YA2026 Tax Checklist: CPF Projection Calculator & Year-End Top-Up Planning

At a glance

Forecast your CPF retirement balances before year-end top-ups

Before making any year-end contributions, use a retirement projection tool to understand your CPF trajectory. This forecast shows your OA, SA, MA, and RA balances at age 55, 60, and 65, revealing whether you will meet the Basic Retirement Sum (BRS), Full Retirement Sum (FRS), or Enhanced Retirement Sum (ERS).

The Stax CPF projection calculator lets you model voluntary top-up scenarios, compare OA-to-SA transfer outcomes, and estimate CPF LIFE monthly payouts. Enter your current CPF balances, salary, and age to see how different year-end top-up amounts affect your retirement sum and CPF LIFE income. Plan your contributions before the 31 December deadline.

What does YA2026 mean for your tax filing?

Year of Assessment 2026 covers income you earned in calendar year 2025. You typically file your YA2026 tax return between March and April 2026. If you are reading this in 2026 and planning for income earned in 2026, your contributions and reliefs will be claimed in YA2027, which you file in early 2027.

The year-end deadline matters because CPF voluntary top-ups, SRS contributions, and other relief-generating actions must be completed by 31 December of the income year. Once the calendar year ends, you generally cannot backdate these contributions. Run your CPF forecast early to understand whether year-end top-ups align with your retirement sum targets.

Key dates for YA2026 and YA2027 planning

Documents and CPF records to gather

Before you file or estimate your tax, collect these records. Start by gathering your current CPF balances from cpf.gov.sg, as you will need them for the retirement projection tool. IRAS pre-fills some data, but you are responsible for verifying accuracy and adding any missing income or relief details.

1. Employment income statements for all jobs held in 2026.
2. Bonus and variable payment confirmations.
3. CPF contribution statements from your employer or CPF Board.
4. Trade income and expense records if you have self-employment income.
5. Bank interest, dividend, and rental income records.
6. SRS contribution receipts and statements.
7. CPF voluntary top-up receipts if you made cash top-ups.
8. Course fee receipts for skills upgrading and professional development.
9. Life insurance premium statements.
10. Donation receipts from IRAS-approved institutions.

Reliefs to review before filing

Singapore personal income tax reliefs are capped at S$80,000 per year, excluding CPF contributions and donations. Check which reliefs you qualify for and whether you are approaching the cap.

Verify current caps and eligibility with IRAS. Rules and amounts may change year to year.

CPF top-up vs SRS: which year-end move fits your retirement plan?

Both CPF voluntary top-ups and SRS contributions reduce your taxable income, but CPF top-ups offer guaranteed interest, boost CPF LIFE payouts, and align directly with your retirement trajectory. Use your projection results to decide which option fits your retirement sum goals.

For many salaried professionals, CPF top-ups work better if you want guaranteed CPF interest rates (2.5% OA, 4% SA/RA), are closer to retirement and want to boost CPF LIFE payouts, or need to catch up to meet BRS or FRS. SRS works well if you can lock up the cash until retirement, your marginal tax rate is above 7%, and you are already on track to meet your CPF retirement sum targets.

How to plan your YA2027 year-end contributions

1. Run the CPF projection calculator to see your retirement sum trajectory at age 55, 60, and 65.
2. Decide if voluntary CPF top-ups make sense based on your projection results.
3. Add up gross employment income, bonus, trade income, and other taxable income.
4. Subtract automatic reliefs like mandatory CPF contributions and Earned Income Relief.
5. Subtract claimable reliefs like parent relief, child relief, and donations.
6. Model CPF top-up and SRS scenarios using the tax calculator to see the tax impact before you commit.
7. Check the S$80,000 personal relief cap to ensure your reliefs are not wasted.

Running your CPF projection and tax numbers early gives you time to adjust contributions, gather receipts, and avoid missing the 31 December deadline.

Year-end tax moves to consider

What if you miss the 31 December deadline?

If you miss the year-end deadline for SRS or CPF top-ups, you generally cannot claim the relief for that income year. You can still contribute in the following year, but it will apply to the next Year of Assessment.

For most other reliefs like parent relief, child relief, and course fees, you can claim them when you file your tax return as long as you have the supporting documents. But contribution-based reliefs like SRS and CPF must be completed by the deadline.

Common year-end planning mistakes to avoid

1. Making CPF top-ups without first checking your retirement sum trajectory.
2. Maxing out SRS without checking your retirement forecast and the S$80,000 personal relief cap.
3. Contributing to SRS when you may need the cash before retirement.
4. Forgetting to claim parent relief or child relief when you become eligible mid-year.
5. Missing the 31 December deadline because payroll delays your bonus confirmation.