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?
8. Can I hire an accountant to help me with all my tax issues like sya na mag-aayos or magchecheck for me?

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. 🙏

Recently decided to pursue making art for a living. Accepting commissions and workshops. Way of promoting is thru online platforms. Do I need to register even if income is unstable?

Title: Looking for a CPA Experienced in Cross-Border E-Commerce and International Business Structuring (Philippines)

We're looking for recommendations for a CPA or accounting firm, preferably based in Metro Manila, with experience helping Philippine-based business owners structure international e-commerce businesses.

Background:

• The business owners are Filipino citizens with no residency in other countries.
• We manufacture a physical consumer product locally in the Philippines and plan to launch internationally within the next few months.
• Our primary markets will be the United States and European Union.
• We plan to export our products to Amazon fulfillment warehouses in the US and EU, where they will be sold through Amazon FBA.
• All customer sales and fulfillment will take place overseas.
• We estimate initial international sales of approximately USD $10,000–$20,000 per month.

Current Business Situation:

We're considering establishing a Philippine corporation and potentially using the 40% Optional Standard Deduction (OSD), as our business has significant cost of goods sold (COGS) but relatively low manpower and overhead expenses.

However, we're open to other corporate structures if they offer a more practical and tax-efficient solution.

Import and Export Logistics:

We currently source components from China using freight consolidators such as CargoBoss.

We do not currently have our own import or export permits, and for our initial shipments to the US and EU, we're considering using freight consolidators to handle the export process as well.

What We're Looking For:

We need an experienced CPA or tax adviser who can help us determine the most appropriate corporate and tax structure for this type of business.

Ideally, someone with firsthand experience advising Philippine-based entrepreneurs who sell physical products internationally, particularly businesses that hold inventory and fulfill orders through overseas warehouses.

We're not simply looking for someone to handle routine BIR filings. We need practical advice on cross-border taxation, business structuring, international revenue, and Philippine compliance obligations.

If anyone has worked with a CPA or accounting firm experienced in this type of setup, we'd really appreciate your recommendations.

Thank you!

Magpapatulong lang sana ako sa mga accountant, bookkeepers, o kapwa business owners dito re: BIR Form 2551Q (Percentage Tax).

May dalawa lang po ako sanang gustong itanong:

1. Kailangan pa ba talaga ng SAWT / DAT file para sa 2551Q? May hawak kasi akong Form 2307 mula sa client na may ATC Code na ⁠WB080⁠ (Percentage Tax withheld).

2. Bakit nag-e-error kapag 07 (July) ang period? Kapag nagpo-process kasi ako ng DAT file para sa July (⁠07/2026⁠), laging nare-reject at nag-e-error sa eSubmission validation (lumalabas na Form Type Invalid / Period Empty).

Baka may nakaranas na nito o nakakaalam ng tamang proseso? Pa help po

hi, fresh grad here so need advice lang!

context: worked in a company for only 1 month (including my rendering period). we had de minimis benefits (~2k). during my first paycheck, nasobrahan sila sa akin ng send ng de minimis. they sent me 50k+. obviously, hr called me and asked na i return it, which i did.

now, i am working in a new company where i have to submit documents. i requested my form 2316 from my previous employer.

concern: my total non taxable benefits came to a total of 80k+. i am assuming na it’s because of the 50k na mali nilang sinend sa akin.

i clarified and asked if tama ba yun. sabi nila na tama raw kasi kapag iniba nila yung amount, hindi na magbabalanse. 😭

super concerned lang with all the legalities and tax stuff huhu. need advice on how i should move forward. if hayaan ko lang ba na 80k+ nakastate sa 2316 ko? wala naman ba siyang impact cos it is non taxable? or should i insist na itama nila?

please help a lost fresh grad 🥹

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!

Help please. I just installed new ebirforms package and I'm getting a confirmation of TIN and email prompt but a pop up says TIN does not match profile information. What gives 😅

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!

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 🥹

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. 🙏

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 😭😭😭😭

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?