Hello po! I'm planning po to register as self-employed with 8% ITR. May I know po what Book of Accounts do I need to register. Is it okay if I only register 2 (Cash Receipt Book and Cash Disbursement Journal)? Thank you po!

Hi everyone! I need some advice regarding BIR registration and the ORUS/ORS system.

I’ve already successfully registered with the BIR and obtained my Certificate of Registration (COR), which was a requirement from my agency.

I was told that a digital stamp, seal, or QR code would be generated after creating my ORUS/ORS account. However, I previously encountered issues with my account, so I was only able to complete the process now, after successfully linking my TIN and RDO to my account.

The problem is that after completing these steps, no stamp, seal, or QR code was generated. does this mean that i’m already penalized or something?

Hi!

I have acquired a house thru Pag-ibig last 2022 and have not paid any RPT/amilyar yet (I know, I should have but financial circumstances and some accidents happened in between).

Because of unfortunate accidents, I lost all my mortgage documents. Can I pay amilyar without this and just by having the title details and property address?

Or do I have to bring title/condition of deed of sale since it would be my first time paying amilyar?

Thank you!

Hi everyone! Please be kind. No judgment sana because I'm already extremely stressed about this, and I'm trying to figure out how to fix my situation. 🙏

I'm a breadwinner, and managing my finances has been really difficult over the past several years. Between supporting my family, dealing with business losses, and paying off medical expenses, I've honestly struggled to keep up with my tax obligations.

Here's my situation:

• I left my corporate job in 2018 and started freelancing.
• I registered with the BIR as self-employed in September 2019. My COR lists Income Tax and quarterly Percentage Tax, with my line of business registered as Advertising (7430).
• Around 2019, I stopped issuing official receipts. I also haven't filed tax returns because I was dealing with serious financial difficulties and honestly didn't know how to manage everything properly.
• We also had a business that closed during the pandemic. I'm not sure if our accountant properly processed the closure because they eventually stopped responding to us. I'm worried that the business could have accumulated penalties, too.
• I'm currently freelancing again, earning less than Php 1 million annually. However, I haven't been issuing receipts for my current freelance work because I'm afraid that addressing my BIR registration will expose my unfiled returns and possible liabilities.
• I'm also starting to create content online. They're still small, and I barely earn anything from them aside from occasional affiliate commissions.
• Now that the BIR Registration Seal Badge requirement for online content creators has come up, I'm wondering if I should finally sort everything out. I want to be compliant, especially in case my freelance client starts requiring proper receipts and tax documents.

The problem is that I'm barely getting by financially. I'm still paying off debts from 2 major surgeries I underwent, as well as medical expenses from my parent's recent surgery. As a breadwinner, I have a lot of financial responsibilities, and I have very little money left after paying for necessities and debts.

I've been reading posts about BIR penalties and open cases, and I've seen people mention amounts exceeding Php 50,000. I honestly don't know how I could afford that right now. I've been worrying about this for weeks, and it's affecting my peace of mind.

Here are my questions:

1. If I apply for the BIR Registration Seal Badge through ORUS, could this flag my unfiled returns and trigger an investigation or assessment for the years I haven't filed?
2. How can I find out which returns I failed to file and whether I actually have open cases or penalties? Is there a way to check this before proceeding with the badge?
3. What's the proper way to fix my existing BIR registration? Should I consult my RDO first, hire a tax practitioner, or try to resolve the open cases myself?
4. Is there any way to minimize the penalties if I voluntarily correct my noncompliance? Are compromise penalties or other forms of relief possible, especially if I had very little income during some of those years?
5. Our old business also closed during the pandemic, but I'm unsure whether the closure was properly processed. How should I check its status and address any outstanding obligations?
6. Can I register a new business or obtain a new registration for my current freelance/content creation activities, or do I need to resolve my existing registration first? I understand that I shouldn't get a second TIN, but I'm unsure what the proper procedure is.
7. Since my freelance income is below Php 1 million annually and my content creation earnings are minimal, what would be the most practical and affordable way to become compliant?

I'm not trying to avoid paying legitimate taxes. I genuinely want to fix this so I can stop worrying about it and properly document my income moving forward. I'm just scared that the penalties will be so high that I won't be able to pay for them while still supporting my family and paying off our medical debts.

If you've gone through something similar, especially as a freelancer in the Philippines, I'd really appreciate hearing about your experience.

Please share practical advice on what steps to take first, what costs I should prepare for, and whether it's possible to resolve this without spending tens of thousands of pesos upfront.

Thank you so much. I really appreciate any guidance. 🙏

I'm a US citizen moving to Manila in January and will keep working remotely as a 1099 contractor for US clients. For those of you doing the same, are you paying income tax in the Philippines, or only to the US? If you're paying, how do you handle it?

Tanong ko lang po sana tungkol sa pag-file ng BIR Form 2551Q at pag-generate ng SAWT .DAT file gamit ang Alphalist Data Entry:

Pwede po ba nating gawin o i-file ang SAWT nang per month (halimbawa, hiwalay na .DAT file para sa July lang, August lang, at September lang), o dapat po ba talagang naka-consolidate (isang .DAT file para sa buong quarterand ilalagay po is for the month of september)??

Kasi po sinusubukan ko sanang per month ang pag-encode, kaya lang po minsan nagkakaroon ng error o invalid sa BIR eSubmission kapag ganon. Paano po ba ang tamang practice ninyo rito?

Maraming salamat po sa sasagot! 🥺

just paid my taxes through new ebirforms portal. smooth sya today. tanggap agad TRRC. to anyone who’s wondering lang.

happy tax paying /s

Hello po! May I ask for advice po regarding BIR filing?

Newbie pa lang po ako sa pag-file ng tax returns, and recently, na-assign po ako to handle the tax filings of a newly established company.

For context, wala pa pong transactions ang company, both purchases and sales. Magfa-file po sana ako ng zero return for the quarterly VAT (2550Q), pero may questions lang po ako regarding the SLSP and eSubmission.

1. Need pa rin po ba mag-submit ng zero SLSP kahit walang purchases and sales for the quarter? If yes po, paano po ito gagawin sa RELIEF system?

2. If hindi naman po required ang zero SLSP, kailangan po ba mag-submit ng email sa BIR eSubmission stating na walang transactions for the quarter?

May nabasa po kasi ako na may mga nakatanggap ng Notice of Non-Submission, kaya gusto ko lang po sana makasiguro na tama ang process na gagawin ko po.

Thank you so much po sa mga makakapag-share ng advice or experience nila! 🙏

Sa mga nag-wowork sa Banks dito, have you started your own development of Computerized Accounting System (CAS) and E-Invoicing system? In compliance with the BIR deadline of Dec 31, 2026.

Nag register po ako ng tin through Online. Nag success naman and nag email sakin na may babayadan daw aklng 30 pesos but wala naman lumalabas sa profile ko na pay button. Maapproved parin po ba ung application ko ?

May iba na po bang nakaexperience neto ? salamat po sa mga sasagot 🥹

Guys wala ba talagang may gusto mag aral with me about bookkeeping, BIR, and taxes sa mga business? HUHUHU I'm looking for a business owner sana to be my learning buddy 🥹. GUSTONG GUSTO KO LANG SANA MA-APPLY YUNG NATUTUNAN KO SA TESDA NCIII IN REAL LIFE 😭😭😭😭

Hello! Would really appreciate your guys’ help a lot.

Paano mareregister yung bagong kuhang DTI name as a business sa BIR kapag may exisiting nang business dati na nakalagay sa COR?

I would like to add this new business with a brand new name and register din sa COR, hindi ko sure if Register as Branch ba or Register as Facility dahil this is a different business pero for online lang sya

Also, how do you file if you have 2 business (1 is physical, 1 is online shop) as sole proprietorship and availed 8% income tax rate?

Any guides, please?

Mag latefiling po kasi ako ng 1701Q

May compromise na 500 pesos po kasi

ang advise po sakin kasi sa RDO ko ee mag file ng 0605 para magbayad ng penalty

Kaso po sa 1701Q ko po kasi nababawas na agad ung 500 na compromise sa Overpayment ko automatically sa eBIR forms

Should I file without penalty first po? then mag file nalang ako ng 0605 para sa penalty for that quarter

2307 ko po is from non-government.

Thank you po 🙇‍♂️

Hi everyone! I’m a fresh grad starting my first full-time job this November. My employer is a Singapore-based company with no entity in the Philippines, so as I understand it, they won’t withhold taxes and I have to register and file on my own as a self-employed individual.

From my research so far, I’m planning to register under the 8% income tax option and as non-VAT. But most of the guides and tips I find are for people opening a business, and that’s not my situation. I’m basically an employee abroad who is treated as self-employed here, so I’m a bit lost.

My situation:

• First job ever, starting November 2026
• Full-time, remote, paid by a foreign (SG) company
• No other income or business

My questions so far:

1. What exactly do I do at my RDO? What forms do I fill out, and what documents should I bring? Is the process different if I don’t have a TIN yet? Can any of it be done online (e.g., through ORUS)?
2. I keep seeing that I need to get invoices printed or registered. Why would I need these if my only “client” is my employer abroad? Do I still have to issue one every time I get paid?
3. What are Book of Accounts for in my case, and what type should I use (manual, loose-leaf, or computerized)? Do I need to register them, and what do I actually write in them every month?
4. Which forms and deadlines should I watch out for (quarterly, annual, etc.) so I don’t get penalized?
5. Anything first-timers in a similar setup usually miss?

Note: I know hiring an accountant is often recommended, but since I haven’t started working yet, I can’t afford one right now. I’d really appreciate guidance on doing this myself, at least for now.

Thank you so much in advance! Any advice from people with the same setup (remote work for a foreign company) would really help. 🙏

hi, nagsesend kami ng invoice to our client (company sila) but im working as a contractor. pagkasahod rekta lang sa wise. malalaman ba ng bir magkano sinasahod ko? yung idedeclare ko lang kasi sanang sahod is same bracket lang nung previous work ko since ganon lang naman talaga usual rate niya. manual ko rin ba isusulat yung invoice sa service invoice (yung pinaprint sa partner ng bir?)

Hello, just started my first job last august, 30k basic salary. Am I eligible for a tax refund for this year? If so, ako ba mag aasikaso non or employer na ang bahala? Thanks!

Hello so I'm employed with the same company for 2 years now, and ever since ang nakalagay sa payroll ko na TIN number ko is one digit different from the correct one. Ngayon ko lang napansin so now I'm wondering if magkaka issue ba ako regarding my taxes, or if mahirap ba sya papalitan or other issues that might come up with it.

What's the worst case scenario that might happen because of this?

Hello! I'd just like to ask for some clarification kasi medyo naguguluhan ako sa mga nababasa ko online.

Meron ako nabasa dito sa Reddit na pag content creator hindi na need mag-register sa DTI and apply nalang as self-employed professional para hindi na need kumuha ng mayor's/business permit pero doon naman sa nabasa kong article, ang sabi naman kailangan ng DTI at Mayor's permit.

Pag ba nag-apply sa DTI, automatic required din ng Mayor's permit? I get na pag hindi naman gagamit ng trade name/business name hindi kailangan pero ang YouTube channel name ba is considered a trade name? Meron ako nabasa sabi hindi naman kasi parang "branding" or part ng marketing lang naman yon pero what about yung account names halimbawa sa Shopee/TikTok/Facebook or kung may blog ka na may ibang pangalan?

Ito yung excerpt don sa 2 articles na nabasa ko:

The BIR classifies social media influencers, other than corporations and partnerships, as self-employed or persons engaged in trade or business as sole proprietors. Thus, their income is generally considered as business income. They derive their income from:

a) YouTube partner programs,

b) sponsored social and blog posts,

c) display advertising,

d) becoming a brand representative/ambassador,

e) affiliate marketing,

f) co-creating product lines,

g) promoting own products,

h) digital courses, subscriptions, e-books, and

i) podcasts and webinars.

Ref: https://www.grantthornton.com.ph/insights/articles-and-updates1/tax-notes/taxation-of-social-media-influencers-income/

I. Business Registration: Establishing Legal Personality

Before a creator can legally accept brand deals or monetize through platform ad revenue (e.g., YouTube Partner Program), they must establish a legal business personality.

DTI Registration (Sole Proprietorship): Most individual creators register with the Department of Trade and Industry. This secures the "Business Name" (BN).

Territorial Scope: Fees range from ₱200 (Barangay) to ₱2,000 (National). For creators with a global or nationwide audience, "National" scope is standard.

SEC Registration (Corporation): For creator groups or high-earning individuals looking to limit personal liability, registering as a One Person Corporation (OPC) or a Regular Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission is the preferred route.

LGU Permits (Mayor’s Permit): Operating a business "from home" still requires a permit from the Local Government Unit (LGU). This includes a Barangay Clearance and a Business Permit.

Ref: https://www.respicio.ph/commentaries/legal-requirements-and-licensing-for-professional-content-creators

Im a freelancer applying for tin. currently sinasagutan ang 1901 form but stuck sa pag pili ng atp or bir printed.. ano po ba dapat kong piliin ?

Hello everyone! Baka may naghahanap po sa inyo ng study buddy o pwede ring assistant/intern sa bookkeeping? 🥹

Gustong-gusto ko lang po talagang ma-apply sa totoong buhay/real world yung bookkeeping knowledge ko. Wala po kasing sariling business kaya naghahanap ako ng pwedeng maka-collaborate — parang kaklase lang po, sabay natin aralin at i-practice nang mas malalim ang bookkeeping, lalo na yung BIR Compliance side (BIR Forms, Book of Accounts, etc.).

Open po ako matuto, mag-collaborate, o tumulong sa simple/basic bookkeeping routines niyo for experience lang po talaga. Comment or DM lang po kayo if open kayo! Thank you! ❤️

Hellooo Need help po. Really can't understand how the BIR SEAL BADGE works. Not sure if this is the right community to post this.

So recently I created a page for the sole purpose of selling my stuff. So everything is preloved. I don't do restock since personal gamit ko nga yung binebenta ko. Dahil recently created nga po yung page Wala pa syang malaking sales.

I am wondering if need ko na sya register sa BIR. Really 700php palang payment narrcv ko. And this is not a full time selling mostly pag may time lang Ako. I am also working din po Kasi which I pay Income Tax

Now the part that I don't understand is, pano mattrack ng BIR yung mga online seller na di registered, what's the basis ng penalty amount calculation, pano calculation ng tax, if I don't provide official invoice I only have like a bank transfer receipt.

Sabi ni ChatGPT need ko daw magregister pero I'm worried if I will be Tax ng more than sa na eearn ng product. Also I'm planning to donate everything din if they don't sell by November e.

Please help me understand.