CPF Minimum Sum withdrawal age

Minister Lim Boon Heng said yesterday that the CPF Minimum Sum withdrawal age may be raised to 65 (from 62).

Note that you can still withdraw money from your Ordinary and Special Accounts when you reach 55 years old, subject to the rules given on this CPF page.

Example: If you are retiring today and have a total of more than $199,200 in your Ordinary and Special Accounts, you need to set aside the CPF Minimum Sum of $99,600 and you can withdraw the rest from the 2 accounts (assuming you have the Medisave Required Amount of $11,500). You can also withdraw from your Medisave Account after setting aside the Medisave Minimum Sum of $28,500 in that account.

So what will Minister Lim's proposal affect? It's the starting age at which you will start receiving your monthly payment of $790, which is drawn from that CPF Minimum Sum that you have set aside.

That starting age is currently 62. It will go up to 65 if the proposal goes through.

(Please also note that the figures used in the above illustrations apply to a person retiring today. Some of the figures, such as the Medisave Required Amount, are being adjusted upwards annually in accordance with previously announced policies.)

http://www.salary.sg/2007/cpf-minimu...ithdrawal-age/

I wonder if there is a more sinister reason behind this. Is this done with the hope that the annuitant dies earlier than actuarially calculated? Even if the annuitant out lives the actuarial assumption, for not reason, you have lost $790*12*3 of income that could have come earlier by 3 years. Is this done to help the service provider that is making the annuity payments? So many questions.

Can it not be such that the person continues to recieve the annuity payment and YET continue to work? So what if you are old and unemployable, does it mean that you have to beg for food while you have close to $100,000 in your CPF? Is the government going to help those who suddenly are forced to work another 3 years more?