Running a business in Singapore means more than growing revenue — it means staying compliant with statutory filing obligations.
Each year, companies are required to submit filings to both ACRA (Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority) and IRAS (Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore).

For busy SMEs, these deadlines often sneak up — leading to penalties, missed filings, or unnecessary stress.
This 2025 guide breaks down what every business owner needs to know about annual filing requirements, deadlines, and how AI accounting platforms like ccMonet can help you stay effortlessly compliant.

1. Understanding Annual Filing in Singapore

All companies incorporated in Singapore must complete two key compliance processes every financial year:

1. ACRA Annual Return (AR) — a snapshot of your company’s financial position and structure, submitted to the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority.
2. IRAS Corporate Tax Filing — the declaration of your company’s income, expenses, and tax liability to the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore.

Though they’re often handled around the same time, these filings serve different purposes and have different deadlines.

2. Key Filing Deadlines for 2025

For ACRA: Annual Return

• Who files: All locally incorporated companies
• Deadline: Within 7 months after the financial year end (FYE)
• What’s included:
  • Company details and principal activities
  • Directors and shareholders’ particulars
  • Audited (or unaudited) financial statements in XBRL format
• Common FYEs:
  • Companies with FYE 31 Dec 2024 must file their Annual Return by 31 July 2025
  • Companies with FYE 31 Mar 2025 must file by 31 Oct 2025

For IRAS: Corporate Income Tax

There are two stages:

1. Estimated Chargeable Income (ECI)
   • Deadline: Within 3 months after FYE
   • Example: FYE 31 Dec 2024 → file ECI by 31 Mar 2025
2. Form C-S / C / C-S (Lite)
   • Deadline: 30 Nov 2025 (e-filing via myTax Portal)
   • What’s included: Finalized tax computation, financial statements, and supporting schedules

Missing these deadlines can result in fines and late payment penalties.

3. Common Compliance Mistakes SMEs Make

Even the most well-intentioned businesses can slip up. The most frequent issues include:

• Forgetting to file both ACRA and IRAS returns separately
• Submitting financial statements in the wrong format (non-XBRL)
• Missing the 3-month ECI window
• Inconsistent data between ACRA filings and tax returns
• Poor document organization across multiple systems

These errors are not only time-consuming to fix — they can lead to compliance breaches and audit risks.

4. Simplifying Compliance With AI Accounting

AI-powered systems like ccMonet make annual filing far easier by automating data preparation, reconciliation, and reporting.

With ccMonet, SMEs can:

• Generate up-to-date financial statements automatically from daily transactions
• Prepare XBRL-ready reports that meet ACRA submission standards
• Ensure accuracy with AI-driven reconciliation between accounting, tax, and bank data
• Track deadlines automatically, with reminders for ECI and Annual Returns
• Collaborate with accountants in real time, ensuring no document is missed before submission

This eliminates the manual back-and-forth that typically precedes annual filing season.

5. Preparing Early for 2025: A Practical Checklist

Here’s how founders can stay ahead of compliance deadlines this year:

1. Confirm your company’s financial year end (FYE) — all filing timelines depend on it.
2. Close your books monthly instead of waiting till year-end.
3. Review your AI or accounting system’s data accuracy — ensure invoices, receipts, and payroll are properly recorded.
4. File your ECI within 3 months after FYE through IRAS myTax Portal.
5. Submit your Annual Return to ACRA within 7 months of FYE.
6. Engage your corporate secretary or accounting partner early if you need help with XBRL formatting or tax computation.

With AI accounting platforms like ccMonet, these steps become part of your daily workflow — not a year-end scramble.

6. Why Proactive Compliance Matters

Staying compliant isn’t just about avoiding penalties — it’s about building trust.
Investors, banks, and government agencies look for consistency between your filings and financial performance.

When your books are always audit-ready, you’re not just compliant — you’re investor-ready.
And with tools like ccMonet, compliance becomes effortless, reliable, and scalable as your business grows.

Stay Compliant, Confident, and Connected

Annual filing doesn’t need to be stressful.
By preparing early, automating repetitive tasks, and maintaining real-time accuracy, SMEs can turn compliance into a strategic advantage.

Let AI handle the complexity — so you can focus on building your business.

👉 Learn how ccMonet helps SMEs simplify compliance with ACRA and IRAS — every single year.

‍