BIR Forms for Self-Employed Individuals and Professionals

Account Information Form (AIF) for Self-employed Individuals, Estates and Trusts (Engaged in Trade and Business)

A revised form designed in line with the BIR Integrated Tax System (ITS) to be used as attachment to BIR Form No. 1701 and to be accomplished by self-employed individuals, estates and trusts engaged in trade and business, which shall contain the taxpayer's business profile information and other relevant data to be lifted from the Audited Financial Statements. BIR Form 1701 AIF is not, however, required for individual taxpayers who orpted for Optional Standard Deduction (OSD).

This form is filed on or before April 15 of each year covering income for the preceding taxable year.

Annual Income Tax Return for Self-Employed, Professionals, Estates, and Trusts

This return is filed annually by the following for business income derived during the calendar year regardless of amount of gross income:

a. A resident citizen engaged in trade, business or practice of profession within and without the Philippines.

b. A resident alien, non-resident citizen or non-resident alien individual engaged in trade, business or practice of profession within the Philippines.

c. A trustee of a trust, guardian of a minor, executor/administrator of an estate or any person acting in any fiduciary capacity for any person, where such trust, estate, minor or person is engaged in trade or business.

This is also filed by individuals who receive mixed income (compensation with self-employment/professional income).

However, an individual whose sole income has been subjected to final withholding tax pursuant to Sec. 57(A) of the Tax Code, or who is exempt from income tax pursuant to the Tax Code and other laws, is not required to file an income tax return.

This return is filed on or before April 15 of each year covering income for the preceding taxable year.

Quarterly Income Tax Return for Self-employed, Professionals, Estates, and Trusts Including Those with both Business and Compensation Income

An income tax return filed quarterly by all Self-employed taxpayers, Professionals, Estates and Trusts engaged in trade/ business including those with both business and compensation income.

This return is filed: First Quarter - on or before April 15; Second Quarter - on or before August 15; and Third Quarter - on or before November 15.

BIR eServices during this pandemic

Considering the travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you may want to resort to Bureau of Internal Revenue's electronic services (eServices) available at:

https://www.bir.gov.ph/index.php/eservices.html.

They include:

eReg - The eRegistration System is a web application of various taxpayer registration services including TIN Issuance, Payment of Registration Fee and Generation of Certificate of Registration

eFPS - Electronic Filing and Payment System is the electronic processing and transmission of tax return information including attachments, and taxes due thereon to the government made over to the internet through the BIR website.

eBIRForms - The Electronic Bureau of Internal Revenue Forms (eBIRForms) was developed primarily to provide taxpayers with an alternative mode of preparing and filing tax returns that is easier and more convenient.

ePay - Provides the link for ePayment Channels of AABs that taxpayers can access for the electronic payment of their tax dues and liabilities, ePayment Channels accept tax payments through the use of either online, credit / debit / prepaid cards, and mobile payments.

eTSPCert - Electronic Tax Software Provider Certification (eTSPCert) System is a web based system that provides facility for Tax Software Providers (TSPs) for the application and processing of certification of tax solution for the electronic tax return filing and/or payment. To ensure that the software being used by these TSPs are compliant with BIR data structure requirements.

eTCBP-TCVC - Electronic Tax Clearance for Bidding Purposes and Tax Compliance Verification Certificate (eTCBP-TCVC) is an online system where the taxpayer-applicant can submit applications for Tax Clearance for Bidding Purposes/Tax Compliance Verification Certificate thru electronic mail.

Registration of self-employed and mixed income individuals

Self-employed and mixed income individuals are required to register with the Bureau of Internal Revenue using BIR Form 1901- Application for Registration for Self-Employed and Mixed Income Individuals, Non-Resident Alien Engaged in Trade/Business, Estates/Trusts.

Documentary requirements include:

› BIR Form No. 1901 version 2018;

› Any identification issued by an authorized government body (e.g. Birth Certificate, passport, driver’s license, Community Tax Certificate) that shows the name, address and birthdate of the applicant;

› Payment of P500.00 for Registration Fee and P30.00 for loose DST or Proof of Payment of Annual Registration Fee (ARF) (if with existing TIN or applicable after TIN issuance);

› BIR Printed Receipts/Invoices or Final & clear sample of Principal Receipts/ Invoices.

Other documents to be submitted, when applicable, include:

› Special Power of Attorney (SPA) and ID of authorized person, in case of authorized representative who will transact with the Bureau;

› DTI Certificate (if with business name);

› Franchise Documents (e.g. Certificate of Public Convenience) (for Common Carrier);

› Photocopy of the Trust Agreement (for Trusts);

› Photocopy of the Death Certificate of the deceased (for Estate under judicial settlement);

› Certificate of Authority, if Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBE) registered entity;

› Proof of Registration/Permit to Operate BOI/BOI-ARMM, PEZA, BCDA and SBMA.

The procedure is as follows:

a) Accomplish BIR Form 1901 version 2018 and submit the same together with the documentary requirements with the New Business Registrant Counter of the RDO having jurisdiction over the place where the head office and branch, respectively.

b) Pay the Annual Registration Fee (P500.00), loose DST (P30.00) and/or payment for the BIR Printed Receipt/Invoice (if taxpayer opted to buy for use) at the New Business Registrant Counter in the BIR Office.

c) The RDO shall then issue the Certificate of Registration (Form 2303) together with the “Notice to Issue Receipt/Invoice”, Authority to Print, BIR Printed Receipts/Invoices (if applicable) and eReceipt as proof of payment.

Note: Taxpayer may attend the scheduled initial briefing for new business registrants to be conducted by the concerned RDO in order to apprise them of their rights and duties/responsibilities.

As to the deadline,  all Individuals engaged in trade or business shall accomplish and file the application on or before the commencement of business, it shall be reckoned from the day when the first sale transaction occurred or within thirty (30) calendar days from the issuance of Mayor's Permit/Professional Tax Receipt (PTR) by LGU, which ever comes earlier.

https://www.bir.gov.ph/index.php/registration-requirements/primary-registration/application-for-tin.html#fseamii

Register your business online

Not sure if many are aware but it seems you need not go out and line up if you want to register a business name now. You can now do this online at this site https://bnrs.dti.gov.ph.

What to expect in ASEAN integration

"(I)ncreased intra-ASEAN commercial and financial linkages as an evolutionary process, which will drive activity across a multitude of sectors - not least infrastructure, automotives and tourism."

"Taken as a single entity, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) - which is made up of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam - would rival the more traditional BRIC emerging markets in terms of economic importance."

ASEAN Integration: What To Expect
http://www.businessmonitor.com/news-and-views/asean-integration-what-to-expect

"The International Monetary Fund forecasts growth at 5 per cent this year for the Asean-5, which consists of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam - a figure that is in line with growth in the last few years."

"Genuine Asean economic integration - the free flow of goods, services, capital and people within the region - would deliver huge gains, not least from deeper integration into global supply chains."

"The bulk of intra-regional tariffs have been abolished. Partial progress has been achieved on simplifying and harmonising Customs procedures, cross-border infrastructure projects, and opening up Asean skies to low-cost airlines."

"(O)verall, the AEC is well behind its targets to reduce and abolish non-tariff and regulatory barriers in goods, services and investment."

Report card on Asean economic integration
http://www.straitstimes.com/news/opinion/eye-the-economy/story/report-card-asean-economic-integration-20140508

"Asean leaders in 2003 resolved to establish an Asean Economic Community (AEC) as a single production base and market by 2020. In 2007, this date was advanced to 2015."

"A 2013 study by the Asian Development Bank and Institute of Southeast Asian Studies cautions that: “Although the self-imposed deadline for the realization of the Asean Economic Community is 2015, it should not be viewed as a hard target. One should not expect 2015 to see Asean suddenly transformed, its nature and processes abruptly changed, its members’ interests substantially altered. Rather, 2015 should be viewed more as a milestone year—a measure of a work in progress—rather than as a hard target year.”"

Asean's elusive integration

http://opinion.inquirer.net/74164/aseans-elusive-integration

Free Medical Consultations

Here's another find. The Generics Pharmacy provides free medical consultations through their Call-a-Dock program open 24/7. This is in addition to the free medical consultations that the company provides at their branches, through in-house doctors. I have already availed of this service at a nearby branch and I found the service at par, not to mention that it is totally free. Definitely better than self-medicating, something that doctors often advise us not to do.

Summer Art Workshops

Most of us now read our news from the Internet. We rarely get to read the printed broadsheets anymore. That is understandable because the news in print are either the same or are not as up-to-date as the news online, especially with breaking news posted almost instantaneously on the net.

What I think we miss in not reading the broadsheets are the ads and event announcements that are in them. While there are ads and announcements on news websites also, I doubt if they are as rich and as many as those on print. This is why I continue to browse broadsheets whenever there is opportunity and time.

One of my recent finds is this summer art workshops being offered in various venues in Quezon City by painter Fernando B. Sena. Checkout the pic for the schedules and venue. For details, call 3762196 or 09189519989.

Poll on Seminars/Trainings

I am running a poll here at Pinoy Seminars asking what kind of seminars/trainings would you be interested in taking. I'd like to know which of the following seminars/trainings would you be interested with:

• Accounting for Non-Accountants
• Income Tax for Individuals and Professionals
• Credit and Collection
• Personal Finance
• Negotiations
• E-Commerce Law
• Work-Life Balance
• Financial Literacy for Kids

Please take time to answer the poll on the side bar. If you have suggestions/comments, feel free to email me at lumantao@gmail.com.

Where to find jobs in the Philippines

It is the end of the regular school year again and thousands of fresh college graduates are about to join the labor force. While some of these graduates may be planning to give themselves some rest time, others I am sure are dead set on scouting and applying for their first jobs.

Where do you find these jobs? Here are some suggestions:

• www.jobstreet.com.ph
• http://ph.jobsdb.com/PH
• www.bestjobs.ph
• www.phil-job.net
• www.jobopenings.ph
• www.trabaho.com
• www.itrabaho.com

Of course, another option is to find companies known to be good employers and simply walk in. Still another option is to check your schools bulletin boards for announcements of job opportunities. Companies in need of applicants usually resort to writing to schools and schools normally just post their letters on the bulletin boards.

List of top Filipino online stores

If you are Filipino or live in the Philippines, here is where you can buy goods online. We will update this list from time to time. In alphabetical order:

• CashCashPinoy
• Groupon Philippines
• Hallo Hallo Mall
• iGrab.ph 
• Lazada Philippines
• MetroDeal
• Shop This Easy
• SureDeal
• Zalora

If you have experience buying from any of these sites, we would be glad to hear about it. If you know of other sites, please point them to us also.