Personal Income Tax
Personal income tax is not as complicated as corporate tax. Even, the personal income tax rates in Singapore are among the lowest in the world. To know your personal income tax, you must first determine some factors such as the tax residency, amount of chargeable income, and the progressive tax rate. This may be a lot of works for a busy individual.
Frequently asked questions
Singapore has some of the world’s lowest personal income tax rates. To calculate your tax, determine your tax residency and chargeable income, then apply the progressive tax rates. Key points include:
Singapore follows a progressive tax rate starting at 0 percent and ending at 20 percent (above S$320,000).
There are no capital gains or inheritance taxes.
Individuals are taxed only on the income earned in Singapore. The income earned by individuals while working overseas is not subject to taxation (barring a few exceptions).
Tax Singapore rules differ based on the tax residency of the individual.
Income tax is assessed on a preceding-year basis.
Income tax rates for details about the personal income tax rate.
Kindly take note of the following key dates which related to the filing of personal tax.
Preparation of IR8A by the employer no later than 1st March each year
The deadline for filing Form B, B1 by the employee is 15 April. If you e-File, you have up to 18 April to do so.
The deadline for filing Form P by a partnership is 15 April. If you e-File, you have up to 18 April to do so.
As an employer, you must prepare Form IR8A and Appendix 8A, Appendix 8B or Form IR8S (where applicable) by 1st Mar each year for all your employees who are employed in Singapore.
Form IR8A | To be used to declare remuneration of ALL employees. |
Appendix 8A | To be completed if employee is provided with benefits-in-kind. |
Appendix 8B | Complete this form if an employee received gains or benefits from share options or share ownership plans tied to their employment. It must be submitted to the Comptroller of Income Tax for Singapore Citizens or PRs who left the company or were posted overseas in 2011 |
Form IR8S | To be completed if excess CPF contributions are made by the employer. |
From Year of Assessment (YA) 2016, employers who had 11 or more employees for the entire year or who received the “Notice to File Employment Income of Employees Electronically” must submit their employees’ income information to the IRAS electronically.
The IRAS encourages all employers to join the Auto-Inclusion Scheme (AIS) for Employment Income. Under this scheme, employers submit their employees’ income information to IRAS electronically. The employment income information will be shown on the employees’ electronic tax return and automatically included in their income tax assessments. If you participate in the AIS for Employment Income, you do not need to issue Form IR8A to your employees.
For more information, please see e-Submission of Employment Income.
For enquiries on the AIS for Employment Income, please contact the IRAS on 1800 356 8015 or email ais@iras.gov.sg.
You may refer to e-Submission of Employment Income to learn how to complete the form for your employee.
Please refer to Quicklinks for a downloadable copy of the forms (Microsoft Word format).
As an employee, you must submit your personal paper-based tax return by 15 April (If you e-File, you have up to 18 Apr to do so) each year.
You may file your tax return using any of the following modes:
e-Filing:
You can e-File via myTaxPortal with your SingPass/IRAS PIN. An instant acknowledgement will be sent to you after you have e-Filed successfully.
Guides/ FAQ on e-Filing
- Guides – Tips on e-Filing for YA 2016.
- FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions on Filing Individual Income Tax Form B/B1.
Please e-File by 18 Apr using SingPass/IRAS PIN.
IRAS recommend that you obtain a SingPass. A SingPass is a common password for transacting with all Government e-services. You may apply for a SingPass online. You should receive your SingPass within four working days. Click here for more about SingPass FAQ.
If you are not eligible for a SingPass, you may apply for an IRAS PIN online. The IRAS will send you the IRAS PIN mailer within five working days.
You will require Form IR8A if your employer is not participating in the Auto-Inclusion Scheme for Employment Income. Employees may check whether your company is in the Auto-Inclusion Scheme and whether your employer has submitted the information at e-Services – Participating Organizations
Filing using a paper-based tax return:
If you need to file a tax return, the IRAS will send you the appropriate paper-based tax return during February or March. If you are certain you have to file but do not receive a notification by 15 Mar, please contact IRAS for assistance.
Please remember to SIGN on Page 1 of the paper tax return and send to the IRAS by 15 Apr.
Types of paper-based tax returns:
Tax Singapore resident individuals should receive Form B1
Self-employed (may be a sole-proprietor or a partner in a partnership) should receive Form B
Non-resident individuals should receive Form M
***You may be interested in finding out about common filing mistakes and how to report income not previously reported.
A partnership doesn’t pay tax, but it must file an annual Form P to report its income and expenses. It must file if IRAS sends the form or invites it to e-File, even if no business began that year.
IRAS sends Form P to the precedent partner by mid-March, who then files it and informs all partners of their income share for their own tax returns.
Form P cannot be downloaded; request a copy by calling 1800-356 8300.
See the Explanatory Notes on Form P for more details on how to complete Form P.
You must also submit a four-line statement for each relevant period showing each partner’s profit or loss share, and complete Pages 3 and 4 of Form P for all partners. If revenue is S$500,000 or more, include a Certified Statement of Accounts (Trading & Profit and Loss Account and Balance Sheet), signed to confirm accuracy.
Form P is due 15 April, or 18 April if e-Filed.
After the IRAS processes Form P, it will send the ‘Allocation of Profit/Loss to Partners’ to the preceding partner.
The preceding partner is obliged to inform the other partner(s) of their share of profit or loss. The share of profit and loss to each partner will be taxed under each partner’s name.
If you object to the allocation of profit and loss to partners, you must lodge your objection through the precedent partner. The precedent partner must write to us stating clearly the grounds of objection within 30 days from the date of the allocation notice.
See details on how does Section 45 withholding tax apply to partnerships.
Please fill in the Registration Form for New Partnership. You may download this form or you may call the Business Income Tax Help-Line at 1800-356 8300 to request the form be sent to your fax number.
The IRAS will post Form P to the precedent partner when IRAS receives your registration form.