How Much EPF Should You Have at Your Age in 2026?

EPF publishes a Basic Savings figure for every age, measured in your Akaun Persaraan. For 2026 it is RM11,000 at age 25, RM26,300 at 30, RM74,000 at 40, RM150,000 at 50 and RM270,000 at 60. These figures rise each year until 2030, when the target at 60 reaches RM390,000. Basic Savings is a minimum, not a comfortable retirement.

The 2026 table

From KWSP's official table of required Basic Savings in Akaun Persaraan for 2026:

Compare the figure with your Akaun Persaraan balance only, not your total. Akaun Sejahtera and Akaun Fleksibel aren't counted. You can see each account's balance in the KWSP i-Akaun app. For your exact age, use the Am I On Track? tool, which uses the full official table.

Reading your own number

Say you're 32 with RM28,000 in Akaun Persaraan. The 2026 Basic Savings for 32 is RM33,900, so you're about RM5,900 (roughly 17%) short. That's a manageable gap: with more than 25 years to go, a modest monthly top-up plus normal contributions and dividends can close it. Now say you're 32 with RM40,000. You're above Basic Savings, but remember the figure for 32 will be higher next year, and the Adequate level is well above Basic. Either way, the useful question isn't "Am I above the line?" but "Is the gap growing or shrinking each year?" Check again every January, when the new table applies.

Why the numbers are changing

In December 2024, EPF introduced the Retirement Income Adequacy (RIA) framework, which replaced the old single benchmark of RM240,000 at age 55 with three levels at age 60:

According to EPF, the new Basic level is being phased in over five years in RM30,000 annual steps from 1 January 2026. That's why the 2026 table ends at RM270,000 at 60, and why the figure for every age will go up again next January.

What these levels buy

EPF says RM390,000 at 60 is meant to support a monthly withdrawal starting at about RM1,625, rising gradually to about RM4,434 by the 20th year, over 20 years from age 60 to 80. The Adequate level of RM650,000 starts at about RM2,708 a month. A quick way to test your own projection: divide what you expect to have at 60 by 240, which gives a rough monthly income for 20 years.

If you're behind, you're not alone

Most Malaysians are below the benchmark for their age. EPF said that as of October 2024, only around 36% of active formal-sector members met the old Basic Savings level for their age, before the higher targets took effect. The benchmark assumes steady full-time work from 18, which few people have. What matters is the direction from here.

Ways to close the gap

1. Voluntary contributions. Top up through i-Simpan, or ask your employer about i-Topup. See is a voluntary EPF top-up worth it?
2. i-Saraan if you're self-employed or a gig worker: the government adds 20% of what you contribute, up to RM500 a year. See i-Saraan for gig workers and freelancers.
3. Leave Akaun Fleksibel alone where you can. Every ringgit left in keeps compounding. See should you withdraw from Akaun Fleksibel?
4. Negotiate your package. Some employers contribute above the statutory rate, which adds up over a career.
5. Save outside EPF too. PRS and other long-term investments can fill the gap between Basic and a comfortable retirement.

If you're ahead

Being above Basic Savings means you're on EPF's minimum path, not that you're done. Aim for the Adequate level if you can. Members below 55 with Akaun Persaraan savings above their Basic Savings can also transfer up to 30% of the excess into approved unit trust funds through EPF's Members Investment Scheme. Invested money doesn't earn EPF's dividend and carries market risk, and through the i-Invest platform the sales charge is capped at up to 0.5%.

Project your balance to 60 with the EPF Calculator, and read EPF: How Malaysia's Retirement System Works for the bigger picture.

References

• KWSP, i-Invest: Member Investment Scheme (Basic Savings table for 2026, phase-in, withdrawal amounts, MIS rules)
• KWSP, EPF Releases Belanjawanku 2024/2025 and Retirement Income Adequacy Framework
• Malay Mail, How much do Malaysians need to retire comfortably? (Adequate and Enhanced withdrawal amounts)