BIR: Report a social media influencer evading taxes, earn a PHP 1M reward

BIR is not playing games when they warned the social media influencers in a report last week.

File photo: BIR logo

A million reward for an informant

After releasing the Revenue Memorandum Circular 97-2021 last August 16, BIR is not keeping their chill. Yesterday, former Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) examiner and tax expert Mon Abrea said that people can get a PHP 1M reward for tipping authorities about tax evaders.

'Yun 'yung hindi masyado alam ng publiko. Tayo mismo pwede kumita.. 'pag sinabi natin o tinuro natin 'yung mga kasama natin na mukhang hindi nagbabayad ng buwis, Abrea told 'Agenda' on One News. 

He also explained that social media influencers need to pay taxes similar to the media practitioners, artists, self-employed, and others. Abrea also mentioned that they also need to register with BIR for their tax obligations.

It's easy to trace them, it's just like a bank account. It's easy to type your name in the system of BIR. The easiest basis here is when you don’t have a TIN (tax identification number) or you are not registered. This is for sure tax evasion because you earn a huge amount but you are not registered, he added.

Did you know that social media influencers who evade the payment of taxes will be punished by a fine, not less than PHP 500,000 but not more than Php 10 million, and imprisonment of six to 10 years?

In the memorandum, the BIR mentioned that the term "social media influencers" includes those individuals who generate income for service as bloggers and vloggers from the following sites: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Reddit, and Snapchat.

Dapat patas tayo kasi ‘yung mga kababayan natin na empleyado fixed income earner pero nabawas na ‘yung tax bago pa nila matanggap ‘yung sahod nila, Abrea noted in the same statement.

To recap, social media influencers, meanwhile, are allowed to deduct all ordinary and necessary expenses paid during the taxable year—including film expenses, computer equipment, subscription and software licensing fees, internet and communication expenses, and office supplies, among others.

Via: One News