Turning 55? Here's How to Keep Using CPF for Your Housing Loan (2026 Rates)

Getting a house these days is expensive as heck but when you actually get it (congrats!) and start repaying the loan, you don’t really feel the pinch that much if it comes out from your CPF Ordinary Account (OA). By using your CPF OA for housing loan repayment, you can steadily repay your mortgage for the next 10-25 years. 

But can you still use CPF for your housing loan after you turn 55 years old? Absolutely. There’s a common misconception that CPF automatically stops covering your housing loan at 55, but that’s not true. 

We’ll explain how you can keep using your CPF for housing loan repayment even after you turn 55 with the CPF pledge rule.

[ms-toc title="CPF Housing Loan Repayment After 55: The Pledge Rule"]

1. Can you still use CPF for your housing loan after 55? 

The short answer is yes. But your CPF OA savings get earmarked for your retirement sum first. 

So what happens is that when you turn 55, CPF automatically creates a Retirement Account (RA) for you. Whatever savings you have, up to your Full Retirement Sum (FRS) will be transferred from your Special Account and OA to your RA.

This means that you’re no longer automatically "free to spend" the way it was before 55. 

If you want to continue using your OA for CPF housing loan repayment, there are 2 things you can do: 

1) Apply to save your OA funds for housing 

On CPF’s website, you can apply to reserve all or part of your OA funds for housing loan repayments. This must be done within 6 months BEFORE your 55th birthday. There’s a minimal processing time of 5 working days so don’t wait till 23:59 on the night of your birthday. 

This lets you use your OA funds to continue repaying your housing loan. 

However, it also means that you have less in your RA and will not enjoy the 4% interest there. Your OA funds will continue earning 2.5% interest. The good thing is that if you want to change the amount reserved in your OA, you can write in to CPF or if you want to cancel it entirely. 

2) Continue using CPF contributions 

If you’re still working after 55 (which is quite likely since the retirement age keeps going up) and are still contributing to your CPF through your monthly salary, you can continue using these new contributions for housing loan payments. 

But take note that the contribution rates to your OA decrease after 55 and even more as you hit 60, 65, and 70, as more funds are allocated towards your RA and MediSave. So if you plan on continuing using your OA, make sure you have enough funds. 

There's a third lever too—pledging your property—which frees up even more OA cash for your loan. Here's how that works.

Back to top

2. The CPF pledge rule, explained

Firstly, what does it mean to pledge your property? Pledging your property allows you to withdraw a lump sum from your CPF Retirement Account (RA) after age 55 by using your home as security instead of keeping the full cash requirement locked in CPF.

When you turn 55 and your RA is set up, CPF sets aside a specific amount of cash—the Full Retirement Sum (FRS) in your RA. This funds your retirement payouts. 

When you pledge a property that you own, CPF allows you to reduce your required cash reserve down to the Basic Retirement Sum (BRS), which is half of the FRS. In exchange, a legal charge/pledge is attached to your property. 

What you’re pledging is a charge on the property title, not a mortgage, so this means you still retain ownership of your house. 

But first, here’s a quick look at the different retirement sums for this year and next year, including the Enhanced Retirement Sum (ERS), which is for those who want to get even higher monthly payouts. 

So if you pledge your property, since your RA only needs to have the BRS amount, you have more money left in your OA. This balance can then be used to continue repaying your housing loan. 

You are eligible to pledge your property under the following conditions:

• You must be the owner or co-owner of the property 
• The remaining lease of your property can cover you till age 95
• Your expected CPF housing refund* on its own is not enough to cover the difference between the BRS and FRS

(*the CPF housing refund is the amount you need to pay back to your CPF accounts if you sell/transfer your home.)

Back to top

3. What if you don't pledge? Using the Full Retirement Sum instead

If you decide not to pledge your property when you turn 55, you cannot withdraw from your RA down to the BRS. 

This means you must set aside up to the FRS in your RA in order to get cash withdrawals for your retirement. 

This means less of your CPF is freed up now to repay your housing loan, but it also means you get a bigger CPF payout, so you just have more money to spend in your golden years. 

Either way—pledged or not—here's what actually happens to your monthly loan payments once your retirement sum is locked in.

Back to top

4. CPF housing loan repayment after 55: how it actually works

Once your retirement sum is set aside, you will not be able to use your RA savings for housing loan repayment.  

What’s left in your OA account can be used for housing—depending on whether you’ve reserved your OA for housing or have ongoing CPF contributions if you’re continuing to work. If you’re short of money in your OA, you have to pay in cash. 

Of course, repaying isn't the end of the story—selling later brings its own CPF rules.

Back to top

5. What happens when you sell a pledged property 

If you sell or transfer a property that has been pledged, you need to refund CPF a large sum of money, including: 

• Principal amount withdrawn from CPF for the property
• Accrued interest 
• Pledged amount (will be go toward your RA)

Any excess goes to the OA.

With both paths mapped out, here's how they stack up side by side.

6. Should you pledge or keep the Full Retirement Sum?

Choosing whether to pledge your property or keep the FRS is a trade-off between having cash at 55 or having guaranteed income in your later years.

Here’s a comparison based on what you choose: 

Ultimately, it depends on what your needs are at the moment, how much you have in your CPF account and whether you can continue paying for your housing loan. 

Need more info about housing loans? Check out our guide on HDB Loan vs Bank Loan: What HDB Buyers Should Know in 2026 or compare the best home loan rates in Singapore.