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Singapore’s tax ecosystem is built to foster corporate growth. The standard corporate tax rate is capped at a flat 17%, calculated on chargeable income. Furthermore, Singapore operates on a single-tier corporate tax system. This means that once profits are taxed at the corporate level, dividends distributed to shareholders are completely tax-free. There is also no capital gains tax, making it a dream ecosystem for investment holdings and startups looking to scale.

BizFile+ is ACRA’s electronic filing and information portal. The incorporation process via BizFile+ typically involves two rapid phases: Name Application: Submitting and reserving your business name (costs S$15). Once approved, the name is held for 120 days.Company Registration: Submitting the company constitution, details of position holders, and paying the registration fee (S$300).If documents are standard and no referrals to other government agencies are required, approval usually takes less than 15 minutes.

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is Singapore’s version of a value-added tax. Upon incorporation, registration is not mandatory. However, you must register for GST if:

  • Your taxable turnover at the end of any calendar year exceeds S$1 million (Retrospective basis).

  • You reasonably expect your taxable turnover to exceed S$1 million in the next 12 months (Prospective basis).

Businesses with a turnover under S$1 million can still choose to register voluntarily if it makes financial sense for claiming input tax credits.