Retirement Gap Calculator

It depends on your lifestyle. The median Singaporean household spends around S$4,500 per month. If you target S$5,000 per month in today's dollars, inflate for 25 years at 2.5%, and fund 30 years of retirement, you need roughly S$1.5 to S$1.8 million in private savings. That number drops significantly if CPF covers a portion. Read the full breakdown: How Much Do You Need to Retire in Singapore?

Conservative (4% to 5%): mostly bonds, T-bills, SSBs, CPF SA. Balanced (6% to 7%): mix of equities and income assets. Growth (7% to 9%): equity-heavy portfolio including REITs, dividend stocks, and broad market ETFs. The S&P 500 has returned approximately 10% annually over the long run, but Singapore-focused portfolios typically return 6 to 8%. Use 6% as a reasonable middle-ground assumption. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

CPF Ordinary Account and Special Account savings grow at 2.5% to 4% and are used to buy your home or fund your CPF LIFE payout. In this calculator, we account for CPF LIFE as a monthly income offset, not as a lump sum. This is more accurate because CPF LIFE pays monthly for life, not in one go at retirement. Your "investable savings" input should exclude CPF and property equity.

Three levers: retire later (more years to save, fewer years to fund), spend less in retirement (reduces the target number), earn more on investments (higher return rate reduces monthly savings needed). Most people underestimate how much each lever moves the number. If the gap feels large, start with the S.H.I.F.T. Method overview: The S.H.I.F.T. Method.

Your HDB provides shelter, not income, unless you right-size (sell and buy smaller), rent out a room, or use the Lease Buyback Scheme. These are real options but not reliable as your primary retirement income strategy. This calculator focuses on investable assets that generate predictable returns. Property is best treated as a bonus, not the plan.

The CPF withdrawal age is 55, but CPF LIFE payouts start at 65. Many professionals target retirement between 55 and 65. Those following the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) approach aim for 45 to 55. The earlier you retire, the longer the retirement window and the larger the gap. Retiring at 55 instead of 65 adds 10 years of retirement to fund, and reduces accumulation by 10 years. That difference is substantial.