FOREIGN MAID LEVY RELIEF

FOREIGN MAID LEVY RELIEF

2.

Assoc. Prof. Ong Soh Khim asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance whether his Ministry will consider foreign maid levy deduction in the personal income tax during tax assessment for singles who have to support and look after elderly parents as currently a married woman is allowed to deduct foreign maid levy paid for one maid against her earned income during tax assessment.

Mr Lee Hsien Loong: The aim of the Foreign Maid Levy Relief is to encourage married women to continue working as they raise their families. This is clearly not relevant for single taxpayers.

There are other measures to help Singaporeans support their elderly parents. All taxpayers, married or single, can claim Aged Parent Relief for maintaining their elderly parents. The relief is $5,000 if they live with their parent and $3,500 if they do not.

Those who need to engage a maid to help them care for their aged parents are eligible for a $95 per month Foreign Domestic Worker Levy Concession. Individuals can claim the concession as long as their parent, parent-in-law, grandparent or grandparent-in-law is a Singapore Citizen or Singapore PR aged 65 years and above staying in the same household. This concession benefits 12,000 employers with elderly parents.

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