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Corporate Tax

Comprehensive Corporate Accounting Services
Expert Financial Management for Your Business

OUR FOCUS

We will help small companies /non-profit entities estimate if they must pay or defer corporate taxes and perform the necessary lodgements to IRAS punctually

Step 1
How We Do
  • If you have allowed us to handle your bookkeeping requirements for your company, we will extract the Statement of Profit or Loss and other Comprehensive Income, Statement of Financial Position, Trade Debtors Ageing report, Trade Creditors Ageing report, Bank Reconciliation report, General Ledger, Fixed Asset Register, and other schedules to prepare the Tax returns.
  • If the bookkeeping functions are handled internally by the company or if the bookkeeping functions are handled by a third party, no problem. Just let us have the financial reports from your accounting software. We will prepare the Tax computation.
Step 2
Who performs the tasks?
  • Chartered Accountant from our firm will prepare the tax computation
Step 3
How often do we do it?
  • Interim Tax calculation is done within 3 months from the close of the financial year ends. Final tax calculation is performed after the Unaudited report is completed.
Step 4
What we promise
✓ Completed ECI
✓ Completed Form C or Form C-S
✓ Provide Tax Computation Schedule
✓ Avoid payment of penalty
✓ Follow up on tax queries
Step 5
Intended Outcome
  • We will help you to comply with ACRA, IRAS, and other regulatory agency requirements.

Corporate Tax Singapore

Companies which are domiciled or incorporated in Singapore must pay taxes or defer taxes on their profits and losses respectively.

As per the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS), a Company is defined as follows:

  • A business entity incorporated under the Singapore Company Act;
  • A foreign company registered in Singapore such as a branch of a foreign company;
  • A foreign company incorporated or registered outside Singapore.

Basis period

In Singapore, companies are taxed on the profits earned in the previous financial period, usually, it is 12 months. In tax terms, it is called the basis period.

Year of Assessment

This means that profits earned in 2022 will be taxed in 2023. In tax terms, 2023 is the Year of Assessment (YA).

Tax rate

To assess the amount of tax, IRAS looks at the income, expenses, and other supporting schedules. Companies are taxed at a flat rate of 17% of their chargeable income.

Chargeable Income

Chargeable income means the company’s taxable income less allowable expenses for a year of assessment. All companies must lodge 2 Corporate Income Tax Returns with IRAS every year. Estimated Chargeable Income (ECI) and Form C-S or Form C-S(Lite) or Form C.

ECI

All companies must declare to IRAS an estimate of the company’s taxable income within 3 months from the close of the accounting financial year-end.

There are exceptions to this rule which are:

  • The annual revenue of the company must be $5 million or less; and
  • ECI is ZERO.

If the company meets the above requirements, there is no need to lodge ECI.

Type of forms

Each year from 1st June onwards, the IRAS tax portal window will be open for companies to file their tax returns. The last day to file their tax returns will be 30th Nov of each year. All companies have about 5 months to lodge their submissions with IRAS. Companies can choose to submit their tax returns by choosing Form C-S or Form C-S(Lite) or Form C. The following paragraphs will help you in selecting the right Form.

Form C-S(Lite)

If your company is incorporated in Singapore and the relevant revenue is $200,000 or less choose Form C-S(Lite). 

Form C-S

If your company is incorporated in Singapore and the relevant revenue is $5,000,000 or less choose Form C-S. In addition, the company must fulfil the following condition:

  • The company derives income taxable at the prevailing Corporate Income Tax rate of 17%
  • The company is not claiming any of the following in the YA;
  1. Carry-back of Current Year Capital Allowances/Losses;
  2. Group Relief;
  3. Investment allowance;
  4. Foreign Tax Credit and Tax deducted at source.

Form C

Form C applies to all companies which do not satisfy the above guidelines

Non-submission of Tax returns / late payment or non-payment of taxes

Should the Company miss the deadline to lodge the tax returns by 30th November, or overlook paying the taxes, the consequences include the following:

  • IRAS will issue a notice of assessment which will be based on the estimate of the company’s income;
  • A 5% late payment penalty will be imposed on the unpaid tax if full payment is not received by the due date;
  • IRAS may appoint agents like bank, tenant, lawyer, or other third parties to recover the taxes owed;
  • Take legal action

Tax service provider

Not all companies have a dedicated tax department to handle the tax compliance work. In such circumstances, it is better to outsource and engage the services of professionals like chartered accountants or tax consultants to perform the tax calculations and lodgement. They are professionals who are current on Singapore’s Corporate Income Tax and other relevant legislations.