Filing my Annual Return (AR)

What is the annual return?

The annual return is an electronic form lodged with ACRA and contains important particulars of the company such as the name of the directors, secretary, its members, the shareholding structure, and the date to which the financial statements of the company are made up to.

Every private company shall file an annual return with ACRA within 7 months after the end of the financial year end.

Components of an annual return

The annual return is made up of 2 main components: Annual Return Details and Company Details. 

1 - Annual Return Details 

Section A: Company Type and Status

This section of the annual return requires the lodger to complete the following information:

  1. Company type for the financial period (i.e. Private Company Limited by Shares/ Exempt Private Company Limited by Shares)
  2. Company type status (i.e. Active or Dormant / Solvent or Insolvent)
  3. AGM Details (i.e. Date financial statements were sent to members – for companies that are exempt from holding an AGM or Date AGM was held)

Note: This section also includes declaration(s) on the company’s status such as exemption from audit requirements and dormancy (as and where it is applicable).

Section B: Financial Information

This section of the annual return requires the lodger to upload the XBRL format of the company’s financial statements (XBRL) and complete the names of the Directors who signed off the Statement by Directors in the financial statements:

Except for Dormant Relevant Companies, Solvent Exempt Private Companies and Companies Limited by Guarantee, all other companies are required to file financial information in XBRL format, unless approval from Registrar has been obtained.

For more information on who needs to file XBRL, you may check our article on XBRL here.

Note:

  1. Even if a company is not required to file XBRL, a company is still required to prepare full set of financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Accounting Standards and to file the names of the Directors who signed off the Statement by Directors with ACRA.
  2. In the event that the company is dormant and fulfils the requirements of not preparing financial statements, the company is still required to prepare its management accounts for approval and tabling at the company’s AGM (if applicable) 

Section C: Audit Information

This section of the annual return requires the lodger to complete the following information:

  1. Confirm if the company has audited its financial statements
  2. Complete name of Public Accounting Entity that audited the Financial Statements
  3. Complete name of Auditor who audited and signed off the Financial Statements
  4. Date of Independent Auditor’s Report
2 - Company Details 

This section of the annual return sets out the following details of the company for confirmation:

  1. Primary/Secondary Activity(ies)
  2. Address
  3. Particulars of Company Officers and Auditors
  4. Share Capital Details
  5. Member(s) Details

In addition, this section also requires the company to confirm the place where its Register of Controllers and Register of Nominee Directors is kept.

Please note that if Sleek is your corporate secretary, we will file the annual return for you.

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