The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) achieved a high
e-Filing rate of 73%, or close to 1 million taxpayers, for individual income tax returns this year. This is an eight-fold increase since e-Filing was first introduced in 1998.

This year’s good response can be attributed to the introduction of a new e-Filing system in 2005 that makes e-Filing even simpler and more convenient with pre-filled income, deductions and personal tax relief information.

The new system, in the form of a personalised Internet portal called myTax Portal, allows IRAS to deliver more customer-centric services to taxpayers, in line with the Government’s direction to deliver public services at higher levels of convenience, efficiency and effectiveness.

In time to come, taxpayers can choose to retrieve Notices of Assessment, statements of account and letters sent by IRAS via myTax Portal. They can also check their return filing status, arrange for payment plans, ask for refund, among many other e-services. Therefore, taxpayers can save time and
money in gathering information to prepare their returns and minimise contact with IRAS.

To boost the e-Filing rate this year, IRAS also leveraged on the Volunteer
e-Filing Service (VES) to reach out to less IT-savvy Singaporeans. Some 900 volunteers from all walks of life were deployed at the various VES centres to provide e-Filing assistance during weekends from 18 March to 17 April
this year.

It was timely that the five CitizenConnect centres were available to support IRAS as VES centres. CitizenConnect, which was launched in October 2005, is useful to those who have no Internet access or who need personal guidance on transacting with the Government online.

With the CitizenConnect centres conveniently located at the Community Clubs, IRAS was able to bring e-Filing service to the doorsteps of taxpayers. And residents were satisfied with the helpful and well-trained CitizenConnect officers, and the accessibility of the CitizenConnect centres.