CDA matching: how Government co-matching works and what your cap is
In this article
CDA matching, officially Government co-matching, is the dollar the Government adds to your child's Child Development Account for every dollar you deposit, up to a cap. LifeSG gives the example of a $10 deposit bringing $10 from the Government, credited within 2 weeks. Until 30 September 2027 your cap depends on birth order, from $4,000 for a first child to $15,000 for a fifth.
| 1st child | $4,000 cap |
|---|---|
| 2nd child | $7,000 cap |
| 3rd and 4th child | $9,000 cap |
| 5th child and later | $15,000 cap |
| From 1 Oct 2027 | $5,000 cap for every child |
| Paid | Within 2 weeks of each deposit |
How the match is worked out
Only money you put in yourself is matched. Made For Families says interest the account earns is not treated as a contribution and is not matched, and anything you save above the cap gets no match either. There is also no rule that you must save at all, or save up to the cap; it is your choice.
The First Step Grant is paid whether or not you deposit anything, and Made For Families lists it separately from the matching cap in its table. For a first child, Made For Families works the whole account out as $13,000 if you save the full $4,000: the $5,000 grant, your $4,000 and the Government's $4,000.
The 30 September 2027 deadline for higher caps
LifeSG's page on the SG Child Support Package says you can keep saving up to your child's existing co-matching cap until 30 September 2027, and that all caps are adjusted to $5,000 from 1 October 2027. CPF describes the extra months as time to save more and still receive the match.
What that means in practice depends on the cap. A first child's cap goes up, from $4,000 to $5,000. For a second child or later, the $7,000, $9,000 or $15,000 cap is only there for money you deposit by 30 September 2027. If you were planning to fill a large cap slowly over several years, that plan needs to move forward.
Babies born from 1 April 2027 have a $5,000 cap from the start, LifeSG says.
How long you have to save
Matching only works while the CDA is open. LifeSG's SG Child Support Package page says that for citizen children born on or after 1 January 2015, the CDA now stays open until the end of the year the child turns 16. The older LifeSG CDA page still shows the end of the year the child turns 12, with 15 December that year as the last day to deposit and be matched without delay.
Missing the window is not always the end. Made For Families says parents who have not saved up to the cap can keep contributing through the Post-Secondary Education Account and get the match until the cap is reached or the child turns 18, whichever comes first.
Planning your deposits
Work backwards from your cap and the deadline. December 2026 to September 2027 is 10 months, so a second child with nothing saved yet needs about $700 a month to fill a $7,000 cap in time. Our CDA calculator does this sum for your child's birth order and dates, and the CDA guide covers what the matched money can pay for.
Frequently asked questions
Is CDA matching dollar for dollar?
Yes. LifeSG says that for every dollar deposited into the CDA, the Government co-matches up to the cap, and its own example is $10 in, $10 added.
Do I have to save the full cap?
No. Made For Families says there is no requirement to top up to the cap. You simply get matching on whatever you do put in, up to the cap.
What is the matching cap for a baby born in 2027?
For a citizen child born on or after 1 April 2027, LifeSG says the cap is $5,000. A child born earlier in 2027 keeps the old birth-order cap until 30 September 2027, then moves to $5,000.
Does the bank interest get matched?
No. Made For Families says interest earned is not counted as a contribution, so it is never matched.
Related terms
- CDA (Child Development Account): Your child's savings account that the Government tops up with a grant and matched savings, for approved preschool and clinic bills.
- CDA First Step Grant: A one-off $5,000 or $10,000 the Government puts into your child's CDA, with no saving needed first.
- SG Child Support Package: The scheme replacing Baby Bonus from April 2027: up to $62,000 per citizen child, the same for every birth order.
- Baby Bonus Scheme: Singapore's parenthood payout: a Cash Gift plus a Child Development Account, replaced by the SG Child Support Package from April 2027.
