Tax Incentive for Funds and Fund Management Company in Singapore
Both Singapore and Hong Kong are popular location for fund managers of private equity, real estate and hedge funds to be based in. The outstanding growth in Singapore’s fund management industry can be attributed to several factors, including the ease of doing business in Singapore and attractive taxes incentives for funds and fund managers.
Tax Incentive Scheme in Singapore for Funds
Normally, a person in Singapore who manages a fund (whether onshore or offshore) will create a taxable presence for the fund in Singapore. In the absence of a tax treaty or tax incentive, income and gains of the fund due to the activities of a Singapore fund manager will potentially be taxed in Singapore even if the fund is not incorporated in Singapore. However, there are tax incentive schemes applicable to funds managed by fund managers in Singapore under which “specific income” derived by the fund from “designated investments” is exempt from tax. The list of designated investments cover a wide range of investments, including stocks, shares, securities and derivative, but excluding the immovable property in Singapore.
To qualify for the tax incentive schemes, the fund manager must be registered with Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) or hold a capital markets services (CMS) licence. The following are the three tax incentive schemes for funds: