1) What is income?

Income means all wealth, which flows into the taxpayer other than as a mere return of capital. 2) What is Taxable Income? Taxable income means the pertinent items of gross income specified in the Tax Code as amended, less the deductions and/or personal and additional exemptions, if any, authorized for such types of income, by the Tax Code or other special laws. 3) What is Gross Income? Gross income means all income derived from whatever source. 4) What comprises gross income? Gross income includes, but is not limited to the following:

Compensation for services, in whatever form paid, including but not limited to fees, salaries, wages, commissions and similar item Gross income derived from the conduct of trade or business or the exercise of profession Gains derived from dealings in property Interest Rents Royalties Dividends Annuities Prizes and winnings Pensions Partner's distributive share from the net income of the general professional partnerships

5) What are some of the exclusions from gross income?

Life insurance Amount received by insured as return of premium Gifts, bequests and devises Compensation for injuries or sickness Income exempt under treaty Retirement benefits, pensions, gratuities, etc. Miscellaneous items income derived by foreign government income derived by the government or its political subdivision prizes and awards in sport competition prizes and awards which met the conditions set in the Tax Code 13th month pay and other benefits GSIS, SSS, Medicare and other contributions gain from the sale of bonds, debentures or other certificate of indebtedness gain from redemption of shares in mutual fund

6) What are the allowable deductions from gross income? Except for taxpayers earning compensation income arising from personal services rendered under an employer-employee relationships where the only deduction provided that the gross family income does not exceed P250,000 per family is the premium payment on health and/or hospitalization insurance, a taxpayer may opt to avail any of the following allowable deductions from gross income: a)Optional Standard Deduction - an amount not exceeding 40% of the net sales for individuals and gross income for corporations; or

b) Itemized Deductions which include the following:

o o o o o o o o o o

Expenses Interest Taxes Losses Bad Debts Depreciation Depletion of Oil and Gas Wells and Mines Charitable Contributions and Other Contributions Research and Development Pension Trusts

In addition, individuals who are either earning compensation income, engaged in business or deriving income from the practice of profession are entitled to personal and additional exemptions as follows: Personal Exemptions: For single individual or married individual judicially decreed as legally separated with no qualified dependentsP 50,000.00 For head of familyP 50,000.00 For each married individual *P 50,000.00 Note: In case of married individuals where only one of the spouses is deriving gross income, only such spouse will be allowed to claim the personal exemption. Additional Exemptions:

For each qualified dependent, an P25,000 additional exemption can be claimed but only up to 4 qualified dependents

The additional exemption can be claimed by the following:

The husband who is deemed the head of the family unless he explicitly waives his right in favor of his wife The spouse who has custody of the child or children in case of legally separated spouses. Provided, that the total amount of additional exemptions that may be claimed by both shall not exceed the maximum additional exemptions allowed by the Tax Code. The individuals considered as Head of the Family supporting a qualified dependent

The maximum amount of P 2,400 premium payments on health and/or hospitalization insurance can be claimed if:

Family gross income yearly should not be more than P 250,000 For married individuals, the spouse claiming the additional exemptions for the qualified dependents shall be entitled to this deduction

7) Who are required to file the Income Tax returns?

Individuals

Resident citizens receiving income from sources within or outside the Philippines o employees deriving purely compensation income from 2 or more employers, concurrently or successively at anytime during the taxable year o employees deriving purely compensation income regardless of the amount, whether from a single or several employers during the calendar year, the income tax of which has not been withheld correctly (i.e. tax due is not equal to the tax withheld) resulting to collectible or refundable return o self-employed individuals receiving income from the conduct of trade or business and/or practice of profession o individuals deriving mixed income, i.e., compensation income and income from the conduct of trade or business and/or practice of profession o individuals deriving other non-business, non-professional related income in addition to compensation income not otherwise subject to a final tax

o o

individuals receiving purely compensation income from a single employer, although the income of which has been correctly withheld, but whose spouse is not entitled to substituted filing marginal income earners

Non-resident citizens receiving income from sources within the Philippines Aliens, whether resident or not, receiving income from sources within the Philippines

Corporations no matter how created or organized including partnerships o domestic corporations receiving income from sources within and outside the Philippines o foreign corporations receiving income from sources within the Philippines o taxable partnerships Estates and trusts engaged in trade or business

8) Who are not required to file Income Tax returns? a. An individual who is a minimum wage earner

An individual whose gross income does not exceed his total personal and additional exemptions
b.

c. An individual whose compensation income derived from one employer does not exceed P 60,000 and the
income tax on which has been correctly withheld

d. An individual whose income has been subjected to final withholding tax (alien employee as well as Filipino
employee occupying the same position as that of the alien employee of regional headquarters and regional operating headquarters of multinational companies, petroleum service contractors and sub-contractors and offshore-banking units, non-resident aliens not engaged in trade or business)

e. Those who are qualified under substituted filing. However, substituted filing applies only if all of the following requirements are present :
o o o o o o
the employee received purely compensation income (regardless of amount) during the taxable year the employee received the income from only one employer in the Philippines during the taxable year the amount of tax due from the employee at the end of the year equals the amount of tax withheld by the employer the employees spouse also complies with all 3 conditions stated above the employer files the annual information return (BIR Form No. 1604-CF) the employer issues BIR Form No. 2316 (Oct 2002 ENCS version ) to each employee.

9) Who are exempt from Income Tax?

Non-resident citizen who is: a) A citizen of the Philippines who establishes to the satisfaction of the Commissioner the fact of his physical presence abroad with a definite intention to reside therein b) A citizen of the Philippines who leaves the Philippines during the taxable year to reside abroad, either as an immigrant or for employment on a permanent basis c) A citizen of the Philippines who works and derives income from abroad and whose employment thereat requires him to be physically present abroad most of the time during the taxable year

d) A citizen who has been previously considered as a non-resident citizen and who arrives in the Philippines at any time during the year to reside permanently in the Philippines will likewise be treated as a non-resident citizen during the taxable year in which he arrives in the Philippines, with respect to his income derived from sources abroad until the date of his arrival in the Philippines.

Overseas Filipino Worker, including overseas seaman An individual citizen of the Philippines who is working and deriving income from abroad as an overseas Filipino worker is taxable only on income from sources within the Philippines; provided, that a seaman who is a citizen of the Philippines and who receives compensation for services rendered abroad as a member of the complement of a vessel engaged exclusively in international trade will be treated as an overseas Filipino worker.

NOTE: A Filipino employed as Philippine Embassy/Consulate service personnel of the Philippine Embassy/consulate is not treated as a non-resident citizen, hence his income is taxable. 10) What are the procedures in filing Income Tax returns (ITRs)?

For with payment ITRs (BIR Form Nos. 1700 / 1701 / 1701Q / 1702 / 1702Q / 1704) File the return in triplicate (two copies for the BIR and one copy for the taxpayer) with the Authorized Agent Bank (AAB) of the place where taxpayer is registered or required to be registered. In places where there are no AABs, the return will be filed directly with the Revenue Collection Officer or duly Authorized Treasurer of the city or municipality in which such person has his legal residence or principal place of business in the Philippines, or if there is none, filing of the return will be at the Office of the Commissioner.

For no payment ITRs -- refundable, break-even, exempt and no operation/transaction, including returns to be paid on 2nd installment and returns paid through a Tax Debit Memo(TDM) File the return with the concerned Revenue District Office (RDO) where the taxpayer is registered. However, "no payment" returns filed late shall be accepted by the RDO but instead shall be filed with an Authorized Agent Bank (AAB) or Collection Officer/Deputized Municipal Treasurer (in places where there are no AABs), for payment of necessary penalties.

11) How is Income Tax payable of individuals (resident citizens and non-resident citizens)computed? Gross Income
Less: Allowable Deductions (Itemized or Optional) Net Income Less: Personal & Additional Exemptions Net Taxable Income Multiply by Tax Rate (5 to 32%) Income Tax Due: Tax withheld (per BIR From 2316/2304) Income tax payable P ___________ ___________ P ___________ ___________ P ___________ ____________ P ___________ P____________

12) How is Income Tax paid?

Through withholding

o o o

Generally 10% or 15% if the gross annual business or professional income exceeds

P720,000 per year

20% - Fees paid to directors who are not employees and 20% of professional fees paid to non-individuals Other withholding tax rates

Pay the balance as you file the tax return, computed as follows: Income Tax Due
Less: Withholding Tax Net Income Tax Due P ___________ ___________ P ___________

13) Is the Minimum Corporate Income Tax (MCIT) an addition to the regular or normal income tax? No, the MCIT is not an additional tax. An MCIT of 2% of the gross income as of the end of taxable year (whether calendar or fiscal year, depending on the accounting period employed) is imposed on a corporation taxable under Title II of the Tax Code, as amended, beginning on the 4th taxable year immediately following the taxable year in which such corporation commenced its business operations when the MCIT is greater than the regular income tax. The MCIT is compared with the regular income tax, which is due from a corporation. If the regular income is higher than the MCIT, then the corporation does not pay the MCIT but the amount of the regular income tax. 14) Who are covered by MCIT? The MCIT covers domestic and resident foreign corporations which are subject to the regular income tax. The term regular income tax refers to the regular income tax rates under the Tax Code. Thus, corporations which are subject to a special corporate tax system do not fall within the coverage of the MCIT. For corporations whose operations or activities are partly covered by the regular income tax and partly covered by the preferential rate under special law, the MCIT shall apply on operations by the regular income tax rate. Newly established corporations or firms which are on their first 3 years of operations are not covered by the MCIT.

15) When does a corporation start to be covered by the MCIT? A corporation starts to be covered by the MCIT on the 4th year of its business operations. The period of reckoning which is the start of its business operations is the year when the corporation was registered with the BIR. This rule will apply regardless of whether the corporation is using the calendar year or fiscal year as its taxable year. 16) When is the MCIT reported and paid? Is it quarterly? The MCIT is paid on an annual basis and quarterly basis. The rules are governed by Revenue Regulations No. 12-2007. 17) How is MCIT computed? The MCIT is 2% of the gross income of the corporation at the end of the year. Gross income means gross sales less sales returns, discounts and cost of goods sold. Passive income, which have been subject to a final tax at source do not form part of gross income for purposes of the MCIT. Cost of goods sold includes all business expenses directly incurred to produce the merchandise to bring them to their present location and use. For trading or merchandising concern, cost of goods sold means the invoice cost of goods sold, plus import duties, freight in transporting the goods to the place where the goods are actually sold, including insurance while the goods are in transit.

For a manufacturing concern, cost of goods manufactured and sold means all costs of production of finished goods such as raw materials used, direct labor and manufacturing overhead, freight cost, insurance premiums and other costs incurred to bring the raw materials to the factory or warehouse. For sale of services, gross income means gross receipts less sales returns, allowances, discounts and cost of services which cover all direct costs and expenses necessarily incurred to provide the services required by the customers and clients including:

Salaries and employees benefits of personnel, consultants and specialists directly rendering the service; Cost of facilities directly utilized in providing the service such as depreciation or rental of equipment used; Cost of supplies

Interest Expense is not included as part of cost of service, except in the case of banks and other financial institutions. Gross Receipts means amounts actually or constructively received during the taxable year. However, for taxpayers employing the accrual basis of accounting, it means amounts earned as gross income. 18) What is the carry forward provision under the MCIT? Any excess of the MCIT over the normal income tax may be carried forward on an annual basis and be credited against the normal income tax for 3 immediately succeeding taxable years. 19) How would the MCIT be recorded for accounting purposes? Any amount paid as excess minimum corporate income tax should be recorded in the corporations books as an asset under account title Deferred charges-MCIT 20) How long can we amend our income tax return? There is no prescription period for amending the return. When the taxpayer has been issued a Letter of Authority, he can no longer amend the return. 21) Can a benefactor of a senior citizen claim him/her as additional dependent in addition to his/her 3 qualified dependent children at P 25,000 each? No, pursuant to Revenue Regulations 2-94, the benefactor of a senior citizen cannot claim the additional exemption. 22) What is a tax treaty? A tax treaty formally known as convention or agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income (and on capital) could be defined in terms of its purpose. First, a tax treaty is intended to promote international trade and investment in several ways, the most important of which is by allocating taxing jurisdiction between the Contracting States so as to eliminate or mitigate double taxation of income. Second, a tax treaty is intended to permit the Contracting States to better enforce their domestic laws so as to reduce tax evasion. These purposes are in fact incorporated in the title and the preamble. 23) What are the effective Philippine tax treaties? The Philippines has thirty-seven (37) effective tax treaties. The following tax treaties and their dates of effectivity as as follows: Effective Philippine Tax Treaties (as of June 2010)
Country 1. Australia 2. Austria 3. Bahrain 4. Bangladesh 5. Belgium 6. Brazil Date of Effectivity January 1, 1980 January 1, 1983 January 1, 2004 January 1, 2004 January 1, 1981 January 1, 1992 Date and Venue of Signature May 11, 1979, Manila, Philippines April 4, 1981, Vienna, Austria November 7, 2001, Manila, Philippines September 8, 1997, Manila, Philippines October 2, 1976, Manila, Philippines Sept. 29, 1983, Brasilia, Brazil

7. Canada 8. China 9. Czech 10. Denmark (Renegotiated) 11. Finland 12. France 13. Germany 14. Hungary 15. India 16. Indonesia 17. Israel 18. Italy 19. Japan 20. Korea 21. Malaysia 22. Netherlands 23. New Zealand 24. Norway 25. Pakistan 26. Poland 27. Romania 28. Russia 29. Singapore 30. Spain 31. Sweden (Renegotiated) 32. Switzerland 33. Thailand 34. United Arab Emirates 35. United Kingdom of Great Britain

January 1, 1977 January 1, 2002 January 1, 2004 January 1, 1998 January 1, 1982 January 1, 1978 January 1, 1985 January 1, 1998 January 1, 1995 January 1, 1983 January 1, 1997 January 1, 1990 January 1, 1981 January 1, 1987 January 1, 1985 January 1, 1992 January 1, 1981 January 1, 1998 January 1, 1979 January 1, 1998 January 1, 1998 January 1, 1998 January 1, 1977 January 1, 1994 January 1, 2004 January 1, 2002 January 1, 1983 January 1, 2009 January 1, 1979

March 11, 1976, Manila, Philippines November 18, 1999, Beijing, China November 13, 2000, Manila, Philippines June 30, 1995, Copenhagen, Denmark October 13, 1978, Manila, Philippines January 9, 1976, Kingston, Jamaica July 22, 1983, Manila, Philippines June 13, 1997, Budapest, Hungary February 12, 1990, Manila, Philippines June 18, 1981, Manila, Philippines June 9, 1992, Manila, Philippines December 5, 1980, Rome, Italy February 13, 1980, Tokyo, Japan February 21, 1984, Seoul, Korea April 27, 1982, Manila, Philippines March 9, 1989, Manila, Philippines April 29, 1980, Manila, Philippines July 9, 1987, Manila, Philippines February 22, 1980, Manila, Philippines September 9, 1992, Manila, Philippines May 18, 1994, Bucharest, Romania April 26, 1995, Manila, Philippines August 1, 1977, Manila, Philippines March 14, 1989, Manila, Philippines June 24, 1998, Manila, Philippines June 24, 1998, Manila, Philippines July 14, 1982, Manila, Philippines September 21, 2003, Dubai, UAE June 10, 1976, London, United Kingdom October 1, 1976, Manila, Philippines November 14, 2001, Manila, Philippines

and Northern Ireland 36. United States of America 37. Vietnam January 1, 1983 January 1, 2004

24) What office can we inquire about the said tax treaties? The International Tax Affairs Division (ITAD). 25) What taxes are covered b Philippine tax treaties? Income taxes imposed by the domestic laws of the Contracting States, including substantially similar taxes that may be imposed later, in addition to, or in place, are covered by the tax treaties. In the Philippines, this is generally limited to Title II (Tax on Income) of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended. 26) How is business income treated under our tax treaties? The business profits of a resident of a Contracting State shall not be taxable in the Philippines unless that enterprise of a resident of a Contracting State carries on business in the Philippines through a permanent establishment. 27) What is the concept of permanent establishment (PE) as used in tax treaties? PE is defined as a fixed place of business through which the business of the enterprise is wholly or partly carried on. The concept of permanent establishment is used to determine the rights of a Contracting State to tax the business

profits of enterprises of the other Contracting State. Under this concept, profits of an enterprise of a Contracting State are not taxable by the other Contracting State, unless the enterprise carries on business through a permanent establishment situated in the other Contracting State. A list of places, circumstances, and activities which constitute a permanent establishment is provided under the different tax treaties which the Philippines has with other countries. 28) What is the Most-Favored-Nation clause (MFN)? The appearance of the MFN clause in the tax treaty means that a Contracting State will grant to a resident of the other Contracting State the same lower rate of tax or exemption the former has granted to a resident of a third State. 29) What is the tax treatment on immovable property? Income from an immovable property is taxable in the Contracting State where the property is situated. This term is generally defined under the domestic laws of the Contracting States. However, this is further defined in the tax treaties. 30) How are capital gains taxed under our tax treaties? Gains from the alienation of immovable property or movable property forming part of the business property of a permanent establishment or pertaining to a fixed base are taxed in the Philippines if the immovable property or permanent establishment or fixed base is located here.