As any mother would attest, having children is a major commitment. Not only is it an expensive endeavour, but women (and men) who choose this path sacrifice time, energy, and sometimes career prospects to pursue the upbringing of their children.
While some mothers opt to stay at home and take care of their children full-time, many others choose to continue working, or return to the workforce after a few years. To help lighten the burdens of parenthood and to encourage working mothers, Singapore has implemented some policies to ease the financial strain and provide flexibility for working mothers to care for their children.
Tax Benefits For Working Mothers
The Working Mother’s Child Relief (WMCR) is a tax relief that can be claimed by a working mother.
The WMCR can also only be broadly claimed based on children who are still studying full-time and have not begun working. Do note that the claimable amount differs based on whether the child was born before or after 1 Jan 2024.
The Grandparent Caregiver Relief is a tax relief of $3,000 that can be claimed by a working mother based on a grandparent who is not working and taking care of a child under 12 years old.
The Qualifying Child gives $4,000 of tax reliefs that can be shared between parents. Since this is the case, it is important for parents to work out how the tax reliefs are applied to optimise savings as a family unit.
Read Also: Guide To Tax Reliefs and Rebates For First-Time Working Mothers
Maternity Leave For Working Mothers
Mothers whose children are Singapore Citizens are entitled to 16 weeks’ government-paid maternity leave. Employers will still continue to pay salary as per normal, and the government will reimburse the employer. For the first and second child, the government reimburses the employer for the last 8 weeks. For subsequent child, the government will reimburse the employer for all 16 weeks.
By default, mothers can take maternity leave starting 4 weeks before the delivery date, and can take all 16 weeks’ leave in one go. Alternatively, the first 8 weeks can be taken in one tranche (starting from 4 weeks before due date), and the remainder can be taken flexibly over the next 12 months.
Do note that maternity pay reimbursement is capped at $10,000 per 4 weeks.
Childcare Leave For Working Parents
Under Government Paid Childcare Leave (GPCL) Working parents with children under 7 years old are entitled to 6 days of government-paid childcare leave each year. Employers will pay salary as per normal, and the government will reimburse the employer for the last 3 days for GPCL taken.
Under Extended Childcare Leave (ECL), working parents with children between 7 to 12 years old are entitled to 2 days of government-paid childcare leave each year. The government will reimburse the employers for both days of ECL taken.
Do note that parents are entitled to no more than 6 days of any childcare leave in total. This means that for a parent who has a child aged 6 and another aged 8 will only be entitled to 6 days in total.
Read Also: 10 Things Employers Need To Know About The Government Paid Childcare Leave (GPCL)
Working Mothers Enjoy Childcare Subsidies
The Basic Childcare Subsidy entitles working mothers to $600 for full-day childcare subsidy, and non-working mothers are entitled to $150. To be eligible for the subsidy, the child must be enrolled in a childcare centre licensed by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA).
Families that earn a gross monthly household income of $12,000 and below, or a gross monthly per capita income of $3,000 or below can consider applying for an Additional Childcare Subsidy. Families who face difficulties paying childcare fees after the Basic and Additional subsidies can apply for financial assistance and the Start-Up Grant.
For families with schoolgoing children, the Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme (KiFAS) and the KiFAS Start-Up Grant can also help families enrol their children into kindergarten.
Read Also: Complete Singapore Parents’ Guide To Childcare Subsidies For Their Little One(s)
A Mother’s Love Is Irreplaceable
While Singapore has made progress in supporting mothers in having children, these measures only partially address the effort and the expenses involved in raising a child. Aside from this, there can be no replacement for the care and nurture that a mother gives.
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