Tax
What is Year of Assessment (YA)?
The year in which income is taxed. You are always taxed in the year after you earn — so YA2026 assesses the income you earned during 2025. Tax reliefs and rates are quoted by Year of Assessment.
How the timing works
You are always taxed in the year after you earn. Income earned during the 2025 calendar year is assessed in Year of Assessment 2026, with filing due by 18 April 2026. Tax rates, brackets and reliefs are all quoted by Year of Assessment, so “YA2026 reliefs” means the reliefs that apply to your 2025 income.
Why it matters for planning
Any move to cut your tax — a CPF cash top-up, an SRS contribution, or a charitable donation — must be made within the calendar year that the YA assesses. To lower your YA2026 bill, you have to act by 31 December 2025; once the new year starts, that window has closed. Knowing which YA you’re planning for is the first step in any tax-relief strategy.