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SINGAPORE : Expectant mothers whose babies are due before 1 January 2009 will still get to enjoy the Baby Bonus and incentive measures in the enhanced Marriage and Parenthood (M&P) Package, announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his National Day Rally Speech.
This is because the qualifying date has been backdated to August 17, in response to appeals from expectant mothers and fathers.
The Baby Bonus and other measures in the enhanced Marriage and Parenthood Package was originally slated to kick off in January next year. But feedback from parents whose babies are due before the New Year sparked the revision.
Tan Sushan, founder of Financial Women's Association of Singapore, said: "They've listened. This also means that they can't always get it right (the) first time, but they are listening, they are reacting. It's a positive stand. I would say, keep it coming."
Mothers who had originally wanted to petition to the government to register their displeasure, were happy with the move.
25-year-old Felicia Yang, who is expecting her first child, said: "We're all having our first, so with this incentive, we'd get over this first one first, and I think most of us will be thinking of having our second kid."
So all expectant mothers will be entitled to a host of tax benefits and child-related perks with immediate effect.
Working mothers can now enjoy the enhanced Baby Bonus of S$4,000 for the first and second child, and S$6,000 for the third and fourth.
Other perks include the immediate start of their four-month paid maternity leave, and six-day paid childcare leave per year.
One person commented: "I think that would be an excellent move, otherwise they would have annoyed those mothers who are about to give birth, and I would be very sore if I were a mother about to give birth. So, I'm glad they shifted it to August 17."
Working mums will benefit from the generous tax benefits in the package.
Take for example a working mother who earns S$100,000 a year and has two children. Under the existing tax scheme, she will enjoy S$24,000 in child tax relief and working mother's child relief.
Under the new scheme, her total child relief would go up by about 80 per cent to S$43,000, which could be used to offset her earned income for tax purposes.
But even with the benefits now backdated, not everyone is convinced that this will mean a baby boom, anytime soon.
One person said: "I'm sure they're not going to just change their entire family plans just because of this, but yes, maybe it will make them reconsider."
Another noted: "Those who are on borderline would be incentivised. It means they may already be thinking about it. And this would be a good bonus for them. But for those who are quite far away from those thoughts, it might not move them that much, I think."
Meanwhile, the 50 per cent co-funding for assisted reproduction technology treatment will also take effect from August 17. The subsidy was to be implemented in September.
The actual payment of the enhanced Baby Bonus and subsidies will only be made after the necessary legislative and administrative changes are completed. - CNA/ms
What more can be done to get Singaporeans pro-creating? Give us your views at www.channelnewsasia.com/maybebaby.
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