Knowledge & Insights
Practical guides on Singapore incorporation, taxation, and corporate compliance, written by the team at Adpeco.
Corporate Secretarial
Types of Business Structures in Singapore: Which One Is Right for You?
9 min readSole proprietorship, partnership, LLP, or Pte Ltd. Each structure has different implications for liability, tax, and fundraising. Here's a complete comparison.
Setting Up a Company in Singapore: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide
8 min readSingapore remains one of the easiest places to incorporate a business globally. We walk you through every step, from name reservation to post-incorporation compliance.
How to Choose a Company Name in Singapore
5 min readYour company name is more than a label: it must pass ACRA's checks, avoid restricted terms, and set the right tone for your brand. Here's what you need to know.
Annual Filing Obligations for Singapore Companies
7 min readA practical guide to the annual compliance obligations every Singapore private limited company must meet, covering ACRA's Annual Return, IRAS tax filings, ECI, and audit requirements.
Nominee Directors in Singapore: What Business Owners Need to Know
6 min readEvery Singapore company needs a locally resident director. Here's what a nominee director is, who qualifies, what changed under the Corporate Service Providers Act 2024, and the liability every nominee carries.
XBRL Filing Requirements: What Singapore Companies Need to Know
5 min readMost Singapore companies must file financial statements with ACRA in XBRL format. Find out who must file, which template applies (Simplified vs Full), and the BizFinx v4.0 tool requirement.
Business Licences
Money-Changing Licence: Application and Ongoing Compliance (MAS)
4 min readIf your business buys or sells foreign currency notes in Singapore, you need a money-changing licence from MAS under the Payment Services Act 2019. Here's who needs one, what MAS looks at, the fees, and your ongoing compliance obligations.
Food Shop Licence: Application and Renewal (SFA)
4 min readRestaurants, cafes, bakeries, and other food retail outlets in Singapore need a Food Shop Licence from SFA before opening. Here's who can apply, the requirements, fees, and renewal process.
Liquor Licence: Application and Renewal (SPF)
5 min readAny company, business, or society supplying liquor in Singapore needs a licence from the Singapore Police Force. Here's the licence classes and fees, eligibility, documents, and renewal process.
Tobacco Retail Licence: Application and Renewal (HSA)
5 min readAny physical outlet selling tobacco products by retail in Singapore needs a Tobacco Retail Licence from HSA, now under the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act. Here's who applies, the fees, key conditions, and penalties.
Customs Registration and Trade Permits
5 min readImporting, exporting, or transhipping goods through Singapore? Here's how to activate your Customs Account, apply for TradeNet permits, the fees involved, and the penalties for non-compliance.
Accounting & Payroll
CPF Contributions: What Every Singapore Employer Needs to Know
7 min readContribution rates by age, ordinary and additional wage ceilings, payment deadlines, and penalties for late payment: everything employers need to stay compliant.
Bookkeeping Basics for Singapore SMEs: What Records to Keep and For How Long
6 min readGood bookkeeping isn't just for tax season. Here's what records IRAS and ACRA expect you to keep, how long to retain them, and simple habits that keep your books audit-ready year-round.
Audit Exemption in Singapore: Does Your Company Qualify as a "Small Company"?
6 min readNot every Singapore company needs an annual audit. Here's how the "small company" exemption works, the criteria involved, and what to watch for if your business is growing fast.
Common Bookkeeping Mistakes That Trip Up Singapore SMEs
5 min readMost bookkeeping problems aren't caused by complicated transactions — they're caused by small habits left unchecked. Here are the mistakes we see most often, and how to avoid them.
Revenue Recognition Basics Under SFRS for Small Entities
6 min readWhen should your business actually record revenue — when you invoice, when you're paid, or something else? Here's how revenue recognition works under SFRS for Small Entities.
Related Party Transactions: What Needs Disclosing and Why It Matters
5 min readA director's loan, a rental payment to a family member, a transaction between two companies under the same ownership — these are more common than business owners realise, and they come with disclosure obligations.
Tax
Singapore's Corporate Tax Regime: What Every Business Owner Should Know
7 min readFrom the 17% headline rate to startup exemptions and GST obligations, this guide covers everything you need to understand about Singapore's tax framework.
Understanding GST in Singapore: Registration, Filing and Compliance
6 min readWhen do you need to register? How do you charge and claim back GST? This guide covers the essentials: the 9% rate, the S$1M threshold, Form F5 filing, and penalties.
Personal Income Tax in Singapore: A Quick Guide
6 min readProgressive rates from 0% to 24%, residency rules, reliefs, and filing deadlines: everything individuals and foreign professionals need to know about Singapore personal income tax.
Withholding Tax in Singapore: A Quick-Reference Guide
5 min readPaying a non-resident for interest, royalties, services, or director's fees? The obligation to withhold and remit tax to IRAS sits with the payer. Here are the rates, deadlines, and treaty relief rules.
Tax Residency for Individuals in Singapore
6 min readWhether you're taxed as a resident or non-resident depends on your tax residency status, not your nationality or visa type. Here's how it's determined, the administrative concessions, and why it matters.
Tax Residency for Companies in Singapore
6 min readA company's tax residency isn't determined by its place of incorporation. Here's the control-and-management test IRAS applies, the rules on virtual board meetings, and why residency status matters.
Immigration
Employment Pass vs S Pass: Which Work Pass Does Your Foreign Employee Need?
8 min readEP for professionals, S Pass for mid-skilled workers. We compare the salary thresholds, COMPASS framework, quota, levy, and application process for both passes.
Employment Pass Dependants: Bringing Your Family to Singapore
7 min readCan your spouse and children join you on an EP, and can they work? This guide covers the Dependant's Pass, LTVP, salary thresholds, and what changed with the Letter of Consent in 2021.
From Employment Pass to Permanent Residence: The PTS Pathway
7 min readThe PTS Scheme is the main route for EP holders to obtain Singapore PR. Learn who can apply, how long to wait, what ICA actually looks at, and how the process works from filing to outcome.
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