Singapore bank account opening: DBS, OCBC, UOB, Wise, Aspire: Frequently asked questions
Singapore bank account opening: DBS, OCBC, UOB, Wise, Aspire: Frequently asked questions. For foreign founders setting up shop in Singapore. Practical...
Wasted Costs Orders Against Lawyers in Singapore Company Litigation: When a Solicitor Must Personally Pay
When a company's litigation runs off the rails, most directors assume the worst that can happen is losing the case. That assumption is wrong. Under Order 21 Rule 6 of the Rules of Court 2021, the Singapore High Court (General Division) can look past the losing party altogether and order that party's own solicitor to [...]
EFMA Penalties for Singapore Employers: Fines, Banning Periods and Work Pass Suspension
Most guidance aimed at Singapore employers on foreign manpower focuses on the front end: how to apply for an Employment Pass, how to calculate the Dependency Ratio Ceiling, how to budget for the foreign worker levy. Far less is written about what happens when an employer gets it wrong, and by "wrong" we do not [...]
FDW Security Bond, Insurance and Repatriation: What Employers in Singapore Must Maintain
Employers who hire a migrant domestic worker (MDW), commonly known as a foreign domestic worker (FDW), in Singapore take on a set of financial obligations that go well beyond the monthly salary. Before a helper even lands in Singapore, her employer must have bought a security bond, medical insurance and personal accident insurance in her [...]
GST Assisted Self-Help Kit (ASK): IRAS’ Voluntary Disclosure Framework Before a GST Audit
Most Singapore GST-registered businesses only think about self-review when IRAS knocks. But there is a lighter-touch, IRAS-endorsed framework that is meant to be used long before that point, and in many cases must be used, not because a business is under an audit, but because it wants to apply for or renew a GST scheme. [...]
Employee Share Option Scheme (ESOS) and ESOW Plans: Singapore Tax Treatment for Employers and Employees
Singapore companies increasingly use employee share options and share ownership plans to attract and retain key staff, especially in the startup and technology sectors where cash salaries alone cannot compete with regional or Silicon Valley offers. But the tax treatment of these schemes catches out both employers and employees more often than almost any other [...]
What Happens to a Dissolved Singapore Company’s Leftover Funds: Unclaimed Monies Act vs IRDA 2018
When a Singapore private company is struck off the register or wound up, most directors assume the story ends the moment ACRA's final gazette notice is published. It rarely does. Companies routinely leave behind small pockets of cash: an overlooked bank balance, an unclaimed tax credit from IRAS, a dividend cheque nobody banked, or a [...]
Singapore registered address and BizFile+ filings: Frequently asked questions
Singapore registered address and BizFile+ filings explained: costs, deadlines and common mistakes for foreign founders setting up a company.
Nominee director services for foreigners: Frequently asked questions
Nominee director services explained: fees, duties, risks and the appointment process for foreign founders needing a Singapore-resident director.
Exempt Private Company (EPC) mechanics: Frequently asked questions
Exempt private company mechanics explained: eligibility, audit exemption, fees and common pitfalls for foreign founders setting up in Singapore.