Not tax advice. Computation tools only. Have a professional review before filing.
OOpenAccountants
openaccountants/skills/sg-income-tax.md
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v20
1---
2name: sg-income-tax
3description: >
4 Use this skill whenever asked about Singapore income tax for self-employed individuals. Trigger on phrases like "how much tax do I pay in Singapore", "Form B", "Form B1", "IRAS income tax", "trade income", "capital allowances Singapore", "personal reliefs", "tax residence 183 days", "Section 10(1)(a)", "CPF self-employed", "self-employed tax Singapore", "myTax Portal", "DBS Bank statement", "OCBC income", "PayNow transfer", "Stripe Singapore", or any question about filing or computing income tax for a Singapore sole proprietor or freelancer. This skill covers progressive rates (0--24%), trade income computation, capital allowances (Section 19/19A), approved deductions, personal reliefs, CPF MediSave, tax residence rules, filing deadlines, and penalties. ALWAYS read this skill before touching any Singapore income tax work.
5version: 2.0
6jurisdiction: SG
7tax_year: 2025
8category: international
9depends_on:
10 - income-tax-workflow-base
11---
12 
13# Singapore Income Tax -- Self-Employed Skill v2.0
14 
15---
16 
17## Section 1 -- Quick Reference
18 
19| Field | Value |
20|---|---|
21| Country | Singapore |
22| Tax | Income Tax (progressive 0--24%) |
23| Currency | SGD only |
24| Tax year basis | Preceding year: YA 2026 = income earned in calendar year 2025 |
25| Primary legislation | Income Tax Act 1947 (ITA) |
26| Tax authority | Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) |
27| Filing portal | myTax Portal (mytax.iras.gov.sg) via Singpass |
28| Filing deadline | 18 April of the YA (e.g., 18 April 2026 for YA 2026) |
29| Contributor | Open Accountants Community |
30| Validated by | Pending -- requires sign-off by an Accredited Tax Adviser (Singapore) |
31| Skill version | 2.0 |
32 
33### Progressive Rate Table -- YA 2026 (Income Earned 2025) [T1]
34 
35| Chargeable Income (SGD) | Rate | Gross Tax Payable (Cumulative) |
36|---|---|---|
37| First 20,000 | 0% | 0 |
38| Next 10,000 (20,001--30,000) | 2% | 200 |
39| Next 10,000 (30,001--40,000) | 3.5% | 550 |
40| Next 40,000 (40,001--80,000) | 7% | 3,350 |
41| Next 40,000 (80,001--120,000) | 11.5% | 7,950 |
42| Next 40,000 (120,001--160,000) | 15% | 13,950 |
43| Next 40,000 (160,001--200,000) | 18% | 21,150 |
44| Next 40,000 (200,001--240,000) | 19% | 28,750 |
45| Next 40,000 (240,001--280,000) | 19.5% | 36,550 |
46| Next 40,000 (280,001--320,000) | 20% | 44,550 |
47| Next 180,000 (320,001--500,000) | 22% | 84,150 |
48| Next 500,000 (500,001--1,000,000) | 23% | 199,150 |
49| Above 1,000,000 | 24% | -- |
50 
51### Key Thresholds [T1]
52 
53| Item | Amount (SGD) |
54|---|---|
55| Personal relief cap | 80,000 per YA |
56| GST registration threshold | 1,000,000 taxable turnover |
57| Section 19A(10A) low-value asset cap | 30,000 per YA (individual assets < 5,000 each) |
58| Must-file threshold | Taxable income > 22,000 or self-employed with net trade income |
59| CPF MediSave (self-employed) | Mandatory based on net trade income and age |
60 
61### Conservative Defaults [T1]
62 
63| Ambiguity | Default |
64|---|---|
65| Tax residence unknown | STOP -- do not compute |
66| GST status unknown | Non-GST registered (report gross including any GST component) |
67| Vehicle type unknown | Private car (S-plate) -- NO capital allowances |
68| Business vs capital expenditure unclear | Capital (no deduction until confirmed as revenue) |
69| Home office apportionment unknown | 0% deduction until confirmed |
70| Personal relief amounts unknown | Apply only confirmed reliefs |
71 
72---
73 
74## Section 2 -- Required Inputs and Refusal Catalogue
75 
76### Required Inputs
77 
78**Minimum viable:** Bank statement for the full calendar year (January--December) in CSV, PDF, or pasted text, plus confirmation of tax residence status and whether GST-registered.
79 
80**Recommended:** All client invoices, CPF contribution statements (for MediSave), SRS contribution statements, life insurance and course fee receipts (for reliefs).
81 
82**Ideal:** Capital asset register, prior year NOA (Notice of Assessment), Form IR8A (if also employed), GST returns (if GST-registered).
83 
84### Refusal Catalogue
85 
86**R-SG-1 -- Non-residents.** "Non-resident self-employment income from Singapore is taxable but at different rates. Non-resident computation is outside this skill scope. Escalate."
87 
88**R-SG-2 -- Companies (Pte Ltd, Ltd).** "Corporate income tax (CIT at 17%) and corporate filing are out of scope. This skill covers individual self-employed persons only."
89 
90**R-SG-3 -- Partnerships.** "Partnership income allocation determination is outside this skill scope. Escalate."
91 
92**R-SG-4 -- Capital gains / property disposals.** "Gains from property that are revenue in nature require specialist review. Escalate."
93 
94**R-SG-5 -- GST computation.** "GST registration, return filing, and input tax claims are outside this skill scope."
95 
96---
97 
98## Section 3 -- Transaction Pattern Library
99 
100This is the deterministic pre-classifier. When a bank statement line matches a pattern, apply the treatment directly. If no pattern matches, fall through to Tier 1 rules in Section 5.
101 
102### 3.1 Income Patterns (Credits)
103 
104| Pattern | Tax Line | Treatment | Notes |
105|---|---|---|---|
106| FAST [client name] / FAST CREDIT | Trade income (Section 10(1)(a)) | Gross revenue | Local fast payment from business client |
107| PayNow [sender name] / PAYNOW CREDIT | Trade income | Revenue | PayNow (linked to NRIC/UEN) -- electronic payment |
108| GIRO CREDIT [client] | Trade income | Revenue | GIRO standing instruction payment from client |
109| TT FROM [client] / TELEGRAPHIC TRANSFER | Trade income | Revenue | Overseas client wire transfer |
110| STRIPE PAYOUT SG / STRIPE TRANSFER | Trade income | Revenue | Stripe Singapore payout -- net of Stripe fees |
111| WISE TRANSFER IN / WISE CREDIT | Trade income | Revenue | Wise (formerly TransferWise) international payout |
112| PAYPAL SG TRANSFER / PAYPAL CREDIT | Trade income | Revenue | PayPal business payout |
113| SHOPEE PAY SETTLEMENT / SHOPEE PAYOUT | Trade income | Revenue | Shopee e-commerce seller settlement |
114| CAROUSELL PAYOUT / CAROUSELL SETTLEMENT | Trade income | Revenue | Carousell business seller payout |
115| GRAB FOR BUSINESS / GRABPAY SETTLEMENT | Trade income | Revenue | GrabPay business payout |
116| CHEQUE DEPOSIT / CHQ DEP [ref] | Trade income | Revenue | Client cheque |
117| SALARY CREDIT [employer] | Employment income | NOT trade income | Separate head; Form IR8A / Form B1 |
118| INTEREST CREDIT / INT EARNED [bank] | Interest income | NOT trade income | Bank interest -- may be exempt for individuals |
119| DIVIDEND FROM [company] | Dividend income | NOT trade income | Singapore one-tier dividends are generally exempt |
120| INCOME TAX REFUND / IRAS REFUND | EXCLUDE | Not income | Tax refund |
121| LOAN DRAWDOWN / LOAN DISBURSEMENT | EXCLUDE | Not income | Loan proceeds |
122 
123### 3.2 Expense Patterns (Debits)
124 
125| Pattern | Expense Category | Treatment | Notes |
126|---|---|---|---|
127| OFFICE RENT [landlord] / COMMERCIAL LEASE | Rent | Fully deductible | Dedicated business premises |
128| SERVICED OFFICE [WeWork/JustCo/The Work Project] | Rent | Fully deductible | Hot desks / co-working fully deductible |
129| SP SERVICES / SP GROUP UTILITIES | Utilities | Business portion deductible | Home office: apportion |
130| SINGTEL BROADBAND / STARHUB HOME / M1 FIBRE | Communications | Business portion deductible | Mixed use: apportion |
131| SINGTEL MOBILE / STARHUB MOBILE / M1 MOBILE | Communications | Business portion deductible | Mixed use: apportion |
132| GRAB [ride for business] / COMFORT TAXI | Travel | Deductible if business purpose | Keep receipts and log |
133| SINGAPORE AIRLINES / SCOOT / JETSTAR | Travel | Deductible if business travel | Keep itinerary and business purpose |
134| MRT / SBS TRANSIT / EZ-LINK | Travel | Deductible if business | Commuting to/from home is NOT deductible |
135| GOOGLE ADS / META / LINKEDIN | Advertising | Fully deductible | |
136| AMAZON.SG [supplies] / CHALLENGER [office] | Office supplies | Fully deductible | Business purchases |
137| ADOBE / MICROSOFT 365 / NOTION / SLACK | Software | Fully deductible (subscription) | Subscriptions expense in year; owned software may be capital |
138| CPFB [CPF BOARD] MEDISAVE | CPF (personal relief) | NOT business expense | MediSave is a personal relief (CPF relief) |
139| AIA / PRUDENTIAL / GREAT EASTERN / NTUC INCOME | NOT business expense | Personal insurance | Life insurance = personal relief (limited) |
140| IRAS INCOME TAX / IRAS NOA | EXCLUDE | Tax payment | Not deductible |
141| IRAS GST PAYMENT | EXCLUDE | Indirect tax payment | Not income tax |
142| BANK CHARGES / ADMIN FEE [DBS/OCBC/UOB] | Bank charges | Fully deductible | Business account only |
143| STRIPE FEE / PAYPAL FEE / WISE FEE | Transaction fees | Fully deductible | Payment processing costs |
144| HIRE PURCHASE / VEHICLE LOAN [bank] | Capital repayment | NOT deductible | Principal repayment; interest portion may be deductible |
145| PERSONAL WITHDRAWAL / OWN TRANSFER | EXCLUDE | Drawings | Not business expense |
146 
147### 3.3 Capital Allowance Qualifying Assets
148 
149| Asset Purchased | Section 19A Option | Notes |
150|---|---|---|
151| Computer / laptop [Apple/Lenovo/Dell/HP] | One-year write-off (100%) | Below SGD 5,000: Section 19A(10A) |
152| Office phone / tablet | One-year write-off | Below SGD 5,000: Section 19A(10A) |
153| Office furniture / desk [IKEA/Harvey Norman/Gain City] | 3-year write-off or standard | 6-year standard useful life |
154| Camera / video equipment (business) | One-year or 3-year | If revenue-earning asset |
155| Private car (S-plate) | NO capital allowances | Running costs for business use may be claimed |
156| Commercial van / lorry | Standard Section 19 | Capital allowances claimable |
157 
158---
159 
160## Section 4 -- Worked Examples
161 
162### Example 1 -- PayNow Business Receipt
163 
164**Input line (DBS Bank statement):**
165`15 Mar 2025 | PayNow Credit ALPHA DESIGN PTE LTD | +8,500.00 | Balance 24,310.50`
166 
167**Reasoning:**
168PayNow receipt from a business client for design services. This is trade income under Section 10(1)(a). If the taxpayer is GST-registered (above SGD 1M threshold), the SGD 8,500 may include 9% GST. If GST-registered: gross revenue = SGD 8,500/1.09 = SGD 7,798.17 (trade income) + SGD 701.83 (GST liability). If not GST-registered: full SGD 8,500 is trade income.
169 
170**Classification:** Trade income SGD 8,500 (or SGD 7,798.17 net if GST-registered).
171 
172### Example 2 -- Stripe Payout (Net of Stripe Fees)
173 
174**Input line (OCBC Bank statement):**
175`22 Apr 2025 | STRIPE PAYOUT SG | +4,850.00 | Available Balance 31,200.00`
176 
177**Reasoning:**
178Stripe processes payments and pays out net of its fees. If Stripe collected SGD 5,000 from clients and deducted SGD 150 in fees, the payout is SGD 4,850. The gross trade income is SGD 5,000; the Stripe fee of SGD 150 is a deductible business expense. Match to Stripe dashboard for exact gross and fee amounts.
179 
180**Classification:** Gross trade income SGD 5,000; Stripe fees SGD 150 deductible.
181 
182### Example 3 -- CPF MediSave Payment
183 
184**Input line (UOB Bank statement):**
185`01 May 2025 | CPFB MEDISAVE CONTRIBUTION | -3,600.00 | Balance 15,400.00`
186 
187**Reasoning:**
188Self-employed person's mandatory MediSave contribution to CPF Board. This is NOT a business expense. It is deductible as a CPF relief (personal relief) under the personal reliefs section. The exact amount depends on net trade income and age (rates range 4%--10.5%). Claim as CPF contribution relief, subject to the overall SGD 80,000 personal relief cap.
189 
190**Classification:** EXCLUDE from trade expenses. Record as CPF contribution relief (personal relief).
191 
192### Example 4 -- WeWork Office Subscription
193 
194**Input line (DBS Bank statement):**
195`01 Jun 2025 | WEWORK SINGAPORE PTE LTD | -1,200.00 | Balance 28,750.00`
196 
197**Reasoning:**
198WeWork hot desk / dedicated desk monthly fee. This is office rent -- a deductible business expense under Section 14(1) ITA (wholly and exclusively incurred in the production of income). No apportionment needed for a dedicated business workspace.
199 
200**Classification:** Rent / office costs SGD 1,200. Fully deductible.
201 
202### Example 5 -- Laptop Purchase
203 
204**Input line (OCBC Bank statement):**
205`15 Jul 2025 | APPLE SINGAPORE PTE LTD | -2,899.00 | Balance 19,200.00`
206 
207**Reasoning:**
208Apple MacBook purchase SGD 2,899. Capital asset under Section 19A(10A): assets costing below SGD 5,000 individually can be written off 100% in the year of acquisition. Total low-value assets in the year must not exceed SGD 30,000. Since SGD 2,899 < SGD 5,000 and within the cap, 100% capital allowance applies.
209 
210**Classification:** Capital allowance SGD 2,899 (100% write-off under Section 19A(10A)).
211 
212### Example 6 -- Private Car Expense
213 
214**Input line (UOB Bank statement):**
215`10 Aug 2025 | SHELL SELECT QUEENSTOWN | -120.00 | Balance 22,100.00`
216 
217**Reasoning:**
218Petrol purchased at Shell station SGD 120. The taxpayer drives a private car (S-plate). Capital allowances on private cars are NOT claimable. Running costs (petrol, parking, ERP) attributable to documented business trips may be deducted. Requires mileage log or trip records. Without documentation, default is 0% deduction.
219 
220**Classification:** Motor vehicle expense -- PENDING. Default: 0%. Flag for reviewer to confirm business trip documentation.
221 
222---
223 
224## Section 5 -- Tier 1 Rules (When Data Is Clear)
225 
226### 5.1 Trade Income Computation
227 
228**Legislation:** ITA Section 10(1)(a)
229 
230```
231Gross revenue from trade/business/profession/vocation
232Less: Allowable business expenses (Section 14)
233Add: Balancing charges (if assets disposed)
234Less: Capital allowances (Section 19/19A)
235= Adjusted trade income
236Less: Approved donations (250% deduction)
237= Assessable income
238Less: Personal reliefs (Section 36-40, capped at SGD 80,000)
239= Chargeable income
240Apply rate table
241Less: Tax rebates
242= Net tax payable
243```
244 
245### 5.2 Capital Allowances
246 
247**Legislation:** ITA Sections 19, 19A, 19A(10A)
248 
249| Method | Details |
250|---|---|
251| Section 19 (standard) | Initial allowance 20% + annual allowance over prescribed working life (6, 12, or 16 years) |
252| Section 19A (one-year) | 100% in year of acquisition (irrevocable; applies to ALL assets acquired in that YA) |
253| Section 19A (three-year) | 33.33% per year over 3 years |
254| Section 19A(10A) (low-value) | 100% for assets < SGD 5,000 each; cap SGD 30,000/year aggregate |
255 
256**Private cars (S-plate):** NO capital allowances.
257 
258### 5.3 Allowable Business Expenses
259 
260**Legislation:** ITA Section 14 -- "wholly and exclusively incurred in the production of income"
261 
262Fully deductible if the test is met: rent for business premises, professional indemnity insurance, accounting/tax fees, office supplies, software subscriptions, marketing, bank charges, travel for business, business entertainment (with documentation).
263 
264NOT deductible (Section 15): domestic/private expenses, capital expenditure (unless through CA), income tax itself, fines/penalties, drawings.
265 
266### 5.4 Personal Reliefs
267 
268**Legislation:** ITA Sections 36--40; cap SGD 80,000 per YA
269 
270| Relief | Amount (SGD) |
271|---|---|
272| Earned income relief (below 55) | Lower of actual earned income or 1,000 |
273| Earned income relief (55--59) | Lower of actual earned income or 6,000 |
274| Earned income relief (60+) | Lower of actual earned income or 8,000 |
275| CPF relief (self-employed) | Mandatory MediSave contributions |
276| CPF cash top-up | Up to 8,000 (own) + 8,000 (family) |
277| SRS relief | Up to 15,300 (citizens/PRs) or 35,700 (foreigners) |
278| Spouse relief | 2,000 (spouse income ≤ SGD 4,000) |
279| Qualifying child relief | 4,000 per child |
280| Handicapped child relief | 7,500 per child |
281| Parent relief | 9,000 / 14,000 (handicapped) |
282| Life insurance | Up to 5,000 (only if CPF contributions < 5,000) |
283| Course fees | Up to 5,500 |
284| Approved donations | 250% of donation (deducted from assessable income, NOT subject to SGD 80,000 cap) |
285 
286### 5.5 Filing Deadlines
287 
288| Item | Deadline |
289|---|---|
290| Form B (self-employed) -- e-filing | 18 April of the YA |
291| Form B -- paper filing | 15 April of the YA |
292| Tax payment | Within 1 month of NOA |
293| GIRO instalment | 12 monthly instalments (apply by specified date) |
294 
295### 5.6 Penalties
296 
297| Offence | Penalty |
298|---|---|
299| Late filing | SGD 200--1,000 per offence |
300| Non-filing (estimated assessment) | Estimated NOA issued; 5% penalty on tax owed |
301| Incorrect return | Up to 200% of tax undercharged |
302| Wilful tax evasion | Up to SGD 50,000 and/or 3 years imprisonment; 400% penalty |
303| Late payment | 5% on unpaid tax after 30 days; +1%/month thereafter (max 12%) |
304 
305---
306 
307## Section 6 -- Tier 2 Catalogue (Reviewer Judgement Required)
308 
309### 6.1 Home Office Deduction
310 
311IRAS does not have a blanket home office scheme. However, expenses attributable to the business use of a home (additional electricity, dedicated internet line, pro-rata rent if a room is exclusively for business) may be claimed if the home is an actual place of business. Apportionment basis must be reasonable (floor area ratio or time-based).
312 
313**Flag for reviewer:** Confirm apportionment basis, documentation, and whether IRAS has been notified that business is conducted from home.
314 
315### 6.2 Private Car Business Use
316 
317Running costs (petrol, parking, ERP, road tax) for documented business trips are potentially deductible. Capital allowances are NOT available for private (S-plate) cars. A mileage log or contemporaneous trip record is required.
318 
319**Flag for reviewer:** Confirm vehicle type, business-use percentage, and documentation method.
320 
321### 6.3 Capital vs Revenue Expenditure
322 
323IRAS distinguishes between revenue expenses (deductible in year incurred) and capital expenditure (deductible only through capital allowances). Renovation/refurbishment costs are generally capital but Section 14Q allows a 3-year deduction (capped at SGD 300,000 per 3-year period).
324 
325### 6.4 CPF MediSave Contributions
326 
327Mandatory MediSave contribution rates for self-employed persons vary by age and net trade income. The contribution is between 4% and 10.5% of net trade income, subject to a cap.
328 
329**Flag for reviewer:** Calculate exact contribution using IRAS/CPF tables for client's age group.
330 
331### 6.5 Working Mother's Child Relief (WMCR)
332 
333WMCR is available only to working mothers (citizens or PRs). The relief is 15%/20%/25% of earned income for 1st/2nd/3rd+ children. Combined QCR + WMCR capped at SGD 50,000 per child.
334 
335---
336 
337## Section 7 -- Excel Working Paper Template
338 
339```
340SINGAPORE INCOME TAX WORKING PAPER
341Taxpayer: _______________ NRIC/FIN: ___________
342Year of Assessment: YA 2026 (income earned in 2025)
343GST registered: Yes / No [circle one]
344 
345A. GROSS TRADE REVENUE
346 A1. Total receipts from clients ___________
347 A2. Less: GST collected (if GST-registered) ___________
348 A3. Net trade revenue ___________
349 
350B. ALLOWABLE BUSINESS EXPENSES
351 B1. Rent / co-working space ___________
352 B2. Utilities (business %) ___________
353 B3. Communications (business %) ___________
354 B4. Travel (business) ___________
355 B5. Advertising / marketing ___________
356 B6. Professional fees (accounting, legal) ___________
357 B7. Software / subscriptions ___________
358 B8. Office supplies ___________
359 B9. Business entertainment ___________
360 B10. Bank / transaction fees ___________
361 B11. Other allowable expenses ___________
362 B12. Total business expenses ___________
363 
364C. CAPITAL ALLOWANCES
365 C1. Section 19A(10A) low-value assets ___________
366 C2. Section 19A one-year / three-year ___________
367 C3. Section 19 standard annual allowance ___________
368 C4. Total capital allowances ___________
369 
370D. ADJUSTED TRADE INCOME (A3 - B12 - C4) ___________
371 
372E. APPROVED DONATIONS (x 250%) ___________
373 
374F. ASSESSABLE INCOME (D - E) ___________
375 
376G. PERSONAL RELIEFS
377 G1. Earned income relief ___________
378 G2. CPF MediSave contribution ___________
379 G3. SRS contribution ___________
380 G4. Spouse relief ___________
381 G5. Child reliefs (QCR / WMCR) ___________
382 G6. Parent relief ___________
383 G7. Course fees relief ___________
384 G8. Other reliefs ___________
385 G9. Total reliefs (cap: SGD 80,000) ___________
386 
387H. CHARGEABLE INCOME (F - G9) ___________
388 
389I. GROSS TAX (apply rate table) ___________
390 
391J. LESS: TAX REBATES ___________
392 
393K. NET TAX PAYABLE (I - J) ___________
394 
395REVIEWER FLAGS:
396 [ ] Tax residence confirmed (183 days / citizen / PR)?
397 [ ] GST status confirmed?
398 [ ] Capital vs revenue expenditure reviewed?
399 [ ] Private car: no capital allowances?
400 [ ] Personal relief cap SGD 80,000 checked?
401 [ ] Donations deducted from assessable income (not personal reliefs)?
402```
403 
404---
405 
406## Section 8 -- Bank Statement Reading Guide
407 
408### Singapore Bank Statement Formats
409 
410| Bank | Format | Key Fields |
411|---|---|---|
412| DBS / POSB | CSV / PDF | Date, Reference, Debit, Credit, Balance |
413| OCBC | CSV | Transaction Date, Description, Withdrawals (SGD), Deposits (SGD), Balance (SGD) |
414| UOB | CSV / PDF | Trans. Date, Description, Debit, Credit, Available Balance |
415| Standard Chartered SG | CSV | Date, Description, Debit, Credit, Running Balance |
416| Citibank SG | CSV | Date, Description, Debit Amount, Credit Amount |
417| Wise SG | CSV | Date, Description, Amount, Currency, Running Balance |
418 
419### Key Singapore Banking Narrations
420 
421| Narration | Meaning | Classification Hint |
422|---|---|---|
423| FAST / FAST CREDIT [name] | Funds transfer via FAST | Potential income from client |
424| PayNow Credit [name/UEN] | PayNow receipt | Business income |
425| GIRO Credit / GIRO Debit | Standing instruction | Regular income or recurring expense |
426| IBG / INTERBANK GIRO | Interbank GIRO | Income or expense transfer |
427| TT FROM [bank/name] | Telegraphic transfer in | Overseas client income |
428| PAYNOW QR | PayNow QR code payment | Business income |
429| ATM WITHDRAWAL | Cash withdrawal | Personal -- investigate |
430| INTEREST CREDIT | Bank interest | Other income (may be exempt) |
431| IRAS GIRO | IRAS tax payment | Tax payment -- exclude |
432| CPFB | CPF Board payment | MediSave -- personal relief |
433 
434---
435 
436## Section 9 -- Onboarding Fallback
437 
438If the client provides a bank statement but cannot answer onboarding questions immediately:
439 
4401. Classify all FAST/PayNow/GIRO credits from non-personal sources as potential trade income
4412. Classify all CPFB debits as MediSave (personal relief -- not business expense)
4423. Apply conservative defaults: non-GST registered, no capital allowances for vehicles, 0% home office
4434. Flag all large purchases > SGD 5,000 as potential capital expenditure requiring review
4445. Generate working paper with PENDING flags
445 
446Present these questions:
447 
448```
449ONBOARDING QUESTIONS -- SINGAPORE INCOME TAX
4501. Are you a Singapore citizen, PR, or foreigner (and if foreigner, how many days in Singapore)?
4512. Are you GST-registered?
4523. Are you filing as a sole proprietor (Form B) or employee (Form B1)?
4534. What is your main business / profession?
4545. Do you have an office outside your home, or do you work from home?
4556. Do you use a vehicle for work? If so, is it a private car (S-plate) or commercial vehicle?
4567. CPF: what MediSave contributions did you make this year?
4578. SRS: did you make Supplementary Retirement Scheme contributions?
4589. Do you have qualifying children or dependent parents?
45910. Any approved donations to IPCs this year?
460```
461 
462---
463 
464## Section 10 -- Reference Material
465 
466### Key Legislation
467 
468| Topic | Section |
469|---|---|
470| Trade income | ITA Section 10(1)(a) |
471| Allowable expenses | ITA Section 14 |
472| Prohibited deductions | ITA Section 15 |
473| Capital allowances (standard) | ITA Section 19 |
474| Capital allowances (accelerated) | ITA Section 19A |
475| Low-value asset write-off | ITA Section 19A(10A) |
476| Renovation/refurbishment | ITA Section 14Q |
477| Personal reliefs | ITA Sections 36--40 |
478| Record keeping | ITA Section 67 |
479 
480### Known Gaps / Out of Scope
481 
482- Non-resident income tax
483- GST computation and returns
484- Corporate income tax (Pte Ltd, etc.)
485- Partnership income allocation
486- Property gains / capital gains
487- NOR scheme (abolished after YA 2024)
488 
489### Changelog
490 
491| Version | Date | Change |
492|---|---|---|
493| 2.0 | April 2026 | Full rewrite to v2.0 structure; Singapore bank formats; local platform patterns (PayNow, Stripe SG, Shopee); worked examples |
494| 1.0 | 2025 | Initial version |
495 
496### Self-Check
497 
498- [ ] Preceding year basis confirmed? (YA 2026 = 2025 income)
499- [ ] GST excluded from trade income for GST-registered taxpayers?
500- [ ] Personal relief cap SGD 80,000 applied?
501- [ ] Approved donations deducted from assessable income (not personal reliefs)?
502- [ ] Capital allowances for private cars NOT claimed?
503- [ ] Section 19A election irrevocability noted?
504 
505---
506 
507## PROHIBITIONS
508 
509- NEVER apply resident tax rates without confirming tax residence (183-day rule, citizen, or PR status)
510- NEVER include GST collected on sales as trade income for GST-registered taxpayers
511- NEVER allow capital allowances on private S-plate cars
512- NEVER allow income tax itself as a deductible expense
513- NEVER allow personal or domestic expenses as business deductions
514- NEVER allow personal reliefs to exceed SGD 80,000 (note: approved donations are NOT subject to this cap)
515- NEVER apply NOR scheme concessions -- scheme is expired after YA 2024
516- NEVER confuse Year of Assessment with basis period (YA 2026 ≠ 2026 income)
517- NEVER present tax calculations as definitive -- always label as estimated and direct client to their Accredited Tax Adviser for confirmation
518 
519---
520 
521## Disclaimer
522 
523This skill and its outputs are provided for informational and computational purposes only and do not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Open Accountants and its contributors accept no liability for any errors, omissions, or outcomes arising from the use of this skill. All outputs must be reviewed and signed off by a qualified professional (such as an Accredited Tax Adviser, Chartered Accountant, or equivalent licensed practitioner in Singapore) before filing or acting upon.
524 
525The most up-to-date, verified version of this skill is maintained at [openaccountants.com](https://openaccountants.com). Log in to access the latest version, request a professional review from a licensed accountant, and track updates as tax law changes.
526 

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Q2: Research-verified

Deep research against tax authority sources. Not yet tested on real data.

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About

Use this skill whenever asked about Singapore income tax for self-employed individuals. Trigger on phrases like "how much tax do I pay in Singapore", "Form B", "Form B1", "IRAS income tax", "trade income", "capital allowances Singapore", "personal reliefs", "tax residence 183 days", "Section 10(1)(a)", "CPF self-employed", "self-employed tax Singapore", "myTax Portal", "DBS Bank statement", "OCBC income", "PayNow transfer", "Stripe Singapore", or any question about filing or computing income tax for a Singapore sole proprietor or freelancer. This skill covers progressive rates (0--24%), trade income computation, capital allowances (Section 19/19A), approved deductions, personal reliefs, CPF MediSave, tax residence rules, filing deadlines, and penalties. ALWAYS read this skill before touching any Singapore income tax work.

SGty-2025

1 of 3 in the SG workflow: