Working mothers have it tough. From spending the most part of the day dealing with stressful work matters to coming home and taking care of their kid back at home, it’s helluva lot of things to do.
I’m sure I speak for us all when I say it’s admirable how working mums have so much on their plate to handle.
That’s why they need all the support they can get. Singapore has support for working mothers in the form of financial aid and tax reliefs.
We’ve rounded all that up for you from the monetary benefits to how to plan your maternity leave and resources on how to get help.
Financial support for working mothers in Singapore
Having a child comes with a long list of expenses, from delivery and medical bills to infant care, the costs keep on coming until at least they graduate and start working.
| Type of support | Amount given | Who is eligible |
| Baby Bonus Cash Gift | $11,000 for the first and second child; $13,000 for the third and subsequent child | Child must be a Singapore citizen; parents must be lawfully married. Paid in instalments every six months from birth until the child is 6.5-years-old |
| First Step Grant | $5,000 for the first and second child; $10,000 for the third and subsequent child | Child must be a Singapore citizen |
| Government co-matching into Child Development Account | Dollar-for-dollar co-matching from the Government when you save into your child’s CDA, capped at $4,000 – $15,000 for first to fifth or more child | Child must be a Singapore citizen |
| Large Families Scheme | Up to $16,000 for child born on or after Feb 18 2025 | Families with a third or later child who is a Singapore citizen |
The Baby Bonus Cash Gift is the most immediately visible form of support.
When your child is born, you can register with a bank to open a Child Development Account (CDA).
The government will deposit the funds that your child is eligible for. Funds in the CDA are meant to be used to support the child’s education and healthcare needs.
CDA funds can be used at approved institutions for expenses such as preschool fees, healthcare costs and MediShield Life premiums. Once your child turns 12, it will be closed and the funds within will be transferred to the Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA).
Tax reliefs and rebates for working mothers in Singapore
| Type of support | Amount given | Who is eligible |
| Working Mother’s Child Relief (WMCR) | $8,000 for the first child, $10,000 for the second child and $12,000 for the third and subsequent children | Married, divorced or widowed working mother with a Singapore citizen child born/adopted on or after Jan 1 2024 |
| Parenthood Tax Rebate (PTR) | Up to $20,000 per child, depending on the child’s birth order and date of birth |
Married, divorced or widowed parents with a Singapore citizen child. PTR is a one-off rebate and unused amounts may be carried forward to offset future income tax. |
| Qualifying Child Relief (QCR) | Up to $4,000 per child | Parents who meet IRAS’ conditions, including those relating to the child’s age, education or income. The relief can generally be shared between parents based on an agreed apportionment. |
| Child Relief (Disability) | Up to $7,500 per child | Have a child with a disability. You can claim this and WMCR (capped at $50,000 per child). |
Since QCR can be shared between parents while WMCR is specifically for eligible working mothers, it is worth reviewing your household’s tax position before filing rather than automatically assigning every child-related claim to one parent.
Planning your maternity leave: What to do before baby arrives
Maternity leave planning is not just an HR exercise. It is a financial and career-planning exercise too.
Under MOM guidelines, mothers in Singapore are entitled to 16 weeks of Government-Paid Maternity Leave (around four months) if their child is a Singapore citizen and they have worked for their employer for at least three months before the child is born.
Once you know your leave period, work backwards. Estimate when you may face higher expenses, such as delivery costs, confinement arrangements, baby essentials or infant-care deposits.
A simple cash-flow plan can help you decide whether you need to build a larger emergency fund before the baby arrives, reduce discretionary spending temporarily or space out bigger purchases.
It is also worth speaking to your manager early so that it gives you time to plan a handover, identify urgent projects and discuss practical arrangements for your return.
The key thing is to make your transition as smooth and worry-free as possible, because, yeah you have a bigger thing on the way to worry about!
Returning to work after maternity leave: How to make the transition easier
After four months of sleepless nights and being puked on, you may be looking forward to returning to work.
But it can be harder than the maternity leave itself when you’re running on low energy and your priority is at home.
But kids are not cheap in this economy so back to work we go.
Before your return, work out the logistics and confirm your child’s care arrangements, checking for practical needs in your office such as a lactation room if necessary.
Clarify on your company’s flexible work arrangements so that you’re best set up for work and home time.
If you’ve taken a career break, ease back into the workforce
A career break can make returning to work feel intimidating, especially if your previous role has changed or you have been out of the workforce for several years.
But the first step does not have to be just spam applying for jobs.
Start by identifying what has changed in your industry and which skills remain transferable.
If you need a skills upgrade, tap on SkillsFuture courses, get career coaching and matching from e2i or Workforce Singapore, and check out job fairs to see what’s out there.
Where to get help if you need financial or practical support
Beyond the above mentioned financial support and tax reliefs for working mothers, there are other resources available for Singaporeans.
- SupportGoWhere — the all important CDC vouchers for groceries and hawkers
- MSF schemes — check on the types of leave schemes and benefits available for parents
- ComLink+ — support for lower income families
- Childcare subsidies — subsidies for when your child goes to infant care or childcare
- Workforce Singapore (WSG) — employment support
- NTUC’s e2i centres — employment support
- Made For Families — all you need to know about support for parents
Working mothers are already handling a lot from having their bodies go through the process of child bearing and birth to juggling work and family life.
These grants and tax reliefs offer some form of support financially to ease the burden on families.
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