1.4 million Singaporeans to receive Bicentennial Bonus benefits in November

1.4 million Singaporeans to receive Bicentennial Bonus benefits in November
During Budget 2019, the Government announced a $1.1 billion Bicentennial Bonus to commemorate Singapore's Bicentennial and to support individuals who need more help. PHOTO: ST FILE
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SINGAPORE - A total of 1.4 million Singaporeans will receive up to three of the Bicentennial Bonus benefits this November. 

These are the Goods and Services Tax Voucher (GSTV) - Cash (Bicentennial Payment), Central Provident Fund (CPF) Top-up, and Workfare Bicentennial Bonus, said the Finance Ministry in a statement on Thursday (Oct 24).

During Budget 2019, the Government had announced a $1.1 billion Bicentennial Bonus to commemorate Singapore's Bicentennial and to support individuals who need more help.

SMS notifications for GSTV - Cash (Bicentennial Payment) and Workfare Bicentennial Bonus will go out by the end of this month.

The letters for the Workfare Bicentennial Bonus and CPF Top-Up will be issued in November.

Eligible Singaporeans will receive their Workfare Bicentennial Bonus this month, and the CPF Top-Up and GSTV in November.

AMOUNT OF BONUSES

Those aged 21 and above, who earned an income of up to $28,000 in 2017, are eligible for the GSTV. 

If their home’s annual value at the end of 2018 was $13,000 or below, they will receive $300. If their home’s annual value was more than $13,000 but no more than $21,000, they will receive $150.

Employees under the Workfare Income Supplement scheme will receive an additional 10 per cent of their total Workfare payment for work done in 2018, with a minimum payment of $100 to help with daily expenses. 

About 300,000 Singaporeans aged 50 to 64 will get top-ups to their CPF Ordinary and Special Accounts or Retirement Accounts.
Those who are aged 50 to 54 this year will receive $300 or $500.
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Those aged 55 to 64 this year will receive $600 or $1,000, depending on how much they have in their CPF Ordinary and Special Accounts, or their Retirement Accounts. 

Recipients of the CPF top-ups will also have to meet other criteria such as not owning more than one property, and not exceeding $28,000 in assessable income for Year of Assessment 2018.

Earlier this year,  Bicentennial Bonus benefits were distributed to primary and secondary school students.

They received a $150 top-up to their Edusave accounts, while Singaporeans aged 17 to 20 got up to $500 in their Post-Secondary Education Accounts. 

Taxpayers will receive a rebate too. For Year of Assessment 2019, a personal income tax rebate of 50 per cent of tax payable, capped at $200 per taxpayer, will be granted to all tax resident individuals by December.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.

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