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My Cpf - Buying A House
...A Place To Call Your Own

 
What happens if you divorce?
 
(b) For private property
Upon your divorce, you can choose to:
-
transfer your share to your ex-spouse
-
sell your share to your ex-spouse
-
sell the property in the open market
-
retain your respective shares in the property
 
In the case of a sale (to your ex-spouse or on the open market), you do not need to make a full CPF refund if the selling price is not enough for you to do so. This is provided that the property is sold at fair market value.
 
For more details on the amount to be refunded if you sell your share of your property to your ex-spouse, please click here.
 
If you and your ex-spouse are selling the property in the open market, please click here.
 
If you and your ex-spouse retain your respective shares in the property, neither of you need to make any CPF refunds.
 
Since 1 October 2007, the Court had been given greater flexibility to order the transfer of the property to the ex-spouse with no or partial CPF refund. When the property is subsequently sold, the CPF amount not refunded at the time of transfer and the amount withdrawn by the ex-spouse for the flat, including accrued interest, would have to be refunded to the ex-spouse’s CPF Account.
 
Conditions for transfer with partial or no CPF refund
a)
The ex-spouse must be a Singaporean or Singapore Permanent Resident.
b)
Loans or grants taken by the member which are repayable or refundable to the Government must be repaid or refunded first before the transfer can take place. Grants include housing grants and HOPE (Home Ownership Plus Education) grants.
 
Rules For CPF Refund
Upon sale of the transferred property, the CPF refund for the ex-spouse depends on his/her age at the time of sale:
a)
If ex-spouse is below age 55 at the time of sale
The ex-spouse would be required to refund the member’s principal CPF savings used plus the accrued interest, less CPF refund (if any) at point of transfer plus his/her own principal CPF savings used plus the accrued interest.
 
b)
If ex-spouse is age 55 and above at the time of sale
The ex-spouse would be required to refund the Minimum Sum deficiency, or the principal CPF withdrawn for the property plus the accrued interest (includes the member’s principal CPF used plus the accrued interest, less any CPF refund at the point of transfer), whichever is lower. The Minimum Sum deficiency is the Minimum Sum applicable to the ex-spouse when he/she turned age 55 less the balance in his/her Retirement Account (excluding interest earned).

For ex-spouses who turned 55 before 1 July 1995, the required CPF refund will be the principal amount pledged for part of the Minimum Sum plus the accrued interest on the pledge. However, if the property is not pledged for part of the Minimum Sum, no refund is required.
 

 Buying A House
What is your current financial situation?
Should you buy an HDB flat or a private property?
What are the criteria required to be able to use CPF savings to buy a home?
What can CPF savings be used for?
How much CPF can you use?
What important factors should I be aware of when using CPF to repay a housing loan?
When will CPF charges take effect?
What happens when you sell?
What if I am a bankrupt?
Other Considerations
Moving forward
   

 
 Last Updated on: Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 5:32 PM
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