How to file ECI
e-Filing of ECI
Benefits of e-Filing
Filing ECI using ECI Form
How to complete the ECI Form
Paying your estimated taxes
FAQs
How to file ECI
You may file your company's ECI:
e-Filing of ECI
You can e-File ECI to us if you have been authorised as an "Approver" for "Corporate tax matters" by your company.
Any staff or director of the company, or a third party (e.g. tax agent), can be authorised as an "Approver" for "Corporate tax matters" via e-Services Authorisation System (EASY) using the company's e-Services Access Code.
For more details on EASY, please refer to user guide for EASY.
After the authorisation via EASY, the authorised person can e-File for the company via myTax Portal using his personal SingPass or IRAS PIN.
You will receive an acknowledgement statement upon successful submission of the ECI.
Begin e-File User Guide FAQs
Benefits of e-Filing
The number of instalments you get for e-Filing your company's ECI is more than that for paper-filing. You will also receive an instant acknowledgement statement upon successful submission of your ECI.
With effect from Year of Assessment (YA) 2008, the number of instalments allowed to e-Filers and paper-filers of ECI are as follows:
| |
No. of instalments given |
| ECI filed within: |
e-filers
|
Paper-filers
|
| 1 month from accounting year-end |
10 |
5 |
| 2 months from accounting year-end |
8 |
4 |
| 3 months from accounting year-end |
6 |
3 |
| After 3 months from accounting year-end |
No instalments allowed |
- For e-Filers, e-File by the 26th of each qualifying month to enjoy the maximum number of instalments allowable for that month.
- For paper-filers, your ECI Form should reach us by the 24th of each qualifying month to enjoy the maximum number of instalments allowable for that month.
Example: December year-end company
e-File by
|
Number of instalments
|
Paper-file by
|
Number of instalments
|
26th January
|
10
|
24th January
|
5
|
26th February
|
8
|
24th February
|
4
|
26th March
|
6
|
24th March
|
3
|
After 26th March
|
No instalments
|
After 24th March
|
No instalments
|
Filing ECI using ECI Form
Besides e-Filing, you can also file ECI by completing and submitting an ECI Form. However, please note that the number of instalments given for paper filing is less than that for e-Filing.
There are two types of ECI Forms:
- ECI Form (for company)
- ECI Form (for tax agent)
You can download the relevant ECI Form at Estimated Chargeable Income (ECI) Forms.
Submitting ECI Form
You can submit the completed and signed ECI form to us by post or fax.
Our fax number is +65 6351 4360.
Our mailing address is:
Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore
55 Newton Road
Revenue House
Singapore 307987
We do not send acknowledgement for ECI Forms received. Your company will receive the estimated assessment once we have processed your ECI Form.
However, please note that we do not issue Notice of Assessment to your company if you have declared a "0" ECI amount.
How to complete the ECI Form
Section A
Section A is only applicable if you are claiming tax exemption for new start-up companies. You do not need to complete this section if your company does not qualify for tax exemption for new start-up companies (e.g. your company is not a newly incorporated company and you are filing ECI for your company's fourth or subsequent YA ).
Refer to Tax Exemption Scheme for New Start-up Companies for more details on this scheme.
How to claim for tax exemption for new start-up companies?
- Fill in "1" in the first box to indicate "Yes" to confirm that your company satisfies all the qualifying conditions; and
- Fill in your company's first YA in YYYY format
Section B
Fill in your company's revenue figure. Please refer to Declaration of Amount of Revenue in ECI Form for more information.
Section C
Fill in your company's ECI amount in the first row, in the box next to the pre-filled prevailing corporate tax rate. Please refer to Things to note when you declare ECI amount.
Things to note when you declare ECI amount
- ECI can be prepared based on the draft management accounts if the company has not finalized its accounts.
- The amount of ECI declared must be before the deduction of the exempt amount under partial tax exemption or tax exemption scheme for new start-up companies. We will automatically allow the appropriate exempt amount.
- If your ECI amount is nil (e.g. your company is in a loss position or it is dormant and has no income), you must declare "0" ECI amount.
- If you are claiming unutilised losses, capital allowances or donations brought forward from previous YA, your ECI amount must take into account the unutilised losses, capital allowances, or donations claimed.
- If you are claiming loss items under Group Relief System, the ECI amount must take into account the loss items transferred or claimed under group relief.
- The first row, with the pre-filled prevailing corporate tax rate, is for you to fill in your ECI amount to be taxed at the prevailing corporate tax rate.
- The second row is for you to fill in ECI amount to be taxed at a concessionary tax rate of 10%. You do not need to fill in "0" in the second row if your company does not have any income to be taxed at the concessionary rate of 10%. That is, the box in the second row must be blank if the tax rate of 10% is not applicable.
- The third and fourth rows are for you to fill in income to be taxed at any other rates, which are different from the pre-filled prevailing corporate tax rate or 10%. You do not need to complete these rows if your company does not have any income to be taxed at a rate other than the prevailing corporate tax rate or 10%.
Paying your estimated taxes
If your company qualifies for instalments and has previously paid its tax by instalments, the instalment plan will be sent to your company together with your Notice of Assessment (NOA).
However, if your company has not paid its tax by instalment previously, instalments will not be given automatically. In this case, if you wish to pay your tax by instalment, you will need to request for the instalment plan through the following ways before you file your ECI:
If you wish to pay by GIRO, you must complete and submit GIRO Application Form. Please note that companies that are not registered in Singapore do not qualify for payments by instalments.
For more details on payment, refer to How to pay.
FAQs
As a "Preparer", although you can enter the ECI amount for your company in myTax Portal, you cannot submit the filing details to IRAS. You have to submit your e-filing details to the person authorised as your "Approver". Only the "Approver" can submit the filing details to IRAS.
If your company wants you to file ECI to IRAS, your company must authorised you as an "Approver" instead of "Preparer" so that you can submit the filing details to IRAS.
Yes. You can e-File for up to a maximum of six clients in one submission. A consolidated acknowledgement will be given for the cases e-Filed.
No. Upon successful submission to IRAS, you will receive a consolidated acknowledgement statement for all the companies e-Filed. The NOAs will be sent to your clients.
You will have to e-File the ECI for each company separately if you wish to receive single acknowledgement statement.
You can e-File the ECI if no assessment for the YA has been issued to the company. However, no instalments will be granted if a company files its ECI beyond three months after the end of its accounting period.
Please check the status of your filing by selecting <View Return Status> under e-Services for Corporate Tax. If the status of the ECI is outstanding (i.e. not received), please clear your browser's cache (temporary Internet files) before trying again.
We encourage you to clear the cache and close active applications before you e-File. For instructions on clearing ‘cache', please refer to the steps below:
For Internet Explorer (IE) browser versions 5, 6 and 7
Step 1: Go to "Tools" menu.
Step 2: Click on "Internet Options".
Step 3: Go to "General Tab".
Step 4: Click on "Delete Files" under "Temporary Internet Files" / Click "Delete" button under Browsing History section (for IE 7)
Step 5: Click "OK" to delete files / Click "Delete all …" button and Click "Yes" button on the pop-up window (for IE 7).
Step 6: Click "OK" to exit the Internet Options.
If you still encounter an error, please email us at ctmail@iras.gov.sg with the following details:
(a) Date and time that you encountered the error.
(b) Tax Reference Number of the company and the individual who is e-Filing.
(c) Description of the error (e.g. after clicking “Submit” at Confirmation Statement).
(d) The operating system you are using (e.g. Windows XP, Vista).
(e) The browser type and version number (e.g. Firefox 2.0, IE 6).
(f) The error message(s) or the screenshot of the error(s).
Alternatively, please call 1800-3568622 for assistance.