Tax season in Singapore runs from 1 March to 18 April. If you need to file, this is your one-page checklist: the deadlines, how the 0%–24% rates actually work, the reliefs worth locking in, and the calculators that do the maths for you — for the Year of Assessment 2026, which taxes the income you earned in 2025.
🗓️ The dates that matter
- 1 March — filing opens. Most employers submit your income directly to IRAS under the Auto-Inclusion Scheme, so a lot of your form is pre-filled.
- 15 April — deadline for paper filing.
- 18 April — deadline for e-filing (the one most people use).
- From May — IRAS sends your Notice of Assessment (your final tax bill). Payment is due within one month, or you can spread it over up to 12 interest-free monthly instalments via GIRO.
Not sure if you even need to file? If you received a letter, SMS or notification from IRAS telling you to, you must — even if your employer is on the Auto-Inclusion Scheme.
🧮 How your tax is worked out
Singapore uses progressive rates from 0% up to 24%. Only the slice of income in each band is taxed at that band’s rate, so a pay rise never leaves you worse off. The figure that’s actually taxed is your chargeable income — your total income minus deductions and reliefs — for the Year of Assessment.
The fastest way to see your number is the income tax calculator; for a plain-English walkthrough of how it all fits together, read income tax made simple.
💸 Reliefs to lock in before you file
Reliefs lower your chargeable income, so claiming the ones you’re entitled to is the single biggest lever on your bill. Remember the catch: all your personal reliefs combined are capped at $80,000 a year. The main ones to check:
- CPF cash top-ups to your own or family members’ retirement savings.
- SRS contributions — a dollar-for-dollar relief; see is the SRS account worth it?
- Family reliefs — child, working mother, parent and grandparent caregiver reliefs; see parenthood tax reliefs.
- Approved donations, which give an outsized deduction.
Work out the best mix with the tax relief optimizer, and see the full menu in how to legally reduce your income tax. One timing note: most reliefs must be done within the calendar year to count — so a top-up made in December 2025 helps YA2026, but one made now does not.
💼 If your pay isn’t just salary
A few common situations have their own rules — and their own calculators:
- Bonus — taxed as ordinary income; see how your bonus is taxed or the bonus tax calculator.
- RSUs or stock options — taxed when they vest or are exercised; see how RSUs are taxed or the RSU tax calculator.
- Foreigner or new to Singapore — your bill depends on the 183-day rule; see income tax for foreigners or the expat take-home calculator.
🧰 Your tax toolkit
Everything you might need in one place:
- Income tax calculator — your full-year bill.
- Take-home pay — what actually lands each month after CPF and tax.
- Tax relief optimizer — squeeze the most from the $80,000 cap.
- Income percentile — see where your salary stands.
✅ Before you hit submit
Run your number through the income tax calculator first so the Notice of Assessment holds no surprises, double-check every relief you qualify for, and file before 18 April. A few minutes now is cheaper than a late-filing penalty.