Cap on tax reliefs preserves the fairness and progressivity of Singapore’s tax structure

为估税扣税设限可保税制公平累进

谨答复《联合早报·交流站》于3月9日刊登的严顺财读者投函《对个人税务的建议》：

我们谢谢严顺财先生的建议。

新加坡人若要在公积金特别与退休户头存更多钱，可以透过退休存款填补计划（Retirement Sum Topping-Up Scheme，RSTU）进行现金填补。根据此计划，他们每年可获得估税扣税最多为8000元。

退休辅助户头（SRS）是自愿计划，在公积金储蓄存款之外，帮助个人为退休储蓄。存入SRS户头的存款可得估税扣税，退休后从SRS取款，只有50%须缴税。

尽管我们希望鼓励国人为退休储蓄，但也需要妥善地平衡RSTU和SRS所提供的优惠。这些计划对更有能力进行填补以及有其他渠道为退休做储蓄的个人来说，更能获益。RSTU的个人和为亲属填补可得的估税扣税顶限刚从7000元提高到8000元。我们会继续定期检讨和更新这些顶限。

所有个人收入的估税扣税顶限是8万元。我们目前有15种个人收入估税扣税。每一种扣税都与一种政策目标挂钩，包括鼓励透过公积金和SRS为退休储蓄。

但整体来看，估税扣税可导致少数人享受极大的扣税，而缴纳较少税。从2018估税年开始的个人收入估税扣税8万元顶限，在确保个人所得税体系的公平性方面，依然适宜，也就是较高收入者缴纳较多税。以这个水平计算，大约99%的个人纳税居民，不受顶限影响，可获得估税扣税。这包括申请在职母亲子女估税扣税（WMCR）的人，她们当中，每10名申请者约九人可以成功。

政府会继续确保新加坡有一个公平和累进的财政体系，较富裕者将贡献比他们获得的利益更多的税款，较不富裕者仍要贡献，但获得的利益将比他们付出的多。

财政部通讯及联系司司长

Farah Abdul Rahim

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We thank Mr Yan Shun Cai for his letter (“对个人税务的建议”, Mar 9).

Singaporeans who wish to save more in their CPF Special and Retirement Accounts can make a cash top-up under the Retirement Sum Topping-Up Scheme. Under the RSTU, they may be eligible for up to $8,000 of tax relief per year.

The Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS) is a voluntary scheme to help individuals to save for their retirement, over and above their CPF savings.  Contributions to SRS are eligible for tax relief, and only 50% of the withdrawals from SRS are taxable at retirement.

While we want to encourage retirement savings, we will also need to appropriately calibrate the benefits provided under RSTU and SRS. These schemes tend to benefit the individuals with greater means to make such top-ups, and who also have other avenues to save for their retirement.  The tax relief limit for RSTU was recently raised from $7,000 to $8,000 each for contributions to oneself, and contributions to loved ones (e.g. parents, grandparents). We will continue to regularly review and update these limits.

We also have a cap on all personal income tax reliefs of $80,000. We currently have 15 types of personal income tax reliefs. Each relief serves a policy objective, including encouraging retirement savings in CPF and SRS. But taken together, the tax reliefs can lead to a small proportion of individuals enjoying very large reliefs, and hence paying lower income taxes. This $80,000 cap on personal income tax relief, in place since Year of Assessment 2018, remains relevant for ensuring that our personal income tax system is fair, where higher-income earners pay more. At this threshold, about 99% of tax-resident individuals can continue to enjoy their tax reliefs without being affected by the cap. These include about 9 out of 10 claimants of Working Mother’s Child Relief. 

The Government will continue to ensure that we have a fair and progressive fiscal system in Singapore. This means that those who are more well-to-do will contribute more taxes than the benefits they receive, while those with less still contribute something, and receive more benefits in return.

Ms Farah Abdul Rahim           

Director, Communications and Engagement

Ministry of Finance