Does my Will cover my CPF savings in Singapore?

No. CPF savings (OA, SA, MA, RA) are governed exclusively by the CPF Nomination -- not by your Will. If you have no CPF Nomination, your CPF monies are distributed by the Public Trustee under the Intestate Succession Act formula, regardless of what your Will says.

Does my CPF Nomination cover my property?

No. The CPF Nomination only governs your CPF account balances. Your property is governed by your Will (or intestacy rules if no Will). However, CPF used for a property purchase must be refunded to your CPF OA when the property is sold -- those refunded funds then fall under the CPF Nomination.

What happens if my Will and CPF Nomination name different beneficiaries?

Both instruments are followed independently. If your Will says 'everything to my brother' but your CPF Nomination says 'wife', your wife receives the CPF monies and your brother receives everything else (including property proceeds). They do not override each other -- they operate in parallel.

What is the CPF Nomination and how do I make one?

A CPF Nomination is a legal document filed with the CPF Board directing who receives your CPF savings (OA, SA, MA, RA) on your death. You can make or update it online at the CPF website at any time while you are mentally capable. You can nominate multiple people with specified percentages.

Does marriage revoke a CPF Nomination?

Yes. Marriage automatically revokes any existing CPF Nomination. You must make a new nomination after getting married. Similarly, marriage revokes any existing Will -- both documents must be updated after every major life event.

What happens to CPF monies if there is no nomination?

The CPF Board pays the monies to the Public Trustee, who distributes them under the Intestate Succession Act formula. The Public Trustee charges administrative fees of 0.15%–6% of the amount before distribution. On a $300,000 CPF balance, this fee can reach $3,000–$18,000.

Can I nominate my children who are minors?

Yes. You can nominate minor children. CPF monies payable to minors are paid to the Public Trustee to hold until the child turns 18, unless you appoint a trustee in your CPF Nomination to receive the funds on the child's behalf.

How does the CPF refund on property affect what each document covers?

When your property is sold (including on death), CPF used for the purchase is refunded to your CPF OA first. These refunded monies then sit in CPF and are governed by your CPF Nomination -- not your Will. Even though the source was property, the money is now CPF and follows nomination rules.

Can I leave my CPF to a charity or non-family member?

Yes. A CPF Nomination can name any individual (including non-family members) or a registered charity. However, nominated recipients must be named individuals -- corporate entities (other than registered charities) and trusts cannot directly receive CPF monies via nomination.

How often should I update my CPF Nomination?

Update after every major life event: marriage (revokes nomination automatically), divorce, birth of a child, death of a nominee, or significant change in your wealth distribution wishes. Review at minimum every 3–5 years.

Is a CPF Nomination legally binding?

Yes. The CPF Nomination is a statutory document governed by the CPF Act. The CPF Board is legally obligated to distribute according to the nomination. It cannot be overridden by a Will, a court order (except in specific circumstances), or family pressure.

Can my spouse contest a CPF Nomination that excludes them?

Not directly. The CPF Nomination is a statutory document and is generally binding. However, an excluded spouse may apply to court for maintenance from the estate under the Inheritance (Family Provision) Act if they can show they were not adequately provided for -- but this is separate from the CPF Nomination itself.

What is the most important thing to do with both documents?

Ensure they are aligned with your current wishes and each other. Both your Will and CPF Nomination should reflect your same intentions -- naming the same beneficiaries and proportions wherever possible. Misalignment creates unintended outcomes. Review both together every few years with your lawyer and property advisor.

Singapore Will vs CPF Nomination Property Guide

Quick answer Your Will governs your property (held as tenancy in common or sole owner). Your CPF Nomination governs your CPF savings including CPF refunded from a property sale. A Will cannot redirect CPF, and a CPF Nomination cannot redirect property. Both must be in place and aligned to ensure your wishes are fully carried out.

Facts verified: May 2026 · Sources linked below

Two Parallel Systems One Common Misunderstanding

The most common mistake Singapore property owners make: believing their Will covers everything. It does not cover CPF. And the second most common mistake: believing a CPF Nomination is optional. Without it, the Public Trustee distributes your CPF according to a statutory formula that may not match your intentions at all.

Asset	Governed By	Can the Other Override?
Property held as tenancy in common	Will (or intestacy)	No CPF Nomination cannot override
Property held as joint tenants	Survivorship automatic	Neither Will nor CPF Nomination applies
CPF OA balance	CPF Nomination (or Public Trustee)	No Will cannot override
CPF SA, MA, RA balance	CPF Nomination (or Public Trustee)	No Will cannot override
CPF refunded from property sale	CPF Nomination (once in OA)	No goes to CPF, not estate
Cash in bank accounts	Will (or intestacy)	No CPF Nomination does not cover cash
Nominated life insurance proceeds	Policy nomination	Neither Will nor CPF Nomination applies

The CPF-Property Disconnect in Practice

Here is where it gets consequential. When you die owning a property, and that property is sold as part of estate administration, any CPF used for the purchase must first be refunded to your CPF OA. Those monies even though they originated as property value are now CPF, and they go to your CPF Nomination beneficiaries, not your Will beneficiaries.

Worked example: You own a $1.5M condo in your sole name. You used $400K CPF. Your Will says "everything to my daughter." You have no CPF Nomination. What happens:

Condo is sold: $1.5M proceeds
$400K refunded to your CPF OA
Remaining $1.1M (minus mortgage and expenses) goes to your daughter per the Will
The $400K in CPF goes to the Public Trustee (no nomination), who distributes it under intestacy which may not be your daughter at all

Solution: make a CPF Nomination naming your daughter to receive your CPF. Both documents then point the same direction.

Marriage Revokes Both Documents
In Singapore, marriage automatically revokes both your existing Will and your existing CPF Nomination. If you get married without making new documents, you die intestate (as if no Will) and your CPF goes to the Public Trustee under intestacy rules. Update both documents Will and CPF Nomination within weeks of your wedding, and after every divorce, birth of a child, or death of a named beneficiary.

Will vs CPF Nomination Side by Side

Feature	Will	CPF Nomination
What it governs	Property (tenancy in common), cash, investments, personal assets	CPF OA, SA, MA, RA balances
Who can be named	Any person or charity	Any individual (not companies, with limited exceptions for charities)
Percentage splits	Yes any splits you specify	Yes any percentage split across nominees
Revoked by marriage?	Yes automatically	Yes automatically
Revoked by divorce?	Yes gifts and appointments to ex-spouse revoked	No divorce does not automatically revoke; you must update manually
How to make/update	Via a lawyer; must be properly witnessed	Online at CPF website (my.cpf.gov.sg); no lawyer needed
Cost	$200–$800 for a basic Will	Free (no fees for CPF Nomination)
When it takes effect	On death (after Grant of Probate)	On death (CPF Board processes directly)
Can minors be nominated?	Yes (with trustee provisions)	Yes (Public Trustee holds until age 18)

The Divorce CPF Nomination Gap

Unlike a Will, divorce does not automatically revoke a CPF Nomination. If you made a CPF Nomination naming your spouse, then divorce without updating it, your ex-spouse remains your CPF beneficiary. The CPF Board will pay your CPF to your ex-spouse even if you have updated your Will to exclude them. This is one of the most overlooked post-divorce administration tasks.

Action: immediately after a divorce is finalised, update your CPF Nomination online at my.cpf.gov.sg. It takes less than 10 minutes.

How to Align Both Documents

1. List all your assets: property (with ownership structure), CPF balances, bank accounts, investments, insurance.

2. Decide who gets what. Ensure your Will and CPF Nomination name the same beneficiaries (or complementary ones where you want different distributions).

3. Check the ownership structure of each property: joint tenancy (survivorship applies neither Will nor CPF matters for that property) or tenancy in common (Will applies to your share).

4. Make or update your Will with a lawyer. Explicitly name each property and its beneficiary.

5. Make or update your CPF Nomination at my.cpf.gov.sg. Specify percentage splits if naming multiple nominees.

6. Review both documents together every 3–5 years or after any major life event: marriage, divorce, birth, death of a beneficiary, new property purchase or sale.

CPF Nomination Without a Will Is It Enough?

No. A CPF Nomination only covers CPF. Without a Will, your property and other assets are distributed under the Intestate Succession Act which may not match your intentions. A CPF Nomination is not a substitute for a Will; they are both necessary and complementary.

Similarly, a Will without a CPF Nomination leaves your CPF savings in the hands of the Public Trustee. Both documents are required for complete coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my Will cover my CPF savings?

No. CPF savings are governed exclusively by your CPF Nomination. A Will cannot redirect CPF. Without a nomination, CPF goes to the Public Trustee under intestacy rules, not to your Will beneficiaries.

What happens when CPF is refunded from a property sale on death?

The refunded CPF lands in your CPF OA and is distributed according to your CPF Nomination not your Will. Even though the source was property value, once it is in CPF it follows the nomination rules.

Does marriage revoke both my Will and CPF Nomination?

Yes. Both are automatically revoked on marriage in Singapore. Update both immediately after your wedding a Will via a lawyer, and a CPF Nomination online at my.cpf.gov.sg.

Does divorce revoke my CPF Nomination?

No. Unlike your Will (where gifts to an ex-spouse are revoked on divorce), your CPF Nomination remains unchanged unless you actively update it. Update your nomination immediately after divorce to remove your ex-spouse.

How do I make a CPF Nomination?

Log in to my.cpf.gov.sg using Singpass, go to My Nominations, and complete the online form. You can nominate multiple people with specified percentages. The process takes about 10 minutes and is free.

What if my Will and CPF Nomination name different people?

Both are followed independently. The property goes to Will beneficiaries; the CPF goes to CPF nominees. They do not override each other so ensure both reflect your current intentions.

Can I nominate a non-family member for my CPF?

Yes. You can nominate any individual friend, colleague, non-family member and registered charities. You cannot nominate companies or trusts directly via CPF Nomination.

How much does it cost to make a CPF Nomination?

Free. There are no CPF Board fees for making or updating a CPF Nomination. You can update it as many times as you wish online. A Will costs $200–$800 from a law firm.

Singapore Will vs CPF Nomination Which Covers Your Property?