Run two calendars, not one deadline list.
Singapore companies have corporate-registry and tax obligations that follow different rules. The financial year end links many tasks, but annual return, Estimated Chargeable Income, corporate income tax return, accounts and internal approvals should each have a named owner.
Close the books early enough to explain them.
Accounting records should support revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities and transactions with owners or related parties. The objective is not merely to produce a number but to retain the evidence and decisions behind it.
Prepare ECI and the annual tax return as connected work.
IRAS generally expects ECI within three months after the financial year end unless an exemption applies. The annual corporate income tax return is a separate filing. Estimates, computations and later adjustments should reconcile to the underlying accounts.
Annual return is not a tax return.
The ACRA annual return updates corporate particulars and financial information; the IRAS filing reports taxable results. Completing one does not complete the other.
Add change events to the calendar.
Director, secretary, shareholder, controller, share and registered-office changes may create event-driven filings. Review them alongside tax registrations, payroll, GST, licences and banking information.
Source review: 2026-07-22. Based on the IRAS corporate income tax guide and ACRA filing guidance. Dates and exemptions must be confirmed for the relevant year and company.