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Baby Bonus Scheme
Baby Bonus Scheme
The Baby Bonus Scheme helps you manage the costs of raising a child. It comprises the (i) Baby Bonus Cash Gift (BBCG) and (ii) Child Development Account (CDA) benefits comprising First Step Grant and Government co-matching of parents’ savings, up to a cap. The Baby Bonus Scheme for eligible Singapore Citizen children born on or after 18 February 2025, is as follows:
*Third and subsequent children born from 18 February 2025 will receive an increased First Step Grant of $10,000 (up from $5,000) under the Large Families Scheme. For more information, please visit the Large Families Scheme website (go.gov.sg/LFS).
Baby Bonus Cash Gift (BBCG)
The BBCG ranges from $11,000 (for first and second child) to $13,000 (for third and subsequent child). It is disbursed once every six months over the first six-and-a-half years of a child's life. This way, parents can receive sustained support all the way till their child enters primary school. The BBCG will be paid into the Child Savings Account (CSA).
CSA is a joint savings account that will be opened automatically when a CDA is opened for your child, after enrolment into the Baby Bonus Scheme. As a default account for Government cash payments, the CSA will also be used to receive BBCG, education awards, or financial assistance, if any. For more details on the CDA and CSA, please refer to CDA and CSA FAQs on LifeSG at https://www.life.gov.sg/services/baby-bonus.
Your child is eligible for BBCG if:
- He or she is a Singapore Citizen; and
- You are lawfully married to your spouse.
Check your child's eligibility for the cash gift at go.gov.sg/bbeligibilitycheck.
Child Development Account
The Child Development Account (CDA) is a special co-savings account for your child. The First Step Grant is automatically deposited into the CDA without you having to save first, and your subsequent savings will be co-matched by the Government, up to a cap.
Child Development Account First Step Grant
The CDA First Step Grant of $5,000 for the first and second child, and $10,000 for the third and subsequent child born on or after 18 February 2025 will be automatically deposited when you open the CDA for your child at any of the following banks: DBS/POSB, OCBC or UOB.
Government co-matching of parents’ savings
Enjoy dollar-for-dollar co-matching from the Government when you save into your child’s CDA, up to the Government co-matching cap.
- Fees for registered childcare centres, kindergartens, special education schools and early intervention programmes
- Medical expenses at healthcare institutions such as hospitals and General Practitioner clinics
- Premiums for MediShield Life or MediSave-approved private integrated plans
- Assistive technology devices
- Eye-related products and services at optical shops
- Approved healthcare items at pharmacies
- Childminding fees under the Early Childhood Development Agency's (ECDA) Childminding Pilot
Visit the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s Approved Institution webpage for the full list of organisations where the CDA savings can be used at.
Any savings left in the CDA after the year your child turns 12 will be transferred to his or her Post-Secondary Education Account*. Parents who have not saved up to the co-matching cap can continue to contribute to the Post-Secondary Education Account and receive the matching amount until the cap is reached, or when the child turns 18 years old, whichever is earlier.
*The Post-Secondary Education Account helps parents save for their children’s post-secondary education needs. Funds in the account can be used to pay for approved programmes (e.g. diploma, undergraduate programmes) in approved institutions, as well as to repay Government education loans and financial schemes. Subject to a cap, comprising the sum of the applicable CDA Government co-matching cap (based on the child’s birth order), the equivalent deposits made by parents, any ad-hoc top-ups to the CDA made by the Government, and accrued interests.
Check your child's eligibility for the CDA at go.gov.sg/bbeligibilitycheck.
Child Development Account First Step Grant and Government co-matching contribution caps
| Birth order | CDA | |||
CDA First Step Grant (A) | Maximum Government co-matching (B) | Total Government contributions (A+B) | Total amount in CDA, including parents’ contributions to maximise co-matching | |
| 1st | $5,000 | $4,000 | $9,000 | $13,000 |
| 2nd | $7,000 | $12,000 | $19,000 | |
| 3th and 4th | $10,000* | $9,000 | $19,000 | $28,000 |
| 5th and higher | $15,000 | $25,000 | $40,000 | |
*Third and subsequent children born from 18 February 2025 will receive an increased First Step Grant of $10,000 (up from $5,000) under the Large Families Scheme. For more information, please visit the Large Families Scheme website (go.gov.sg/LFS).
Baby Bonus Scheme Application and Services
All parents can apply for the Baby Bonus Scheme at LifeSG or via LifeSG mobile app. CDA-related services can be made directly at the CDA bank portal or via mobile app.
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FAQ
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1. Where can I find out more about the electronic birth registration process for my child?
For more information, you can visit this website: go.gov.sg/lifesg-ebc
FAQs on LifeSG birth registration can be found here: https://www.life.gov.sg/help-support/birth-registration
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2. How do I join the Baby Bonus Scheme?
You can submit your application on the LifeSG mobile application or web using your Singpass.
Before submitting your application, check your child’s eligibility at http://www.go.gov.sg/bbeligibilitycheck.
If your child is eligible, you can apply for the Baby Bonus Scheme together with the registration of your child’s birth as a bundled service at https://www.life.gov.sg/services/birth-registration
If your child’s birth has already been registered, you can directly apply for the Baby Bonus Scheme at https://www.life.gov.sg/services/baby-bonus.
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3. I am an overseas Singaporean parent. Is my child eligible for the Baby Bonus and how can I apply?
Your child will need to obtain Singapore Citizenship by the age of 12 to qualify for the full amount of Baby Bonus benefits. You can submit your application for the Baby Bonus Scheme through the LifeSG mobile application or web at https://www.life.gov.sg/services/baby-bonus
If you and your spouse are not Singapore Citizens at the time of your child's birth, your child must obtain Singapore Citizenship before reaching (a) 24 months of age to be eligible for the Baby Bonus Cash Gift, and (b) 12 years of age to be eligible for the Child Development Account (CDA). The Baby Bonus benefits will be pro-rated according to the date your child obtains his/her Singapore Citizenship.
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4. I prefer to receive the Baby Bonus Cash Gift in my nominated bank account, instead of the Child Savings Account (CSA). Can I do so?
For an eligible child who is enrolled for the Baby Bonus Scheme on or after 1 July 2024, a CSA will be opened automatically at the same time when a Child Development Account (CDA) is opened. The Baby Bonus Cash Gift will only be paid into the CSA. There will be no minimum balance requirement, fees or charges imposed on the CSA.
Parents are encouraged to keep the CSA open for as long as possible as the CSA will facilitate other cash payments for your child, such as:- Refund of excess CDA balance above the Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA) cap (if any), upon CDA closure in the year your child turns 13
- Education awards or financial assistance from the Ministry of Education
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5. If my child has just obtained Singapore Citizenship, what Baby Bonus Scheme benefits does he/she qualify for?
You can check your child’s eligibility and entitlement using the Eligibility Check tool.
If either you or your spouse is a Singapore Citizen at the time of your child's birth, he/she will be eligible for the full Baby Bonus benefits. Your child must obtain Singapore Citizenship and join the scheme before reaching 12 years of age.
If you and your spouse are not Singapore Citizens at the time of your child's birth, your child will be eligible for pro-rated benefits.
Your child must obtain Singapore Citizenship before 24 months of age to be eligible for the Cash Gift, and before 12 years of age to be eligible for the Child Development Account (CDA). The pro-rated amount will depend on the date that he or she becomes a Singapore citizen.
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6. Would parents have to return the Baby Bonus benefits that have already been disbursed to them in the following circumstances: (i) If the mother was lawfully married to the father, but divorced subsequently; (ii) If the child passes away subsequently.
(i) No. However, parents are required to inform the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) when there is a change in the (a) custody, care and control, or (b) care and control of the child. This is to facilitate changes (if any) in the trustee for the Child Development Account (CDA) and joint account holder for the Child Savings Account (CSA).
(ii) No. If the Baby Bonus Cash Gift has yet to be disbursed in full, the remaining balance will be paid into the CSA in one lump sum. Your child's CDA, if any, will also be closed. The remaining balances will be transferred to the Public Trustee for disbursement according to the Interstate Succession Act or Syariah Law.
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7. How is birth order determined? Are non-Singapore Citizen children/stepchildren/stillbirths counted in the birth order?
The birth order is pegged to the number of Singapore Citizen children born to the mother or adopted by the mother. The computation of birth order includes biological children, adopted-in children, and stillbirths or children who have passed away.
Multiple births (e.g. twins and triplets) are considered separate birth orders. For example, the first twin is considered as the first child and the second twin as the second child.
If there is an adopted child, the birth order is determined by the date of adoption, or the date the child becomes a Singapore Citizen, whichever is later.
Stepchildren, non-citizen children, foster children and adopted-out children are excluded from the computation of birth order.
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8. Are adopted children eligible for benefits under the Baby Bonus Scheme? What are the benefits that an adopted child will receive?
Yes, adopted children are eligible if they meet the eligibility conditions. Please use the Eligibility Check tool to check your adopted child’s eligibility and benefits.
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9. Is it compulsory to make a deposit to open a Child Development Account (CDA) and top up savings in the account to the specified cap once the account is opened?
No, there is no such requirement. It is up to you to save based on your needs. For instance, if you save $10, the Government will co-match with an additional $10. The savings may be used for your child’s educational and healthcare expenses at Approved Institutions registered with the Ministry of Social and Family Development until the end of the year that your child turns 12 years old.
Interest earned is not considered as a contribution and will not be matched. Savings above the specified Government contribution cap will also not be matched. You may save into your child’s CDA up to 31 December of the year he or she turns 12.
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10. What can I use the savings in the Child Development Account (CDA) for?
The money may be used on all your children, even those without a CDA, to pay for their expenses at Approved Institutions that have registered with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) under the Baby Bonus Scheme. These include:
- Childcare centres licensed by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA)
- Kindergartens registered with ECDA or Council for Private Education and special education schools registered with the Ministry of Education respectively
- Childminding fees under ECDA's Childminding Pilot
- Early intervention programmes registered with the MSF
- Hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions licensed by the Ministry of Health (MOH)
- Pharmacies registered with the Health Sciences Authority
- Optical shops registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA)
- Assistive technology device providers registered with the National Council of Social Service, MOH or ACRA
View the full list of Approved Institutions where the CDA funds can be used at here: go.gov.sg/listofais.
Do note that the funds cannot be withdrawn in cash. Withdrawals from the CDA can only be made via interbank GIRO or NETS at Approved Institutions.
- Payment via interbank GIRO: Please enquire with your Approved Institution. You will need to fill up an application form to use interbank GIRO for the CDA and submit it to the institution.
- Payment via NETS: The bank you opened the CDA with will issue you a Baby Bonus NETS Card. While you can use this card to make NETS payments at Approved Institutions from your child's CDA, it cannot be used to make payments at other places, or to withdraw cash at ATMs.
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11. What happens to the Child Development Account (CDA) after my child turns 12?
The account will be closed, and any unused account funds will be transferred to your child’s Post-Secondary Education Account, up to a cap. CDA trustees will be notified if there is any excess balance above this cap to be refunded.
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12. Where can I find out more about the Baby Bonus Scheme?
You can type your question in “Ask MSF” chatbot at Baby Bonus Online (www.babybonus.msf.gov.sg) or visit go.gov.sg/bbofaq.
For further queries, please call the MSF hotline at 1800-111-2222* (local) or 65-6253-7707 (overseas).
*Airtime charges apply for mobile calls to 1800 service lines.
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