Fridae

You may have written a will and talked with your partner about the future. But for members of Singapore’s Central Provident Fund, one important instruction belongs elsewhere: who should receive their CPF savings when they die.

MoneySense, Singapore’s national financial education programme, explains in guidance updated on 28 September 2026 that CPF savings are outside your estate and cannot be distributed through a will. A CPF nomination lets you choose the recipients and their shares.

Can you name a partner or chosen family?

CPF Board says you can nominate any person, regardless of age or nationality, or an organisation. A nominee cannot also witness the nomination. That means a partner or a trusted friend can be named; being a relative is not a requirement.

For LGBTQ+ members who want to provide for someone in their chosen family, this offers a practical way to put that intention on record. It is worth checking the actual nomination rather than relying on an informal understanding between loved ones.

What happens without a valid nomination?

The money goes to the Public Trustee’s Office for distribution under the applicable inheritance rules, with administration fees deducted. Those rules determine the beneficiaries; an informal promise does not replace a valid nomination.

For non-Muslims domiciled in Singapore, the Public Trustee applies the Intestate Succession Act’s distribution rules. Domicile concerns a person’s intended permanent home, rather than simply nationality or residence. Muslim distributions follow the applicable Muslim inheritance rules and a Syariah Court inheritance certificate. Readers with cross-border circumstances should check which rules apply.

What does a nomination cover?

CPF Board’s coverage guide includes CPF account savings, including MediSave, the CPF LIFE premium balance and discounted Singtel shares. It excludes property bought with CPF savings, Dependants’ Protection Scheme payouts and investments under the CPF Investment Scheme.

Naming someone for CPF savings therefore does not settle every question about a home, insurance or investments. Those assets need their own checks.

A useful check this week

Log in through CPF Board’s official nomination page with Singpass to review your record. Check who is named and what percentage each person should receive. If your wishes have changed, use the Board’s process to make a new nomination.

Making a nomination is free. You need two witnesses aged at least 21 who have mental capacity and are not you or your nominees. For online nominations, witnesses also need Singpass. The Board recommends regular reviews, especially after major life changes, so the record continues to reflect your wishes.

Which needs clearer public guidance for LGBTQ+ people: CPF nominations, insurance beneficiaries or wills?