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Forum: Raise the interest rates of Child Development Accounts

Currently, the interest rates for the Child Development Account (CDA) are around 1 per cent for the first $10,000 and 2 per cent for amounts above that, up to some limits.

Currently, the interest rates for the Child Development Account (CDA) are around 1 per cent for the first $10,000 and 2 per cent for amounts above that, up to some limits.  This is below the CPF Ordinary Account rate of 2.5 per cent and the Singapore Savings Bond (SSB) rate of around 3 plus per cent. This is despite these funds having a similar nature, being funds that are typically maintained over years.  Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the CDA in some banks offered up to 2 per cent from the first dollar with no limit. Interest rates for mortgages and inflation have risen since, but CDA interest rates have not been restored in tandem. When I engaged the relevant authorities. I was informed that my feedback would be shared with the banks to consider during their next review, if any. However, given that only a few banks have the privilege of taking in and banking the CDA funds from the Government and top-ups from parents, I suggest that the relevant authorities impose conditions at the next review for minimum interest rates relative to benchmarks like prevailing SSB or T-bill rates. This is because parents have no freedom to move CDA funds to higher-yield accounts. In the current climate of high inflation, every extra dollar or cent in the CDA counts. I hope that the banks can be implored to do more to further strengthen social support for families, as mentioned in Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s National Day message. D