GST Programme Level 3 (Advanced GST Programme)

Programme Overview

The Executive Tax Programme Level III (GST) is the foremost training programme in the area of Goods and Services Tax (GST) for the tax professionals in Singapore. The curriculum offers rigorous training in advanced GST concepts and relevant case laws. This programme provides a platform for the exchange of tax knowledge and views between the participants from the public and private sectors. 

Participants can expect to learn from the best, as courses are conducted by senior tax professionals from the Big 4 international accounting firms, the industry and tax experts from IRAS. 

Programme Details

Coursework Component

GST 101 Tax Policy, Administration and Compliance 

Weightage of the module: 10% 

The module is made up of 2 parts, to be covered in two 3-hour sessions. This module is tagged to the module within the Advanced Tax Programme (ATP), ATP101, of the same module title. Advanced GST participants will attend the classes with ATP participants. 

Part 1 will cover the Fiscal Policy of Singapore, in particular the basic tenets of tax policy and the rationale for the policy stance. Participants will study in detail the structure of the Singapore budget using actual recent budget materials. Participants will also discuss the unique features of public finance in Singapore. 

Part 2 will cover how the tax law and policies are administered in Singapore from the tax administrator’s perspective. Participants will study how the tax policies formulated by the Government are actually implemented on the ground through IRAS, starting with the overall philosophy of the need to encourage voluntary compliance.  

Participants will be given an appreciation of the trade-offs in tax administration in particular, the trade-off between service and compliance. The various provisions in the tax law to enable Government to enforce compliance and how IRAS goes about using these provisions to raise the level of compliance will be covered. 

Assessment*: 

10% of the modular assessment will be determined based on active individual classroom participation and 90% of the modular assessment will be determined based on each participant’s performance on a written assignment. 

GST 102 Legal Framework of Taxation

Weightage of the module: 10%  

The following topics will be covered: 

Appeal processes to the Board of Review and the Courts, use of case law authority of other relevant jurisdictions and case law analysis, interpretation of tax statutes in arguments and submissions before IRAS and the courts. The sessions will involve an in-depth analysis of recent tax cases and the reasoning of the court decisions in those cases. There will also be an opportunity for the class to examine and discuss interpretation of selected statutes.

Assessment*:  

The module will comprise lectures, class participation and presentation, and critique. 10% of the modular assessment will be individual active classroom participation, 20% on in-class assignment and presentation and 70% on individual performance on a take-home written assignment.

GST 103 Insights To The Complexity In Issues Concerning Supply 

Weightage of the module: 30% 

This module will cover the contents of determining the business test, establishing the link between supply and consideration, identifying the supplier in tripartite situations, determining the taxability of all issues concerning damages and compensation payments, such as forfeited deposit, compensations for early terminations, and single/composite or multiple supplies. 

Assessment*:  

10% of the modular assessment will be determined based on active classroom participation, 10% on group discussion and sharing, 20% on case analysis presentation/sharing and 60% on individual take-home assignment.  

GST104 The Rights & Obligations to Deduct Input Tax 

Weightage of the module: 30% 

This module will cover topics on the principle of fiscal neutrality applicable to input tax, input tax on supplies intended for use in future business, input tax on advance payments leading to no supplies, input tax on compensation and damage payments, lack of underlying supply or commercial reality, in the absence of a tax invoice/receipt and The Kittel Principle. 

Assessment*:  

10% of the modular assessment will be determined based on active classroom participation, 10% on group discussion and sharing, 20% on case analysis presentation/sharing and 60% on individual take-home assignment. 

GST 105 GST Compliance & ACAP 

The following topics will be covered:   

• Background – the need for ACAP and the benefits 

• How to conduct ACAP, post ACAP review (“PAR”) and ACAP renewal 

• What are controls 

• How to test the effectiveness of controls 

• How to select samples 

• How to perform substantive testing 

• How to prepare ACAP report 

• Practical experience of ACAP 

• How to monitor and maintain ACAP including linking this to PAR and ACAP renewal 

• Special circumstances after the accordance of ACAP e.g. merger and acquisition 

This module is non-examinable. 

*Assessment format is correct at time of this publicity and may be subject to change. 

Research/Case Study Component 

Weightage of the component: 20%

Participants can either write a research paper reviewing the policy and technical aspects of a specific topic of choice, or an advisory resolution to a scenario-based case study provided in this course.  

Case Study 

The main objective of the case study is to develop analytical and practical application skills of trainees in specialized areas or issues. 

The scope and the facts of the case are pre-developed and will be used as the single common case study for trainees who opt for this.  Trainees will have to perform analysis of the case study, draw literature references from the concept and principles covered in the course notes to arrive at the appropriate recommendations. 

Research Paper 

The research paper will be on policy and technical review.  

A collated list of research topics attempted by past participants is found in Annex 1. 

Past Research Topics

Annex 1

1. The Distinguishing Factors for Lease (as goods) and Facilities (as services) and its Significance for GST Purposes 

2. The GST Implications on Beneficiary Interest in land

3. Partial Exemption and Input Tax Recovery – Review of Regulation 29(3) and Reg 35 

4. A Review of the GST treatment of Transfer of Partnership Interest

5. Interpretation and Application of Paragraph 5(3) of the Second Schedule to the GST Act on the Use of Business Premises by a Third Party for Free 

6. Whether the Permanent Establishment and Tax Residency for Income Tax purposes are Relevant for Determining Business or Fixed Establishment for GST purposes 

7. A study on the Significance of regarding a Treatment or Process of Goods as a Supply of Goods for GST Purposes 

8. Taxability of Rebates 

9. Reverse Charge – GST on Imported Services 

10. A study on GST rules applicable to cloud computing

11. A study on the GST implications of funds raised through crowdfunding activities 

12. GST on Early Terminations, Forfeited Deposits and Liquidated Damages 

13. GST Taxability of Payments on Cancellation, Termination, Compensation and Settlement

14. A Review of Regulations 37 and 39 in the Context of Capital Assets

15. Review on the GST treatment of Termination Fees

16. A study on the application of current legislative powers to combat Missing Trader Fraud (MTF) arrangements including gold

17. A Review of Incentives & Rebates

18. A Review on “Business Test” for GST Purpose