How to pay BIR tax due using GCASH

It's gonna be my first time to pay GCASH using BIR payments. Yes, same as you, I am very hesitant to use online payment platforms especially when related to government dues -- first, because of security concern -- I do not know if I am transacting to a legit platform or a hackers engine; second is on the back of my mind I have this thought that BIR will not acknowledge my payment because the receipt is not from their accredited banks. If you are fully aware of preparing and paying for taxes in the past, you will have an idea with what I am saying -- each RDO has their own accredited banks so if you have clients in Quezon City, Malabon, Valenzuela and Manila -- you need to go to each of the accredited banks of those cities. Crazy right? Someone actually told me in passing, the Bureau have a centralized payment office way back, wherein you can pay the taxes of your clients in one office (or bank). Maybe the agency can again adapt that as best practice?

Anyway, as we are in the new normal and that the government agency is also the one who are encouraging all taxpayers to utilize the different online payment platforms such as PayMaya, Gcash and Paypal, I will give this option a chance as I also do not want to wait outside for an hour or two in the queue of banks. Literally, just by going outside gives me the anxiety that the virus is just around the corner.

Now that I feel obliged to pay online, here are a few steps I used when using the GCash facility which I currently have on my phone.

1. Open Gcash app

2. Select 'Pay Bills'

3. Select 'Government'

4. Select 'BIR'

5. Fill up the taxpayer details

    

    Note1: For the 5-digit branch code, the most commonly used code for taxpayers is 00000 (this is the                 three zero's after the TIN number and add another two zero's as the requirement is 5 digits)

    Note2: Include the email address (although optional) because GCash will forward to this email                            address the proof of your payment.

6. Check and click 'Confirm' when all details are correct.

7. Next screen will show the Payment receipt. You can screenshot the screen for the proof of your payment.

    

    

     

That's it. You're done. It's actually quite easy as a first time user for tax payments. You can print out either the emailed confirmation from GCash or from your phone's screenshot.

I am actually thinking that even after this abnormal situation, I feel that this is very convenient and time-saver for tax preparers and business owners.