Navigating the Family Office Landscape: A Comparative Study of HK and SG Tax Incentive Schemes

This programme provides a practitioners’ overview of the evolving legal and regulatory frameworks governing family offices in Asia’s two premier wealth hubs. The session examines the methodologies for structuring Family-owned Investment Holding Vehicles (FIHV) in Hong Kong and compares them against the established Section 13O and 13U regimes in Singapore. 

Participants will gain insights into the latest 2025/2026 legislative updates, including new substance requirements, aggregate AUM thresholds of HK$240 million and S$20 million/S$50 million respectively, and the diagnostic frameworks used to better serve private wealth clients in a cross-border context. 

Key discussion areas include the synergy between tax incentives and residency pathways, such as the New CIES and GIP as well as an overview of the government bodies overseeing and promoting the family office ecosystems in both HK and SG. 

• Fee: S$ 280(Nett)

• 1.0 Public CPD Points

• Practice Area:  Private Client

• Training Level: General

LEARNING OUTCOME

• Analyze the detailed requirements and self-declaration mechanisms of the Hong Kong Family-owned Investment Holding Vehicle (FIHV) tax concession regime. 

• Compare and contrast the core criteria, such as AUM thresholds and local substance requirements, of Singapore’s Section 13O and 13U tax incentive schemes with the Hong Kong framework. 

• Appreciate the practical considerations and regulatory nuances, when advising high-net-worth clients on choosing between Hong Kong and Singapore for family office setups. 

• Understand the integration of tax incentives with residency schemes, specifically the Hong Kong New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES) and the Singapore Global Investor Programme (GIP). 

  
  

COURSE OUTLINE

• Introduction & Market Overview (5 minutes)

  • The evolving role of private wealth advisors in Asia.

  • Macro trends in generational wealth transfer and the rise of Asian Single Family Offices.

• The Hong Kong Framework (20 minutes)

  • Eligibility for 0% profits tax for Family-owned Investment Holding Vehicles (FIHV).

  • Substance requirements: HK$240M AUM, qualified employees, and local operating expenditure.

  • Residency synergy: The New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES) updates.

  • The role of Invest HK in promoting the family office ecosystem

• The Singapore Framework (20 minutes)

  • Deep dive into Section 13O and 13U tax incentive schemes.

  • Substance criteria: Tiered business spending, investment professional requirements, and Capital Deployment Requirements (CDR).

  • Residency synergy: The Global Investor Programme (GIP) pathways.

  • The role of SG Growth Capital and EDB in promoting the family office ecosystem in SG.

• Comparative Analysis & Practical Structuring (15 minutes)

  • Direct comparison of HK vs. SG: Approval processes, AUM, and staffing.

  • Comparative statistics

  • Other considerations

• Q&A (10 minutes)

  
  

SILE ATTENDANCE POLICY

Participants who wish to obtain CPD Points are reminded that they must comply strictly with the Attendance Policy set out in the CPD Guidelines. For this activity, this includes signing in on arrival and signing out at the conclusion of the activity in the manner required by the organiser, and not being absent from the entire activity for more than 15 minutes. Participants who do not comply with the Attendance Policy will not be able to obtain CPD Points for attending the activity. Please refer to http://www.sileCPDcentre.sg for more information.

Contact Us at +65 93899120 or events@vrseasia.com.