost)
$41,279
The CPF interest you give up by paying with CPF instead of cash
CPF principal used
$240,000
Refund to CPF on sale
$281,279
Principal + accrued interest
Estimates only, using monthly compounding at the current 2.5% OA rate. Your real accrued interest depends on the exact dates and amounts of each CPF withdrawal. On sale, the principal + accrued interest returns to your CPF — it stays yours, but it's locked in CPF rather than cash. Check your CPF statement for the precise figure.
The hidden cost of paying with CPF
Using your CPF OA to buy a home is convenient, but the money you withdraw stops earning the 2.5% OA interest. CPF tracks the interest you would have earned and asks for it back — together with your principal — when you sell. The longer you hold, the bigger this accrued interest grows.
It matters most at sale time: a large slice of your proceeds can go straight back into CPF rather than your bank account. To see the full picture, use the property sale proceeds calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is CPF accrued interest?
When you use your CPF Ordinary Account (OA) to pay for a home, that money stops earning the ~2.5% OA interest. CPF tracks the interest you would have earned — the "accrued interest" — and when you sell, you must refund the principal you used plus this accrued interest back into your CPF.
Do I lose the accrued interest?
No — the refund goes back into your own CPF account, not to anyone else. But it does mean a chunk of your sale proceeds returns to CPF rather than your bank account, and it keeps growing the longer you hold the property.
How is it calculated?
CPF charges compound interest at the OA rate (currently 2.5% a year) on each amount you withdrew, from the time you withdrew it. This tool approximates that with monthly compounding: an upfront lump sum compounds for the full period, and the monthly installment amounts compound as they accumulate.
What if I sell at a loss?
If your sale proceeds aren’t enough to fully refund CPF, special rules apply — you generally refund what you can from the proceeds, and the accrued-interest shortfall may be waived if you sold at or above market value. Check the CPF Board for your exact situation.