M&A Tax: Managing Deal Risk Through Due Diligence, Structuring and Contractual Protection
Mergers and acquisitions are rarely driven by tax alone, but tax can materially affect whether a transaction is commercially viable, how it should be structured, and how value is ultimately preserved. In any M&A transaction, tax considerations may affect the...
Singapore–Bhutan Tax Treaty Signed, Subject to Ratification
Singapore and Bhutan signed a new Double Tax Agreement on 12 May 2026 covering taxes on income. The agreement is not yet effective and will take effect only after both jurisdictions complete their ratification procedures. Key tax and business impacts The DTA is...
Cloud Audit Platforms: Move from Optional Upgrade to Strategic Infrastructure for Audit Firms
I attended today’s ISCA and Wolters Kluwer roundtable lunch discussion on how cloud-based audit technologies are reshaping audit delivery, firm operations, cybersecurity expectations, staff retention, and the future use of AI in assurance work. The discussion...
IASB Proposes Targeted Consolidation Relief for Eligible SME
The International Accounting Standards Board has proposed a narrow amendment to the IFRS for SMEs Accounting Standard that would extend consolidation relief to certain intermediate parent entities. The change is intended to reduce reporting costs for eligible SMEs...
Unlocking Value for SMEs Through Credible Numbers, Strategic Reporting and Stronger Advisory
For many SMEs, value is already present in the business but not yet fully visible to banks, investors, buyers, succession stakeholders or strategic partners. The issue is often not a lack of ambition, growth potential or operating capability. The gap lies in whether...
Registration Opens for Multinational Enterprise Top-up Tax and Domestic Top-up Tax
Registration has commenced for multinational enterprise groups that fall within the scope of Singapore’s Multinational Enterprise (Minimum Tax) Act 2024. In-scope groups must register online through the IRAS form, which is to be submitted by the ultimate parent entity...
GST Input Tax Claims: Evidence Must Support Both Export and Invoice Description
In GIY v The Comptroller of Goods and Services Tax [2026] SGGST 1, the GST Board of Review upheld the Comptroller’s decision to disallow approximately S$2.4 million of input tax claims. Although the taxpayer showed that some goods were exported, it did not establish...
Regulatory Enforcement Update: Heightened Accountability for Company Secretaries, Nominee Directors, and CSPs in AML Compliance
Personal Criminal Liability Extends to Company Secretaries and Operational Managers Recent enforcement actions confirm that anti-money laundering (AML) accountability no longer rests exclusively on nominee directors. Company secretaries may face prosecution,...
ACRA Warns CSPs: Director Impersonation Fraud Rising; Reg. 28 Mandates Live Video Verification
The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) of Singapore has alerted registered corporate service providers (CSPs) to a rising scheme where scammers use forged or doctored identification documents to appoint unwitting individuals as directors of newly...
Part 3: Navigating the Opportunity Landscape — Disclosure, Commercial Sensitivity, and Value Creation
While risk reporting is well-established, the reporting of sustainability-related opportunities remains underdeveloped and often hidden. This reluctance stems from two primary concerns: commercial sensitivity (fear of alerting competitors) and the risk of...