Introduction
A few days back, I was helping my friend with their tax filing, and then I realised how much smoother things have gotten with IRAS over the years. Now in 2025, it is really hard to imagine going back to the old paper forms and those confusing back and forth emails.
Now, IRAS e-Filing has become much more intuitive. You have refilled tax forms and simplified submissions for domain companies. You even get timely updates on your filing status. I think it really saves a lot of unnecessary stress.
In this article, let’s go through and understand what the process looks like this year and what deadlines you need to watch out for. Also, let’s see what has changed and how to avoid common mistakes.
Key Filing Dates and Requirements
Individual Income Tax
For individuals, e-filing starts on 1 March and runs until 18 April 2025. Via IRAS myTax Portal using Singpass (or Singapore Foreign Account if you are not a local). It is really easy these days, and a lot of information is already pre-filled if your employer participates in the auto inclusion scheme.
Corporate Tax
Now, for businesses, it is a two-step process. First, you need to file your estimated chargeable income (ECI) within three months of the end of your financial year. If your FY ends on 31st March, then your ECI needs to be submitted by 30 June 2025.
Then comes the year of assessment (YA) 2025 corporate tax return, which opens on 5 May and is due by 30 November 2025. Just make sure you are using the form C-S, C-S (Lite), or Form C, depending on your company’s profile.
Notifications and Tax Bill
IRAS usually sends out filing notifications between February and March. For individual taxpayers, tax bills typically come out in April, and for companies, it’s around late November.
If you are not sure when you need to file, or what form applies to you, there is this amazing filing checker tool on myTax Portal that clears things up quickly. I have used it myself and it saves a lot of second-guessing.
Also Read: CPF Submission Requirements: What Every Business Needs to Know
Individual e-Filing Process
Here is how it works. If you are filing your personal taxes this year:
Sign-in to myTax Portal: Sign in with Singpass/ SFA if you are a non-resident.
Confirm Pre-Filled Data: IRAS. Does a lot of work for you now. If your employer is part of the auto inclusion scheme (AIS), your employment income, donations, NSman relief, and a few other details will already be there.
Add Extra Declarations: If you have rental income, freelance earnings, or if you qualify for new releases this year, you will need to add that manually.
File by 18 April: Don’t miss the 18 April 2025 deadline. Submitting late can lead to non-filing penalties, and that is definitely something you want to avoid.
Receive Notice of Assessment: After you submit, your notice of assessment (NOA) usually comes out by late April. If you are eligible for the no filing service (NFS), meaning IRAS already has everything they need, you won’t need to file at all. You will need to just review and verify the details to send to you.
Auto Inclusion Scheme (AIS) & No-Filing Service (NFS)
If you have five or more employees, you are required to submit their income information electronically to IRAS by 1 March.
You can do this either through the IRS portal, or if you are using an integrated payroll system, it can actually do it for you automatically.
Now here is good news for employees:
About 70% of employees now qualify for NFS, meaning they don’t need to file if they only have AIS income. They just need to verify and wait for a direct notice of assessment (D-NOA) between April and September.
Corporate Tax Filing
So for companies, Estimated Chargeable Income (ECI) is the first big step.
You need to declare your estimated income within 3 months after your financial year ends.
Let’s say your financial year ends on 31 December 2024. Then you have until 31 March 2025 to file your ECI.
Then there is the actual corporate tax return. You have either Form C-S, C, or C-S Lite.
You need to file this electronically using CorpPass.
Filing opens on 5 May and closes by 30 November 2025.
Here’s a bonus: qualifying companies get a 50% tax rebate, capped at S$40,000, and it’s applied automatically when you file. No extra steps.
If your company is not doing well or is suffering losses, don’t worry, you can still file a simplified return, which makes things a bit easier.
But, don’t miss the deadline. IRAS doesn’t play around with late submissions. They can issue estimated assessments, and the penalties can go up to twice the tax owed.
Improved myTax Portal & Support Tools
Filing taxes used to feel like going through a maze, but not anymore.
IRAS has revamped the myTax Portal, and it’s quite a big improvement.
Now there is a proper dashboard that shows your filing status, reminders, and even prompts you with the next steps based on where you are, like if you need to verify a D-NOA (Direct Notice of Assessment), it’ll point that out.
Payments are easier too. You can set up GIRO instalments, and if you are due a refund, it will go straight to you via PayNow.
If you get stuck, there is a chatbot, live chat, online guides, and the whole portal is now mobile-friendly, so you can handle it on your phone.
All these changes really help reduce mistakes and make the whole experience a lot smoother.
Tech Automation
I was talking to a friend in HR the other day who said, “I don’t even remember the last time I manually filled out an IR8A form.” And that’s exactly where things are headed.
Modern HR and payroll platforms now support AIS-API integration, which means companies can file IR8A and CPF contributions directly to IRAS.
Take PeopleCentral, for example. It’s a Singapore-based HRMS that’s fully integrated with IRAS and CPF systems. It automates AIS submissions and CPF reporting straight from payroll. So, instead of scrambling to meet deadlines or double-check numbers, the system just handles it.
For lean HR teams or growing businesses, this kind of automation is a game changer.
Also Read: Payroll Outsourcing 2025: Reduce Risk, Improve Accuracy, Save Money
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
If you miss the IRAS deadline, here’s what can happen:
- IRAS may issue an Estimated Notice of Assessment (NOA) if you don’t file on time. This means they will estimate your tax, and expect immediate payment.
- Late payment? You’ll face a 5% penalty right away, plus daily interest if it continues unpaid.
- Repeat offenses? These can lead to hefty fines or even legal prosecution.
And it’s not just about filing on time.
If you are relying on the No-Filing Service (NFS), it’s still your responsibility to check that your AIS data is accurate. Mismatches can trigger compliance reviews or letters from IRAS you really don’t want to deal with.
Tips for Smooth e-Filing
I always tell people when tax season rolls around to start early.
- First, make sure you have access to your Singpass or SFA login to avoid any delays.
- Then, double-check the pre-filled AIS details, especially your employment income. If anything is wrong, reach out to your employer right away. It’s way easier to fix it before submission than after you’ve filed.
- Also, keep these key dates in mind:
- ECI needs to be filed within 3 months of your financial year-end.
- Corporate tax filings are due by 30 November.
- And if you are filing as an individual? 18 April is your cutoff.
- Automate with AIS‑enabled payroll systems like PeopleCentral
- Oh, and don’t forget, set up GIRO or PayNow. That way, payments and refunds are handled automatically, without you needing to lift a finger.
Conclusion
Filing your taxes doesn’t have to be stressful. In 2025, IRAS has made things easier and more digital for everyone. Now, there’s less paperwork and more automation.
So here’s the simple tip: file on time, double-check your info, and let good software help you out. That’s how you make tax season smooth and stress-free.
