The Year of Assessment (YA) is the year in which income tax is charged. Singapore taxes on a preceding-year basis, so YA 2026 assesses income earned from 1 January to 31 December 2025, with the individual filing deadline on 18 April.
Key takeaways
- Income tax is charged by Year of Assessment on the income of the preceding calendar year: IRAS states that income taxed in YA 2026 refers to income earned from 1 Jan 2025 to 31 Dec 2025.
- The tax return filed in 2026 therefore reports 2025 income, and the individual filing deadline is 18 April.
- Rates, reliefs and rebates are fixed for each Year of Assessment, so a change announced at a Budget usually takes effect from a stated YA rather than from a calendar date — the fixed WMCR amounts, for example, apply from YA 2025.
- Tax residency is also settled per Year of Assessment on the preceding calendar year, which is why an arrival or departure year can be assessed differently from a full year.
- After filing, IRAS issues a Notice of Assessment showing chargeable income and the tax payable for that Year of Assessment.
Assessment year, not income year
The two years in a Singapore tax return are always one apart. The income year is the calendar year the money was earned; the Year of Assessment is the year it is taxed. Everything on a tax bill — rates, reliefs, residency — is labelled with the YA.
The same labelling runs through the reliefs: the SGD 80,000 personal relief cap, the SRS contribution deadline of 31 December and the child relief amounts are all set per Year of Assessment, so a contribution made in 2025 is relieved in YA 2026.
Which year is which
Four Years of Assessment, with the income they cover and when the return is due. The highlighted row is the current one.
| Year of Assessment | Income earned | Filing deadline |
|---|---|---|
| YA 2024 | 1 Jan – 31 Dec 2023 | 18 April 2024 |
| YA 2025 | 1 Jan – 31 Dec 2024 | 18 April 2025 |
| YA 2026 | 1 Jan – 31 Dec 2025 | 18 April 2026 |
| YA 2027 | 1 Jan – 31 Dec 2026 | 18 April 2027 |
A salary earned in 2025
A bonus paid in January 2026 belongs to YA 2027, not to the return being filed now — the date of payment decides the year, not the period worked.
Where the YA label matters
Five things people get wrong
- IRAS — Working out my tax residency — preceding-year basis: YA 2026 taxes income of 1 Jan – 31 Dec 2025
- IRAS — Individual income tax rates — the rates set for each Year of Assessment
- IRAS — Working Mother’s Child Relief — an example of a change dated by YA (fixed amounts from YA 2025)
Official statistics for general information only. Not financial advice.
This page is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice. All figures and worked examples are estimates for illustrative purposes, are subject to change, and do not reflect any individual’s circumstances. Always refer to IRAS and seek independent professional advice before making any financial decisions.