Income Tax
Income Tax
Income Tax
A. Gross income means all income derived from whatever source, including (but not limited) to the following items:
1. Compensation for services in whatever form paid, including but not limited to fees, salaries, wages, commissions,
and similar items;
2. Gross income derived from the conduct of trade or business or the exercise of a profession;
3. Gains derived from dealings in property;
4. Interests;
5. Rents;
6. Royalties;
7. Dividends;
8. Annuities;
9. Prizes and winnings;
10. Pensions; and
11. Partner’s distributive share from the net income of the general professional partnership.
Special rules on gross income:
1. Compensation for personal services
a. paid in cash - actual amount paid is taxable
b. paid in kind – compensation income is the fair market value of the property received
c. tips and gratuities – taxable
2. Compensation paid in promissory note
If the note can be discounted, the fair market value of note upon receipt is the fair discounted value.
3. Transportation, representation and other allowances received by officials or employees
a. General rule: Taxable as compensation income
b. Exception: If they are -
i. Ordinary and necessary expenses of the employer;
ii. Paid or incurred in the pursuit of trade, business or profession;
iii. The employee is required to account/ liquidate.
c. The excess of advances over the actual expenses incurred – taxable income if such amount is not returned to the
employer.
d. Vacation and sick leave allowances – taxable, except monetized value of unutilized vacation leave credits not
exceeding ten (10) days of employees of private firms
4. Condonation of debt
a. Debtor rendered services to the creditor – taxable income to the debtor;
b. No services rendered – taxable to the creditor as gift given to the debtor;
c. Creditor is a corporation while the debtor is a stockholder – it has the effect of a payment of dividend;
d. Creditor is the stockholder while debtor is the corporation – amount condoned is considered as an additional
investment.
5. Recovery of bad debts previously deducted (application of the tax benefit rule)
a. Taxable – if deduction of bad debt has reduced the tax liability of taxpayer.
b. Not taxable – if there was no reduction in the tax liability of the taxpayer
6. Dividend income
a. Received by domestic corporation from another domestic corporation – not taxable
b. Received by resident foreign corporation from a domestic corporation – not taxable
c. Received by nonresident foreign corporation from a domestic corporation – 25% but maybe 15% if there is
application of tax sparing credit.
d. Dividends received by domestic corporation from nonresident foreign corporations shall be exempt from tax if:
1. The dividends actually received or remitted into the Philippines are reinvested in the business operations of
the domestic corporation within the next taxable year from the time the foreign-source dividends were
received or remitted;
2. The dividends received shall only be used to fund the working capital requirements, capital expenditures,
dividend payments, investment in domestic subsidiaries, and infrastructure project; and
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3. The domestic corporation holds directly at least twenty percent (20%) in value of the outstanding shares of the
foreign corporation and has held the shareholdings uninterrupted for a minimum of two years at the time of
the dividends declaration.
7. Rules on lease contracts and leasehold improvements
a. Rent for the use of property – taxable income to the lessor; deductible expense to the lessee.
b. Taxes and other expenses assumed by lessee on behalf of the lessor – constitutes additional rent and taxable
income to the lessor;
c. If ownership of leasehold improvements on leased premises will be transferred without cost to the lessor upon
termination – income to the lessor which may be reported using either:
1. Outright method – the fair market value of the improvements in the year of completion is reported as income.
2. Spread out method – the book value of the improvements at the termination of the lease contract is spread over
the remaining term of the lease.
d. Depreciation on the improvements – the lessee may claim depreciation of the improvements over the
remaining term of the lease or the life of the improvements, whichever is shorter.
e. Premature termination of lease – the income to be reported by the lessor shall be computed by subtracting the
amounts already reported as income by the lessor from the book value upon termination.
EXCLUSIONS from gross income (EXEMPT from income tax)
1. Proceeds of life insurance policy payable upon the death of the insured. It is taxable if (a) the insured outlives the
policy, or (2) the insured assigned the policy.
2. Return of premiums either during the term, at the maturity, or upon surrender of the contract.
3. The value of the property acquired by gift, bequest, devise or descent;
4. Compensation for personal injuries or sickness received from insurance plus damages;
5. Income of any kind which are contained in a treaty binding upon the Philippine government.
6. Retirement benefits, pensions, etc.
A. Retirement benefits– requisites
a. The employer must maintain a private pension plan which is approved by the BIR;
b. The employee has been in the service of the same employer for at least 10 years;
c. The retiring employee must not be less than 50 years old upon retirement
d. The benefit of the exemption can be availed of only once.
B. Separation pay– separation of employee from service must be due to:
a. Death, sickness, physical disability, or
b. Any cause beyond the control of the employee.
Examples: Dismissal due to installation of labor saving device, retrenchment, bankruptcy and redundancy
7. Prizes and awards – given to religious, charitable, scientific, educational, artistic, literary, or civic achievement,
provided that:
a. The recipient did not join the contest; and
b. He is not required to render substantial future services.
8. Benefits received by persons residing in the Philippines under U.S. laws administered by U.S. Veterans
Administration;
9. Benefits received from SSS, GSIS including retirement gratuity received by government officials and employees.
10. Income derived by foreign governments;
11. Income derived by the government or its political subdivisions from public utility or any essential governmental
function.
12. Prizes and awards granted to athletes in -
a. local and international sports competitions,
b. in the Philippines or abroad,
c. sanctioned by their national sports associations
d. and the sports association must be recognized by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC)
13. 13th month pay and other benefits up to P90,000;
14. GSIS, SSS, Philhealth, Pag-Ibig contributions and union dues of individuals;
15. Gains from sale of bonds, debentures and other certificate of indebtedness with a maturity period of more than 5
years;
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16. Gains realized by investors upon redemption of shares in a mutual fund company.
17. Compensation income of Minimum Wage Earners (MWEs) who work in the private sector (and public sector not
exceeding the minimum in the non-agricultural sector) and being paid the Statutory Minimum Wage (SMW), as fixed
by the Regional Tripartite Wages & Productivity Board (RTWPB)/National Wages and Productivity Commission
(NWPC), applicable to the place where he/she is assigned. including their holiday pay, overtime pay, night shift
differential pay and hazard pay.
TAX ON INDIVIDUALS
1. Rules on situs
a. Only resident citizens are taxable on income derived from sources within and without the Philippines.
b. Resident aliens, nonresident citizens and nonresident aliens are taxable on income within only.
2. Tax on NRA NETB – final withholding tax of 25% from all sources within.
Exceptions:
a. Capital gains on sale, exchange or other disposition of real property (capital asset) located in the Philippines
Rate: 6%
Base: Whichever is the highest among:
1. Selling price
2. FMV as determined by the Commissioner (zonal value)
3. FMV as determined by Provincial or City Assessor (assessor’s value)
b. Sale of shares of stocks not listed and traded in the stock exchange.
Tax Base and Tax Rate: 15% of net capital gain
3. Income earned by special groups of aliens
Tax Rate and Base: 15% of gross income coming from salaries, wages, annuities, compensation, remuneration and
other emoluments, such as honoraria and allowances received by:
a. Aliens employed by Regional or Area Headquarters and Regional Operating Headquarters of multi-national
companies;
b. Aliens employed by Offshore Banking Units (OBU);
c. Aliens employed by Foreign Petroleum Service Contractor and Subcontractor.
This special tax rate shall entitle only the employees who have been availing of this preferential tax rate before
January 1, 2018.
4. RATES OF TAX ON CERTAIN PASSIVE INCOMES
a. Income payments to resident citizen, resident alien, nonresident citizen and nonresident alien (ETB) taxpayers:
1. 20% final tax on income derived from sources within
a. Interest from Philippine currency bank deposit;
b. Yield or any other monetary benefit from deposit substitutes and from trust funds and similar
arrangements;
c. Royalties (except on books and other literary works and musical compositions which shall be subject to
10% tax);
d. Prizes (except prizes amounting to P10,000 or less which shall be subject to the graduated tax);
e. Winnings;
f. Sweepstakes and lotto winnings (except amounts not exceeding P10,000)
g. Interest income from long-term deposit or investment in the form of savings, common or individual
trust funds, deposit substitutes, investment management accounts and other investments evidenced by
certificates which was pre-terminated by the holder before the 5th year at the rates herein prescribed:
Holding Period Rate
4 years to less than 5 years 5%
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SOURCES OF INCOME
Income Test of Source of Income
1. Income from services - Place of performance
2. Rent - Location of property
3. Royalties - Place of use of intangible
4. Gain on sale of real property - Location of property
5. Gain on sale of personal property purchased
in one country and sold in another - Place of sale
6. Gain on sale of domestic shares of stock - Income within
7. Interest - Residence of debtor
8. Dividend
a. From domestic company - Income within
b. From foreign company - Partly income within and partly without if 50% or more of the
gross income of the company for the preceding 3 years prior
to declaration of dividend was derived from sources within.
Income without if less than 50% of the gross income of the
-
company for the preceding 3 years prior to declaration of
dividend was derived from sources within.
Formula to compute income within:
Phil. Gross Income (3 yrs)
Income Within = --------------------------------- x Dividend
Total Gross Income (3 yrs)
CAPITAL ASSETS
CAPITAL ASSETS means property held by the taxpayer (whether or not connected with his business) but does not
include the following because they are classified as ordinary assets:
1. Stock in trade;
2. Property which would be included in the inventory if on hand at the close of taxable year;
3. Property primarily for sale in the ordinary course of his trade business;
4. Personal property used in business and subject to allowance for depreciation;
5. Real property used in trade or business.
A. RULES ON SALE OR EXCHANGE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY (CAPITAL ASSET)
1. Capital losses – deductible only from capital gain.
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a The taxpayers’ interest expense shall be reduced by an amount equivalent to 20% of interest income subjected to
final tax. However, if the final withholding tax rate on interest income of 20% will be adjusted in the future, the
interest expense reduction rate shall be adjusted accordingly.
Corporations subject to tax rate of 20%, the deduction is 0% since there is no difference in the income tax rate on
the taxable income with the tax rate applied on the interest income subjected to final tax.
b. Interest incurred or paid by the taxpayer on all unpaid business related taxes shall be fully deductible from gross
income and shall not be subject to the limitation on deduction.
3. Optional treatment of interest - at the option of the taxpayer, interest incurred to acquire property used in trade,
business or exercise of profession may be allowed as a deduction or as a capital expenditure.
4. Non-deductible interest
a. Interest on loan between related taxpayers.
b. Interest on loan paid in advance through discount by individual taxpayer reporting income on cash basis.
c. If indebtedness is incurred to finance petroleum operations.
C. TAXES
- pertains to taxes proper which does not include, surcharges, penalties, or fines incident to delinquency.
1. Requisites for deductibility:
a. Paid or incurred within the taxable year;
b. Connected with taxpayer's profession, trade or business;
c. Imposed directly on the taxpayer.
2. Non-deductible taxes
a. Philippine income tax
b. Foreign income tax, if claimed as tax credit
c. Estate and donor's tax
d. Special assessments
3. Tax credit - the taxpayer's right to deduct from income tax due the amount of tax he has paid to a foreign country,
subject to limitations.
The following taxpayers are allowed to claim tax credit:
a. Resident citizens
b. Domestic corporations
c. Members of general professional partnerships
d. Beneficiaries of estate or trust.
4. Tax benefit rule – taxes claimed as deduction, when refunded or credited, shall be included as part of gross income
in the year of receipt to the extent of the income tax benefit of said deduction.
D. LOSSES
1. Requisites for deductibility:
a. Actually sustained during the taxable year;
b. Not compensated by insurance or other forms of indemnity
c. Incurred in connection with trade, profession or business;
d. Sustained in a closed and completed transaction.
e. Arose from fires, storms, shipwreck, or other casualties, or from robbery, theft or embezzlement.
f. Not claimed as a deduction for estate tax purposes.
g. Reported to the BIR within 45 days from the occurrence of such loss.
2. Special Rules on Losses:
a. Wagering loss – deductible only to the extent of the gains from such transactions.
b. Loss on sale between related taxpayers is not deductible.
c. Voluntary removals of buildings
1. Taxpayer purchased the land without intending to use the building– the value of old building razed plus
other costs are added to the cost of the land.
2. An old building is demolished to construct new one – the value of the building demolished plus demolition
costs are deductible as losses.
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d. Loss on shrinkage in value of stocks due to fluctuation in market - not deductible; the loss allowed is that
actually suffered when the stocks are disposed of.
e. Abandonment losses- when a producing well is abandoned, the unamortized costs thereof and the undepreciated
costs of equipment directly used therein are deductible in the year of abandonment, but if the service is restored
later, said costs shall be included as part of gross income and shall be amortized or depreciated.
f. Net Operating Loss - the excess of allowable deduction over gross income of the business in a taxable year can be
carried over as deduction from gross income of the next three (3) succeeding years. However, operating losses
incurred in 2020 & 2021 shall be allowed as carry-over and deducted from gross income in the next five (5)
consecutive taxable years.
Rules:
1. Net loss in a taxable year during which the taxpayer was exempt from income tax are not deductible.
2. Deduction is allowed only if there is no substantial change in the ownership of business.
3. Not less than 75% in nominal value of outstanding issued shares if the business is held by or on behalf of the
same persons;
4. Not less than 75% of the paid up capital of the corporation, if the business is in the name of a corporation, is held
by or on behalf of the same persons.
5. Carry-over is not allowed if the corporation will pay income tax based on MCIT.
6. Carry-over is not allowed if the taxpayer availed of the optional standard deduction in computing taxable
income.
E. BAD DEBTS
1. Requisites for deductibility:
a. Valid and subsisting debt;
b. Debt is ascertained to be worthless and uncollectible;
c. Charged-off during the taxable year;
d. Connected with profession, trade or business;
e. Not sustained in a transaction entered into between members of the same family or related taxpayers.
Tax benefit rule (equitable doctrine of tax benefit) - recovery of bad debts previously allowed as deduction in
the preceding years shall be included as part of the gross income in the year of recovery to the extent of the
income tax benefit of said deduction.
F. DEPRECIATION
Requisites for deductibility:
1. There must be an exhaustion, wear and tear (including reasonable allowance for obsolescence);
2. Property is used in business;
3. Reasonable allowance for depreciation.
Methods of depreciation allowed
1. Straight-line method
2. Declining balance method
3. Sum-of-years-digit method
4. Other methods prescribed by Secretary of Finance, upon the recommendation of the Commissioner of Internal
Revenue.
G. DEPLETION
- the removal, extraction or exhaustion of a natural resource like mines and gas wells as a result of production or
severance from such mines or wells.
R u l e s:
1. The method of depletion allowed is Cost Depletion Method.
2. When the allowance shall equal the capital invested, no additional allowance shall be granted.
3. In the case of a foreign corporation, depletion of oil and gas wells and mines shall be only oil and gas wells and
mines located in the Philippines.
H. PENSION TRUSTS
Requisites for deductibility:
1. Employer must have established a pension or retirement plan;
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DE MINIMIS BENEFITS
De minimis benefits in general are limited to facilities or privileges furnished or offered by an employer to his
employees that are of relatively small value and are offered or furnished by the employer merely as a means of promoting
the health, goodwill, contentment, or efficiency of his employees, such as the following:
1. Monetized unused vacation leave credits of private employees not exceeding 10 days during the year;
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3. Those deriving other non-business, non-profession-related income in addition to compensation income not
otherwise subject to a final tax;
4. Individuals receiving purely compensation income from a single employer, although the income tax of which has
been correctly withheld, but whose spouse falls under any of the three (3) enumerated classifications above;
5. Nonresident aliens engaged in trade or business in the Philippines deriving purely compensation income or
compensation income and other non-business, non-profession-related income.
3. A minimum wage earner
4. Others:
a. Husband and wife
1. If they are still required to file returns, only one return for the taxable year shall be filed which return shall be
signed by the husband and wife unless physically impossible to do so, in which case signature of one of the
spouses would suffice.
2. In case of unidentifiable income – it shall be divided equally between the spouses.
b. Parent – children
Income of unmarried minors derived from property received from living parent shall be included in the tax
return of parent, except when:
1. Donor's tax has been paid, or
2. The transfer of such property is exempt from donor’s tax.
c. Disabled persons
The return may be made by a duly authorized agent or representative, by guardian or other person charged with the
care of his person or property, the principal and his representative or guardian assuming the responsibility of
making the return and incurring penalties provided for erroneous, false or fraudulent return.
4. Time for filing – to be filed in duplicate setting forth specifically the gross amount of income from all sources.
a. Purely compensation income – on or before 15th day of April.
b. Self-employment income (including mixed income) – declare an estimated income on or before April 15 of the
same taxable year.
c. Corporations shall file a true and accurate quarterly income tax return on a cumulative basis and a final return.
5. Place of filing
Except in cases where the Commissioner otherwise permits, the return shall be filed with any authorized agent
bank, Revenue District Officer, thru Revenue Collection, or authorized Tax Software provider.
Classification of Taxpayers
For purposes of responsive tax administration, taxpayers shall be classified as follows: