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RA 11213 - Tax Amnesty Act (2019)

Philippine lawLegal status not independently verified

In brief

AI summary. Verify against the source below.

The Tax Amnesty Act (RA 11213) offers one‑time amnesties for unpaid estate taxes, other internal revenue taxes, and tax delinquencies for taxable years up to 2017. Qualified persons can settle by paying a reduced tax rate, gain immunity from related penalties, and have their filings kept confidential.

Who it affects: It applies to estates of decedents, individuals, corporations, and other juridical entities with unpaid internal revenue taxes or delinquencies for 2017 and earlier, as well as withholding agents who failed to remit taxes.

Key provisions

  • Estate Tax Amnesty coverage. Covers estates of persons who died on or before Dec 31, 2017 whose estate taxes are unpaid, unless excluded by Section 9. [Sec 4]
  • Estate Tax Amnesty rate. Pay a flat 6% of the total net estate, or 6% of the net undeclared estate if a return was filed; the minimum tax is ₱5,000. [Sec 5]
  • How to avail Estate Tax Amnesty. The executor, administrator, or legal heirs must file a sworn Estate Tax Amnesty Return with the Revenue District Office where the decedent last lived and pay the tax at filing, within two years from the IRR’s effectivity. [Sec 6]
  • Immunities for Estate Tax Amnesty. Once the estate pays the amnesty tax and complies with all conditions, it is immune from further estate tax, penalties, and any civil, criminal, or administrative cases related to the unpaid taxes. [Sec 8]
  • General Tax Amnesty coverage and rates. Covers all internal revenue taxes (e.g., income, VAT, donor’s tax) for 2017 and earlier. Taxpayers may pay either 2% of total assets as of Dec 31, 2017, or a rate based on net worth (5% with minimum amounts depending on entity type). [Sec 10, Sec 11]
  • General Tax Amnesty filing and early‑payment discounts. File a sworn General Tax Amnesty Return with the appropriate BIR office within one year from the IRR’s effectivity. Pay the tax when filing to receive a discount: 20% if paid within 3 months, 15% if within 6 months, and 10% if within 9 months. [Sec 12]
  • Immunities for General Tax Amnesty. Taxpayers who fully comply are immune from tax, penalties, and related civil, criminal, or administrative cases for the covered years; their submitted information is confidential and cannot be used in other investigations. [Sec 15]
  • Tax Amnesty on Delinquencies rates. Pay 40% of basic tax assessed for final and executory delinquencies, 50% for final court judgments, 60% for pending criminal cases, and 100% for withholding agents who failed to remit taxes. [Sec 18]
  • Confidentiality of information. All data supplied in tax amnesty returns, asset statements, and related documents are confidential and cannot be used in any investigation or prosecution. [Sec 21]
  • Penalties for unlawful disclosure. Anyone who discloses tax amnesty returns or related documents faces a fine of ₱150,000 and imprisonment of 6‑10 years; BIR officers also incur additional penalties and perpetual disqualification from public office. [Sec 25]

Common questions

Who can apply for the Estate Tax Amnesty?
The executor, administrator, or legal heirs of an estate whose decedent died on or before Dec 31, 2017 and whose estate taxes for 2017 or earlier remain unpaid, unless the case falls under the exceptions in Section 9. [Sec 4, Sec 9]
What is the tax rate for the Estate Tax Amnesty?
The amnesty tax is 6% of the total net estate, or 6% of the net undeclared estate if a return was previously filed; the minimum payable amount is ₱5,000. [Sec 5]
How do I file for the General Tax Amnesty and what discounts are available?
File a sworn General Tax Amnesty Return with the BIR office that has jurisdiction over you, attach the required asset or net‑worth statement, and pay the tax at filing. Discounts are 20% if paid within three months, 15% if within six months, and 10% if within nine months from the IRR’s effectivity. [Sec 12]
What cases are excluded from all three tax amnesties?
Cases that are final and executory, those under the Presidential Commission on Good Government, cases involving unexplained or unlawfully acquired wealth (RA 3019, RA 7080), violations of the Anti‑Money Laundering Act, tax evasion criminal offenses, and certain fraud or malversation crimes are excluded (see Sections 9, 16, 18). [Sec 9, Sec 16, Sec 18]
What immunities do I receive after paying the amnesty tax?
After full payment and compliance, you are immune from further tax, interest, penalties, and any civil, criminal, or administrative cases related to the taxes covered by the amnesty (Estate Tax Amnesty – Sec 8; General Tax Amnesty – Sec 15; Delinquency Amnesty – Sec 20). [Sec 8, Sec 15, Sec 20]
Will the information I provide be kept confidential?
Yes. All information in the tax amnesty return, asset statements, and related documents is confidential and cannot be used in any investigation or prosecution. [Sec 21]
What are the penalties for illegally disclosing my tax amnesty information?
A fine of ₱150,000 and imprisonment of six to ten years are imposed; if the offender is a BIR officer, additional penalties under Section 270 of the NIRC and perpetual disqualification from public office apply. [Sec 25]
When does the Tax Amnesty Act become effective?
The Act takes effect fifteen days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least one newspaper of general circulation. [Sec 30]

Legal information, not legal advice

Tatsulok checks that this text faithfully reproduces its published source, but Tatsulok is not an official publisher and does not independently verify whether the text is currently in force, amended, or repealed. Always confirm against an official source, such as the Official Gazette or the issuing government authority, before relying on it. This is legal information for study, not legal advice. For your situation, consult a lawyer or Philippine legal aid.