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vip
27-02-15, 23:25
http://propertysoul.com/2015/02/28/singapore-budget/

A ‘single’ property owner’s wishlist for Singapore Budget

February 28, 2015
https://propertysoul.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/budget.png
All taxpayers are not created equal.

In every year’s Singapore Budget or National Day Rally, the media will feature a low-income or middle-class family, highlighting ‘what he and his family will get’ or ‘how she and her family will be benefited’.

But no one bothers to interview singles like us. Because we don’t get anything anyway.

Why do they have to penalize singles when it comes to income tax? We are not eligible for the spouse and parent tax reliefs, but get restrictions instead when buying HDB flats. We don’t take any cash bonus, baby gift, marriage benefit, childcare leave or insurance coverage for dependents. Still, we pay the highest tax among taxpayers in the same income group.

I guess this is the price to pay for being single. It happens in any country.

As a single who is neither a low-income worker nor an elderly, I don’t look at what is there for me, I look for what more I have to pay.

CPF salary ceiling raised from $5,000 to $6,000? Need to contribute $200 more for monthly CPF.

Road tax rebate is one-off but increased petrol duty is permanent? Need to budget more for pumping.

Higher taxes for top-income earners? Need to talk to the boss about my promotion and raise so that my new salary won’t go up the next income bracket.

Almost forget that my rental return and stock dividends are adding their way to my chargeable income. What? Only get $1,000 earned income relief?

I’m seriously considering getting hitched ASAP and having a baby in time for Year of Assessment 2016 – just for the change of fate for this annual Pay-And-Pay budget. No kidding!

No cash payout for everyone signals that election will not happen this year. And all property cooling measures and borrowing restrictions are here to stay.

2015 will be a tough year, with higher housing loan interest for property owners and lower rental income for landlords, especially those who bought quite recently for investment.

In my dream budget for next year, I have a wishlist that can benefit all, especially for humble property owners like me.

1. To ease the financial burdens of property owners, a 50 percent property tax rebates for private residential properties, capped at $2,000.

2. Property owners can claim for refund of property tax for an unoccupied property (same as before 1 Jan 2014).

3. Non-owner occupied private property owners can apply for VacantShield, a government low cost basic rental protection scheme to insure against prolonged period of vacancy for rental properties.

4. Property owners bought before the date of 29 June 2013 can apply for InterestShield, a government low cost interest protection scheme to insure against borrowing rates to increase more than xx percent in 12 months’ time.

5. Exemption from Seller Stamp Duty for private properties sold within four years of purchase if outstanding loan exceeds the selling price (when sales proceeds are insufficient to cover the outstanding loan from the financial institution).

6. Equal CPF contribution rates for workers by both employers and employees. A one-off payout by the government to cover increased CPF contribution in the first year.

7. According to the new IRSS (IR Revenue Sharing Scheme), all citizens 21-year-old and above who pay no visit to the casinos in Year of Assessment 2017 will receive a one-off bonus of $xxxx.

Any more from anyone?

Laguna
28-02-15, 13:24
stock dividend is not taxable

agentg
28-02-15, 15:45
single can claim parents relief

vip
28-02-15, 16:29
stock dividend is not taxable

Sorry, my mistake here. Should be "dividends" or "company dividends".

Arcachon
28-02-15, 16:49
All taxpayers are created equal. Some are CREATED more equal than others.

Kelonguni
28-02-15, 17:41
The strategy to get hitched is totally different from that to get rich.

Must switch off logical thinking and go with the flow. Must risk it all for what looks like no gains or even huge losses.

Only by being willing to lose all can one gain everything in this area.

Sandiwara
28-02-15, 19:02
It is about mind set. Let the single have family first then after few year Let him become single again (do not ask me the detail how to do it). After that we check with him again whether the rule is fair is not fair.

JNSYN
28-02-15, 20:12
Company dividends also not taxable

teddybear
28-02-15, 20:29
I don't think your statement is correct because stock dividend now is taxed at source at 20% before distribution...

In the past, stock dividend was paid out first (before taxing at 20%) and then you pay the tax based on your income tax rate. That is to say, if your income tax was 0%, you pay 0% tax on your stock dividend previously.

In summary, if your income tax is 0%, you end up paying 20% tax on your stock dividend now (vs before the stock dividend tax changes)!


stock dividend is not taxable

Arcachon
01-03-15, 01:09
It is about mind set. Let the single have family first then after few year Let him become single again (do not ask me the detail how to do it). After that we check with him again whether the rule is fair is not fair.

Problem not many understand, most educated to work, work ,work.

1986 if you want to buy HDB you need to queue for 7 years in order to book a unit.

Most of them need to "Shall we apply for an HDB flat?" This is how Singaporean men propose to their beloved.

http://www.mnd.gov.sg/reflections_housing/article4.htm

Like many I propose to my gf and we went to HDB in Maxwell Road to register.

Got my key to my 4 room HDB in 1988 at Bukit Merah for SGD 83,000 with minimum CPF and a mortgage loan of SGD 900 + a month and the rest are history.

Bukit Panjang 5 room point block cost less than SGD 83,000.