legal tax avoidance

[Wind30]

https://www.straitstimes.com/business/invest/iras-nabs-279-high-income-earners-over-sham-arrangements-to-pay-less-tax

I am thinking about tax avoidance. I think tax is a very important part in solving inequality. I am normal salaried person, and my income is auto filled by my employer so I pay my fair share of taxes.

If tax avoidance is LEGAL and actively advised by lawyers and accountants as reported, I would expect MANY MANY people to be doing this. 

The government somehow feels like catching 279 people TO DATE and levying a 50% penalty is doing something.. It is not even funny how stupid that looks.  I would estimate far less than 10% of the people are getting caught and if the penalty is just 50%, it is a TOTAL no brainer to continue to avoid tax. All the article did is to encourage more people to do it, as it is legal and the penalty is really small considering the chance of getting caught. 

....

Edited July 11 by Wind30

[Mkl22]

Well the reward for whistle blowing might have to be increased if they want to catch more. $100k not attractive enough. Maybe tier up to 500k. 

[inlinesix]

Are we socialist economy?
Why so kaypoh like those China 大媽？

[Sosaria]

Ok good. Those cdc vouchers $ got to come from somewhere

 

[mersaylee]

I tink garment also smart...let go a bit leave room to catch bigger catch...OR...equal level playing field...wanto try...can only try with house rules...not no need to pay...kena means pay more at 1.5x...but everything got wiggle room one...win wink...

Let's do some easy math...if missing 7% of 1mil each for 279 pax is additional 19.5mil...can benefit let's say 10k low income families at 1.95k per year or 162 per month or additional 5.4 dollah for 2 small slices of fish beside the bah kut teh as add on...the extra 50% penalty can feed even more families or let the 10k families afford better fish...from ikan bilis to silat to even batang...

In a nutshell, catch of course must catch...nothing wrong to allow room to catch more so can feed even more..however garment must have the iron...no welfare state...but got well it's fair state of play...ai lai mai shwah...equal or more than equal alike...✌️😁

 

[Benarsenal]

On 7/11/2026 at 11:48 AM, inlinesix said:

Are we socialist economy?
Why so kaypoh like those China 大媽？

Depriving Govt of money is a big no-no.

[Voodooman]

Our tax system is designed to look progressive but it is not.  Rich people and their capital are mobile, so we have to pretend we are taxing the rich more (save for no capital gain tax and no inheritance duties which benefit the rich) but actually we are giving them a low tax pass to attract more money to be parked here to build our machine.  Can avoid of course avoid as that is G giving you a pass but don’t go overboard lah. 

Edited July 11 by Voodooman

[bsswan]

On 7/11/2026 at 1:02 PM, Voodooman said:

..... but don’t go overboard lah. 

This.

The question is how much does it cost to get what in return.

If we pay taxes, personal and corporate, within the estimated ballpark, G are sitting comfortable. They accept we make some filing mistake but don't chase every dollar - this is very different to the likes of Germany.

G gets enough to balance minor mistakes via Temasek and SWF.

[macrosszero]

Before you think about creative accounting - I hope you've already clocked all your available tax deductibles? 

[Throttle2]

On 7/11/2026 at 8:42 AM, Wind30 said:

https://www.straitstimes.com/business/invest/iras-nabs-279-high-income-earners-over-sham-arrangements-to-pay-less-tax

I am thinking about tax avoidance. I think tax is a very important part in solving inequality. I am normal salaried person, and my income is auto filled by my employer so I pay my fair share of taxes.

If tax avoidance is LEGAL and actively advised by lawyers and accountants as reported, I would expect MANY MANY people to be doing this. 

The government somehow feels like catching 279 people TO DATE and levying a 50% penalty is doing something.. It is not even funny how stupid that looks.  I would estimate far less than 10% of the people are getting caught and if the penalty is just 50%, it is a TOTAL no brainer to continue to avoid tax. All the article did is to encourage more people to do it, as it is legal and the penalty is really small considering the chance of getting caught. 

....

 

we employees suck thumb as usual…..

thats why i no longer pay personal income taxes, muayhahhahhahhahhahhahha

Edited July 11 by Throttle2

[Throttle2]

On 7/11/2026 at 11:05 AM, Mkl22 said:

Well the reward for whistle blowing might have to be increased if they want to catch more. $100k not attractive enough. Maybe tier up to 500k. 

would make a very nice retirement job.  Whistle blowing people
but hor, the $100k reward taxable or not har? 
😰😰

[Tianmo]

When you at at that level, the same thing will happen. There is no need to 羡慕, 妒忌, 恨!!!!!

 

[kobayashiGT]

On 7/12/2026 at 10:44 AM, Tianmo said:

When you at at that level, the same thing will happen. There is no need to 羡慕, 妒忌, 恨!!!!!

 

Yah. agree. 

Most salaried man will just pay tax lah. We can save some from giving birth, SRS and charity donation liao. 

When comes to the wealthy, i assume their tax is more complicated, multiple rental properties, multiple business. . . of cuz they will want to siam. 

[Volvobrick]

On 7/11/2026 at 1:02 PM, Voodooman said:

Our tax system is designed to look progressive but it is not.  Rich people and their capital are mobile, so we have to pretend we are taxing the rich more (save for no capital gain tax and no inheritance duties which benefit the rich) but actually we are giving them a low tax pass to attract more money to be parked here to build our machine.  Can avoid of course avoid as that is G giving you a pass but don’t go overboard lah. 

Why you think the wealth industry is so hot? Low tax for wealth....price of homes and cars is nothing compared to the tax savings.

[inlinesix]

On 7/13/2026 at 10:49 AM, Volvobrick said:

Why you think the wealth industry is so hot? Low tax for wealth....price of homes and cars is nothing compared to the tax savings.

It is more important to get a tax expert to structure it.