MOF Invites Feedback on Proposed Legislative Amendments for the Corporate Income Tax treatment of Variable Capital Companies (VCCs)

1. The Ministry of Finance is inviting feedback on the proposed changes to the Income Tax Act (ITA), which will be amended via the Variable Capital Companies (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2019. The consultation period is from 6 to 21 March 2019.

Background

2. The Variable Capital Companies Act 2018 (VCC Act) was passed by Parliament on 1 October 2018. The VCC Act provides for the incorporation and operation of a new corporate structure for investment funds, and is expected to come into operation in the second half of 2019. The VCC structure will complement and expand the existing suite of fund structures in Singapore. The introduction of VCCs strengthens Singapore’s position as a full-service international fund management centre, and provides opportunities to fund managers and fund servicing professionals such as fund administrators, lawyers and accountants. 

3. As stated during the second reading of the Variable Capital Companies Bill in Parliament on 1 October 2018, the tax framework for VCCs is to be separately set out via legislative amendments to the relevant tax legislation.

Proposed Amendments

4. The proposed tax treatment, formulated in consultation with the industry, recognises the unique characteristics of VCCs, which combine the advantage of a single legal entity at the umbrella VCC fund level, with segregation of assets and liabilities at the sub-fund level. The legislative amendments are expected to come into effect in the second half of 2019. 

5. Salient aspects of the proposed legislative amendments for consultation are as follows: 

a) To ease compliance burden, an umbrella VCC only needs to file a single Corporate Income Tax return to the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, regardless of the number of its sub-funds.

b) Tax incentives under sections 13R and 13X of the ITA will be extended to VCCs. In the case of an umbrella VCC, these tax incentives will be granted at the umbrella level. 

c) Deductions and allowances for umbrella VCCs will be applied at the sub-fund level for determination of the sub-fund’s chargeable or exempt income.

d) Where applicable, an umbrella VCC will enjoy start-up or partial tax exemption which will be applied once at the umbrella level, regardless of the number of sub-funds the umbrella VCC may have.  Subject to conditions, a VCC will enjoy the start-up tax exemption for its first three years of assessment (YAs). In the case of an umbrella VCC, the first three YAs are determined with reference to its date of incorporation and not the date of registration of its sub-funds.

6. The public consultation pertaining to the VCC tax treatments which will be effected by proposed amendments to the Goods and Services Tax Act and the Stamp Duties Act was launched on 14 February 2019 and ended on 1 March 2019.

Consultation Details

7. The public can access detailed consultation documents for the proposed changes to the ITA which will be incorporated into the Variable Capital Companies (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2019, on the Ministry of Finance's website (www.mof.gov.sg) and the REACH consultation portal (www.reach.gov.sg). 

8. We encourage all interested parties to submit comments using the prescribed template, through: 

a) email to pc_itabill@mof.gov.sg (preferred mode); or 

b) fax to 6337 4134; or

c) post to:

Ministry of Finance
100 High Street, #10-01
The Treasury
Singapore 179434
Attention: Tax Policy Directorate

Issued by:
Ministry of Finance
Singapore
6 March 2019