U0REAU OF INTERXAL trtsvErrr,r.

REI)Ut}LIC OIT I'HE PIIILI PI'INE,S

DLPA RTN4ENT OI- Irln-ANCE
BLIREAIJ OF INTERNAL TTE\/ENTJE
QLrezon City is
IIGT. DIVISION

May 1 1, 201 8

R.EVENUE MEMI}RAN*T]M CIRCT-ILAR NO. 50 - 20I8

SLItsJECT: Clarifies cerlain provisions of Revenue Regr-rlations (RR) Nos. 8-201 8 and 1 1-2018
h'Lrplementing the Income Tax Provisions of Repubiio Act (R.A.) No. i0963,
Otirerivise itrtown as tite " fax Reform for r\ccelelation and lnciusion (TRAIN)" Act

TO : All lntemal Revenue Oificers and Others Concerned

Hereunder are the mosi frequently asked questions on income and rvithholding tax provisions of
RR Nos.8-2018 and i1-2018. as amendedbyRRNos. 15-2018 and 14-2018,respectively. The
stated RRs were isstied to implement the TRAIN law's income tax orovisions including its
consequent u,ithholding tax.

o1 Are the personal exemption and additional exemption still the same under the
TRAIN law?
A1 The personal and additionai exemptions previousll, providid under Section 35 of
the 1997 Tax Code, as amencied, have been removed under the TRAfl.l Law.
Starting .lanuar"y' 1.2.{t18. said exemptions of indi.ricual tarpayers were repiaced
u,itir the first P250,000 of taxable incorne wiricir is no'w subject to zero percent O
(0%)
rate of income tax, practicaliy exempting such income from income tax.

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is r-ro chau-ise in ilie manoaioiv deductions iicxl gt'c,:s conlp.insation ot'
en'rployees. i-he allowed deductions are the employee's shate in the SSS, GSIS,
Philirealth and Pag-ibig ccntributions (iimiteci to compulsory contributions) as weli
as the union dues. They are deductible to arrive at the taxable compensation income.

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A3 No. there is no ohange in the tax treatment for "de minimis" benefits. It is stil1
considered as compensation not subject to income tax and conseqtiently, not subject
to rvithholding tax. and neither to fringe benefit tax.

01 \\'hat are tl-ie benefits c1:issified/considered as "de minimis"? Are there an:', updates
in the ariouni ,lf "cie minirnis" benefits?
,,\ 4 As of .lan,.i.ar1, 1.2{)18. the ioliou,ing are the "c1e iriinimis" benefits:
④
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 a. Mor-retized unused vacation leave credits of private ernployees not exceeding
ten ( 1 0) days during the year;
b. Mouetized vaiue o1' vacation and sick leave credits paid to goverrunent
offi cials and empioyees;
0. Medical casii ailowance tc dependents of employees not exceeding
P 1,500.00 per employee per semester ot P250.00 per month;
d. Rice subsidy of P2.000.t)0 or one (1) sack of 50 kg. rioe per monttt
anrounting to not more than P2,000.00;
e. Unilorm and clothing allowance not exceeding P6, 000.00 per annum;
f. Actual medical assistance, e.g., medical allowance to cover medical and
healtircare neecls. amual meriica1/exeoutive c}reck-up. maternity assistance,
ancl roritine consultations. not exceeding P10.000.00 per annum;
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b' Lar"rndry allor,vance not exceeding I'}300.0C per rnonth;
h. Employees achievement awards, e.g., for length of sen'ice or sat'ety
achievement, which must be in the form of a tangible personal property other
tl-ran cash or gift ceftificate, with an annual monetary value not exceeding
P10,000.00 received by the employee under an established written plan
rvhich cioes not discriminate in favor of highly paid employees;
Gifts given during Christrnas and major anniversary celebrations not
exceeding P5.000.00 per employee per anntlrll
t- Dai11, meal allorvance fbr overtime u'oili ancl night/grave,vard shift not
exceeding iwenty-five percent (25%) ol the basic minimum wage on a per
region basis; and
k. Benefrts received by an employee by viitue of a collective bargaining
agreement (CBA) and productivit-v incentive sciremes provided that the total
annual monetary vaiue ieceived from both CBA and productivity incentive
schemes o,:mbinecl do rrci exccsd ieir tiiousaild iresos fPi 0.0C0.t)0) pei
employee per taxable 1'ear.

Al1 otfier benefits gi',ren b1,' employers lnhich are not included in the above
ennmeration shall not be considered as "de minin-iis'' benefits. and hence, shall be
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IF VAVUE EXCEEDS
oi V,/hat sirall be the 1ax treair-irent o1'the "cie miriimis'' benefits given to emplo-vees
u,hich are beyond t1're presoribed amcunr of 'oenefits?
A5 The benefits given in excess of the maximum amount allowed as "de minimis"
benefits shall be included as part of "other benefits" which is subject to the
90K P90.000.00 ceiling. Ariy :imount irr excess of the P90,080 sha11 be subject to income
tax. and corisequentll'. to the withholciing tax on ccmpensation.
ceiling E::ctmple;Ms. A received annual clothing allo'uvetnce amounting to P10.000. Her
i jtit montit pay is PBu"0u0. l.io other benefjrs were t'eoelvecj ior thc cnttre vear. irt
this case" since the prescribed maximuii'r amount for ciothing allowance is oni-v
P6.000 tire excess of P4.000 shail be added io the l3th riionth pa-r', therebv ihe entire
benefits received amounteci to P84.000. In tliis scenario. tlie same shali still be
exenlpr fiom inoome tax since the cciiing amount lor these other benefrts is
P90.0{){i.(x)
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 a6 ,/lre incentives given to ernployees also taxable? If yes. hov,'mueh is taxable?
$ AO In general" any incentives given to ernplol'ees shall ibrm parl of the conrpensation
sLrb.]ect to income tax. unless specifically exempted nnder a speciai law or incentives
are in the nature of the previousiy enumerated ''de minimis" benefits.

o7 What is the tt'eatment lor the Premium on Flealth Card paid b;; the employer for the
"rank and fiie" empioyees. as well as for those empiol,ees holciing "managerial or
sr-tpervi scr1,'- firttction?
* A1 Premir-rm e'n l lealth Carci paid b,v the emplol,er tbr ail empioyees, r.r,hether ranl.l and
file or nranagerial/supeu'isory, uncler a group insurance shall be included as parl of
•threshoki.
other benefits of these employees r.,hich are subjecl iii the P90,000.00
Fiorvever. indiviriual preniiums (not parl oi' group insurance) paid lor selected
et:rp1o1'ees holcling nianagerial cr supervisLrr), iitltelions are considerecl "fringe
benefits" sub-iect ro flinge benelits tax.

as What r,voulci be tire treatment of'the aciditional iircome as a resuit of the brenefits
provided under the Attdtion L,aw.v,4rerein empioyees r.r,ho are performing ra,ell .rvill
receive rewariis?
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The saicl additional rncome/benefits. whetirer in the tbrrn ol cash or reward in l<inC,
shaii fcrrn part i-rf rire ccmpensalion inccn:ie sr-rbiect tc i,r,ithholdrng tax on
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compensation, The lait nrarker value cf the re..,,'arC in hind shali ce incluoed in the
taxable compensaii or-r.

ae What rvould be the treatment of the commission given to an employee in addition

to the regular oompensation roceived from tire same erapioyer (income
payor/withholding ageilt)? Is the rerrritiange of the witliholding tax ou cornmission
separale irom the tax wiiifielci orr corrpensatiol'l
A9 The commission reoeived from the same employer shall be considered as
sr-rpplen.ientarl, income. It shall be added to the reguiar conipensation subject to
it.tcorre tax and consequentiy to witidroiding tax using the ''rithholding tax tabie on
compeusaiion. The ta:<-uvitirheid shail be fi1ed mouthlr'' and i:emitteci ilsirrs BIR Foirn
t'.,.:), i il'.; i -:..

Q 1r) iior,v do r,'e deierrnine if a governmeni emplo,vee is considered a Minirnum Viage

Earner (MWE)?
A 10 The government entity/employer must be aware of the Statutory Minimum Wage
(Slv{W) prescribed for a particular geographical regiorr by the National Wages and
Prodr.rctivity Couimission (1rl\fuPC) o1'ti-re Departmenl of Labor and Employment
(DOLE). The copy c;itire wage matri:< thelr pror,;de lhe flureau is circuiarized every
time there are chatrges in Lhe SMW. 1{'tire r,i,age of tiie emplcyee is equal or below
rhe sairj -Di'escri'oecl Stl4W lbr a paniculat'iegion. i"heri thc empioirse y,zsyf,jng rvlihtn
iire sanre region is c,onsidererci a l"4WE.

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ls tire h,iWE ereml;t lroci income iax?
,t) il The h4 v\iE is excmDr i}oin income tax on his bas;ic STd1,4/^ D.../errim{j (CT) p3;,.
hoiiciar -0a1" riiuhl:-hit" clifi'ereriiiai ti.ilii:';pa:'arcilfizatorta\. Hc..r,evei. inci:rne
oiirer tlrair those rrrentjoncci are subiect tu iilcome tax.

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('-) ! r What if the MVr/E receii,es service charge which is not inclucied in the enumerated
exenptions sltch as lioiiday pa1,,, oveftilne pay, etc.. wiil he still be exempt fiom
income tax? if not. how will his income tax be computed?
A12 The NzIWE r.r,ill sti1l be exempt fi'om income tax on his SMW inch-rding the other
income earnecl specificalil' enumerated as exempt turder the la-w,. I-iowever, income
other than il-rose in the enuiaeraticn shall alreaciy tre taxable. The taxable income
shall be eo;:rputeci b5' cled,.icting the ncn-taxabie/exempt portion and other'
deducrio;-rs iroir-r the gross crlllpe;rsa'rion income. Then. the resr,rlling taxable
income shall be niultiplieci to the applicabie incon:e tax iate using the prescribed tax
tabie to get tire amolinl ,:f inocme tax due.

(l 13 iror those whose basic pav is mole than the SMW bui does not exceed P250.000,
are otirer income iike hoiida.v pay. C].liDP. hazard pay (q others also tax exem,,rt?
A IJ 1'he empio-v--ee is no lrinsei ceinsidered an lvi\A/Fr since iris basic pa,v is more than the
Slr4W. Thus" the amount oj"basic 1tay, LIT pay', irolida),pay, NDP pa-v aird hazard
pay-shall tre sub.iect tc income iax, and consequentl,v. to the r.vithholding tax on
cornpensation.

414 do the en-rplovers present corntrensation exempl from tax under the TRAIN
FJor.r,
iaw in BIR For:m No. 1601C (monthil,remittanee of r.;ithholding tax)? Will it be
sesregated tiom tire sciredule cl MWFs?
A14 Compensation exempt frorn tax shali be inoluded as part of those non-taxable
compensation and there is no need io seeregate the same fi'om the schedule of
MWEs since their compensation is aiso non-taxab1e.

a 15 Do ihe einplo;;ees need tc update their tax status and subrnit documents thereon to
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A15 Emplol'ees are n01 required to upciate their tax statu:; anci submil documents thereon
to the IliR.

(.')15 : Who r\Te tloicllalit)ec 1o aviril r:'i't1ie 8Yt !.icoir-re Ta>; iaie?
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b) VA-f -r'e gisr"-leii taxpa,r'ers. re !.afdie:;s i-,i ihe a1l1ou111 ol gioss saiesirectipis in')ri
otirer nori-opera;.ing inccine :
c) Non-\,'AT' taxpa.vers r,virose gross salesireceipts anrJ other non-operating
i rr ccirnr,:::1, c. r: ile d the F3.000. 000. [)0 V threshol d:Al
d] Ta;<pa,vers rvl"io ari: sr-rbir.:c'i tc Other iie lceiltage i'a-x-es u:ider l-itle V of the Tax
'-ocic. as; am';liei. e:icep1 thosc uiiCel"Scclion 116 oirhe same titte;
r') Parl.ner:; o1- er Generail lirof'essionai ir'a.rtne;:slirp (Gfil); sii-ice t1-reir disi:'ibritive
share ;ionr ihe Gi'i'is aireail,nef cli'cosis anci expeiises; anci
lndivicluals enjovinu income tax exemplior-r sucir as those registered urrder the
Bai'anga., rdicio Business Enterprises (illi4BEs). etc.. siirce iaxpat'ers are iiot
a1lov;ecl 1o avail oi'ciouble or mr.rltipie 'Lax exemptions r-rnder difJ'erent 1aws.
luirless specificall-v provicied b,v la-u'.

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