Explore Your 2019 GST Voucher Earnings: Cash, U‑Save, MediSave Highlights

Singapore’s Bicentennial Bonus: GST Voucher Explained

Hey, Singaporeans! 2025 is the year we celebrate 200 years of this amazing island—so naturally, the government’s pulling out all the stops to keep our pockets happy. That means the trusty GST Voucher just got a shiny new upgrade.

What’s the GST Voucher, anyway?

Back in 2012, the GST Voucher was born in Budget 2012 as a perennial lifesaver for those on the low‑income band. Think of it as a Swiss‑army knife for everyday costs: three handy tools hidden in one package.

Three Bits of the Voucher

Cash – the cash that actually enters your bank, helping you cover everyday little expenses.
U‑Save – a tax‑free savings compte that boosts your standard‑of‑living savings.
MediSave – a medical savings slap‑on‑the‑chin—good for your health, dude.

Who qualifies for the Cash part?

Here’s the lowdown for the 2019 “Cash + Bicentennial Bonus”:

You’re a Singapore Citizen living in Singapore.
Age 21+ in 2019.
Don’t own more than one property (Hi, landlords!).
Income earned in 2017 ≤ $28,000 (rounded up).
Annual Value (AV) of your home (based on your NRIC) ≤ $21,000 as of 31 Dec 2018.

Quick FAQ

What’s “Income Earned in 2017”?: It’s basically your assessable income for 2018, as declared to IRAS.
What’s the “Annual Value of Home”?: It’s an estimate of the rent you’d collect if you rented your property out.

How to Find Out if You’re Eligible

Fire up your GST Voucher website after 1 July 2019.
If you’re on the list, you’ll be nudged in July.
Eligible folks will receive the regular cash payment in August.
The Bicentennial extra (up to $300) drops into your account in November.

Ready to Put $$ in Your Pocket?

Now that the boom has started, you’ll want to know exactly how much you’ll earn. Keep your eyes peeled in the official announcements—your cash cushion is about to get a cute, 200‑year flash upgrade. Good vibes!

Get a Sweet $600 Bonus for Your HDB Home in 2019

Remember the “GST Voucher – U‑Save” that Singapore’s government rolled out? By the end of 2019, a lucky house‑owner could rack up a whopping $600 in quarterly rebates. Yes, nine‑diggers for a year on your utilities bill!

Who’s Eligible?

Own and Live? If you own and live in your HDB flat, make sure there’s at least one Singapore citizen living there.
Own, Live & Rent‑Out? Even if you’re sub‑letting part of the unit, the same rule sticks – a Singapore citizen must be in the flat.
Rent the Whole Flat? You’re in the clear as long as you’re a Singaporean tenant.
No Multi‑Property Owners – If you and your family live together, you can’t own or have stakes in more than one property.

How the Rebate Works

Each quarter (January, April, July, October), owners get a credit to their utilities account. The amount depends on how big your flat is, so bigger homes get a little more support.

Why the Bonus?

Back in 2017, the government bumped the permanent U‑Save by up to $120. Then during Budget 2018, they announced an extra $20 per year for three straight years (2019‑2021). It’s a safety net for rising electricity and gas costs, especially with the new carbon tax in play.

Think of it as a friendly pat on the back from the government, saying “Keep sipping that hot coffee, you’ve got some extra cash to cover the bills.”

Bottom Line

Qualify, sit back, and watch your utility bill shrink by up to $600 over the year – because who doesn’t love a little extra room in the budget?

Got a 2019 GST Voucher? Here’s the MediSave Deal in Plain English

Alright, folks! If you’re a Singapore citizen living at home, hitting the big 65‑year‑old milestone back in 2019, and your house value was at most $21,000 on December 31, 2018, you’re in line for a sweet MediSave top‑up. And guess what? The payout happens in August.

Quick Checklist

Resident of Singapore?
Singapore citizen?
Was 65+ in 2019?
Home value (from your NRIC) ≤ $21,000 by Dec 31, 2018?
Own only one property?

How Much You’ll Get

The top‑up amount isn’t a one‑size‑fits‑all figure; it changes based on your age bracket and the exact value of your house. Older retirees can expect a higher boost, and the fresher the property valuation, the better the top‑up.

So, if you tick all the boxes, keep an eye on your bank account in August—you’re about to add a nice little cushion to your MediSave stash.

When will you receive the various GST Voucher payouts?

Take a quick look at the 2019 GST Voucher payment schedule—it’s pretty straightforward.

First payout: 15 March 2020 – the first quarter’s sweet spot.
Second payout: 15 June 2020 – keep it coming!
Third payout: 15 September 2020 – the mid‑year boom.
Final payout: 15 December 2020 – wrap up the year with a bang.

Mind the deadlines and watch your accounts; the money will pop up in a few days after each cut‑off date.

How Will I Receive the Money?

Think of it as a direct deposit for your wallet: if you have a bank account set up for the GSTV cash payout, the money will land straight into it in a flash. No more hunting around for a cheque that takes two extra weeks to arrive and then has to be cracked open at the bank.

Default bank account – The system automatically picks the last account you used for a government payout. If you’re happy with it, you’re good to go.
Need to switch it up? – Head over to the GST Voucher website to see or change your account. That’s all you have to do.
Already in a Payout loop? – If you’ve signed up before, your old account will keep earning you the voucher this year too – no extra steps required.
New to the party? – Come join the club by signing up online or snagging a paper form at one of the community centres.

How Will I Be Notified?

Say hello to instant updates with mobile SMS. Picture this: your phone buzzes to let you know you qualify for the GST Voucher – Cash and Medisave, and then another buzz to inform you when the payment lands in your account. Super fast, no waiting for letters to cross the postal service.

SMS to the SingPass registered number – If you’ve got your mobile linked with SingPass, you’ll get the messages directly.
Paper for others – If you haven’t tied your phone to SingPass, you’ll still receive the classic notification letters.
Want the instant updates? – Log into the SingPass website, register your mobile number, and you’ll be set for SMS alerts from now on.
Eco‑friendly bonus – By skipping the paper, you help the environment and save a few coins.

Extra Bicentennial Bonuses

Remember Singapore’s 200-year celebration? Besides the handy cash vouchers, there are two other goodies announced in Budget 2019:

Workfare Bicentennial Bonus (Cash) – Workers in the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) scheme get an extra 10 % on their 2018 payments, with a floor of $100.
CPF Top‑Ups – Singaporeans aged 50‑64 with less than $60 000 in CPF savings receive a one‑off top‑up of up to $1,000.

These bonuses roll out in October (Workfare) and November (CPF), so keep an eye out for those extra extras!

Explore Your 2019 GST Voucher Earnings: Cash, U‑Save, MediSave Highlights