How to Read Your First Payslip in Singapore
A beginner-friendly walkthrough of gross pay, CPF deductions, and take-home clarity.
The Compound Club Editorial
The Compound Club Contributor · 24 Feb 2026 · 7 min read
Gross Pay vs Take-Home Pay
Gross pay is your headline salary before deductions. Take-home pay is what reaches your bank account after deductions.
Budgeting mistakes often happen when people mentally spend gross salary instead of take-home salary.
Understand CPF Contribution Lines
Your payslip usually shows employee CPF deduction and employer CPF contribution details.
Knowing these lines helps you project OA/SA/MA balances and housing readiness.
Other Common Deductions
Depending on profile, you may see items like levy contributions or benefit adjustments.
Review each line so you understand recurring versus one-off deductions.
Using Your Payslip for Planning
Use a simple monthly planning sheet: take-home allocation, fixed commitments, saving floor, and investing amount.
Once your allocation is stable for three months, raise automation quality and reduce manual decision fatigue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most first-job confusion comes from CPF deductions and other payroll line items not being understood.
Related Articles
About the Author
The Compound Club Editorial
The Compound Club Contributor · 24 Feb 2026 · 7 min read
Youth-first finance educator focused on actionable Singapore context.