COVID-19 Payouts: Taxable Business Receipts and Exempt Support

Key steps and distinctions

The schedule lists the Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme, COVID-19 Support Grant, Temporary Relief Fund and COVID-19 Recovery Grant among non-taxable support. Jobs Support Scheme payouts and quarantine, leave-of-absence and stay-home-notice allowances are also listed as non-taxable, reflecting their specific pandemic relief purposes. Certain rental-relief cash grants and Courage Fund gifts receive non-taxable treatment for the reasons described in the schedule. In contrast, grants defraying operating costs are taxable revenue receipts: examples include Temporary Housing Support, Senior Employment Credit and CPF Transition Offset under the Senior Worker Support Package, professional cleaning-cost assistance, Wage Credit Scheme, Jobs Growth Incentive and Construction Restart Booster. Do not treat every government payout as exempt solely because it was paid during COVID-19. Match the exact scheme and purpose to the schedule, and retain award and accounting records for the affected historical return.