KEY WORDS

1. YYY Corporation engaged the services of the Manananggol Law Firm in

2006 to defend the corporation’s title over a property used in the business.
For the legal services rendered in 2007, the law firm billed the corporation
only in 2008. The corporation duly paid. YYY Corporation claimed this
expense as a deduction from gross income in its 2008 return, because the
exact amount of the expense was determined only in 2008. Is YYY’s claim
of deduction proper? Reasons. (4%) (2009 Bar)

2. Ernesto, a Filipino citizen and a practicing lawyer, filed his income tax
return for 2007 claiming optional standard deductions. Realizing that he has
enough documents to substantiate his profession-connected expenses, he
now plans to file an amended income tax return for 2007, in order to claim
itemized deductions, since no audit has been commenced by the BIR on the
return he previously filed. Will Ernesto be allowed to amend his return?
Why or why not? (4%) (2009 Bar)

3. Johnny transferred a valuable 10-door commercial apartment to a designated

trustee, Miriam, naming in the trust instrument Santino, Johnny’s 10-year
old son, as the sole beneficiary. The trustee is instructed to distribute the
yearly rentals amounting to P720,000.00. The trustee consults you if she has
to pay the annual income tax on the rentals received from the commercial
apartment.

a. What advice will you give the trustee? Explain. (3%)

b. Will your advice be the same if the trustee is directed to accumulate the
rental income and distribute the same only when the beneficiary reaches
the age of majority? Why or why not? (3%) (2009 Bar)

4. Masarap Food Corporation (MFC) incurred substantial advertising

expenses in order to protect its brand franchise for one of its line
products. In its income tax return, MFC included the advertising
expense as deduction from gross income, claiming it as an ordinary
business expense. Is MFC correct? Explain. (3%) (2009 Bar)
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5. In January 1970, Juan Gonzales bought one hectare of agricultural
land in Laguna for P100,000. This property has a current fair market
value of P10 million in view of the construction of a concrete road
traversing the property. Juan Gonzales agreed to exchange his
agricultural lot in Laguna for a one-half hectare residential property
located in Batangas, with a fair market value of P10 million, owned
by Alpha Corporation, a domestic corporation engaged in the
purchase and sale of real property. Alpha Corporation acquired the
property in 2007 for P9 million.

a) What is the nature of the real properties exchanged for tax

purposes – capital asset or ordinary asset? Explain.

b) Is Juan Gonzales subject to income tax on the exchange of

property? If so, what is the tax base and rate? Explain.

c) Is Alpha Corporation subject to income tax on the exchange of

property? If so, what is the tax base and rate? Explain. (2008 Bar)

6. John McDonald, a U.S. citizen residing in Makati City, bought

shares of stock of a domestic corporation whose shares are listed and
traded in the Philippine Stock Exchange at the price of P2 million.
Yesterday, he sold the shares of stock through his favorite Makati
stockbroker at a gain of P200,000.

a) Is John McDonald subject to Philippine income tax on the sale

of his shares through his stockbroker? Is he liable for any other tax?
Explain. (3%)

b) If John McDonald directly sold the shares to his best friend, who
is another U.S. citizen residing in Makati, at a gain of P200,000, is he
liable for Philippine income tax? If so, what is the tax base and rate?
(3%) (2008 Bar)

9. Pedro Manalo, a Filipino citizen residing in Makati City, owns a vacation

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 house and lot in San Francisco, California, U.S.A, which he
acquired in 2000 for P15 million. On January 10, 2006, he sold said real
property to Juan Mayaman, another Filipino citizen residing in Quezon
City, for P20 million. On February 9, 2006, Manalo filed the capital gains
tax return and paid P1.2 million representing 6% capital gains tax. Since
Manalo did not derive any ordinary income, no income tax return was
filed by him for 2006. After the tax audit conducted in 2007, the BIR
officer assessed Manalo for deficiency income tax computed as follows:
P5 million (P20 million less P15 million) x 35% = P1.75 million, without
the capital gains tax paid being allowed as tax credit. Manalo consulted a
real estate broker who said that the P1.2 million capital gains tax should
be credited from the P1.75 million deficiency income tax.

a) Is the BIR officer’s tax assessment correct? Explain. (3%)

b) If you were hired by Manalo as his tax consultant, what advice

would you give him to protect his interest? Explain. (3%) (2008 Bar)

10. In 2007, spouses Renato and Judy Garcia opened peso and dollar

deposits at the Philippine branch of the Hong Kong Bank in Manila.

Renato is an overseas worker in Hong Kong while Judy lives and works
in Manila. During the year, the bank paid interest income of P10,000 on
the peso deposit and US$1,000 on the dollar deposit. The bank withheld
final income tax equivalent to 20% of the entire interest income and
remitted the same to the BIR.

a) Are the interest incomes on the bank deposits of spouses

Renato and Judy Garcia subject to income tax? Explain. (4%)

b) Is the bank correct in withholding the 20% final tax on the entire
interest income? Explain. (3%) (2008 Bar)

11. What is the “all events test”? Explain briefly. (2010 Bar)

12. What is the immediacy Test? Explain briefly. (2010 Bar)

13. What is the “rational basis test”? Explain briefly (2010 Bar)

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14. Mirador, Inc., a domestic corporation, filed its Annual Income Tax Return for

its taxable year 2008 on April 15, 2009. In the Return, it reflected an
income tax overpayment of P1,000,000.00 and indicated its choice to carry-
over the overpayment as an automatic tax credit against its income tax
liabilities in subsequent years. On April 15, 2010, it filed its Annual Income
Tax Return for its taxable year 2009 reflecting a taxable loss and an income
tax overpayment for the current year 2009 in the amount of P500,000.00 and
its income tax overpayment for the prior year 2008 of P1,000,000.00. In its
2009 Return, the corporation indicated its option to claim for refund the total
income tax overpayment of P1,500,000.00

Choose which of the following statements is correct.

A. Mirador, Inc. may claim as refund the total income tax overpayment of
P1,500,000.00 reflected in its income tax return for its taxable year 2009;

B. It may claim as refund the amount of P500,000.00 representing its

income tax overpayment for its taxable year 2009; or

C. No amount may be claimed as refund.

Explain the basis of your answer. (5%) (2010 Bar)

15. A is a travelling salesman working full time for Nu Skin

Products. He receives a monthly salary plus 3% commission on his sales in a

Southern province where he is based. He regularly uses his own car to
maximize his visits even to far flung areas. One fine day a group of militants
seized his car. He was notified the following day by the police that the
marines and the militants had a bloody encounter and his car was completely
destroyed after a grenade hit it. A wants to file a claim for casualty loss.
Explain the legal basis of your tax advice. (3%) (2010 Bar)

16. In 2009, Caruso, a resident Filipino citizen, received dividend income from a

U.S.-based corporation which owns a chain of Filipino restaurants in the

West Coast, U.S.A. The dividend remitted to Caruso is subject to U.S.
withholding tax with respect to a non-resident alien like Caruso.
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 A. What will be your advice to Caruso in order to lessen the

impact of possible double taxation on the same income?

B. Would your answer in A. be the same if Caruso became a

U.S. immigrant in 2008 and had become a non-resident Filipino

citizen? Explain the difference in treatment for Philippine income tax
purposes. (2010 Bar)

17. ABC, a domestic corporation, entered into a software license

agreement with XYZ, a non-resident foreign corporation based in the U.S.

Under the agreement which the parties forged in the U.S., XYZ granted
ABC the right to use a computer system program and to avail of technical
know-how relative to such program. In consideration for such rights, ABC
agreed to pay 5% of the revenues it receives from customers who will use
and apply the program in the Philippines. Discuss the tax implication of the
transaction. (5%) (2010 Bar)

18. True or False. (1% each)

A) Gains realized by the investor upon redemption of shares of stock in a

mutual fund company are exempt from income tax.

B) A corporation can claim the optional standard deduction equivalent to

40% of its gross sales or receipts, as the case may be.

C) Premium payment for health insurance of an individual who is an

employee in an amount of P2,500 per year may be deducted from gross
income if his gross salary per year is not more than P250,000.

D) The Tax Code allows an individual taxpayer to pay in two equal

installments, the first installment to be paid at the time the return is filed, and

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 the second on or before July 15 of the same year, if his tax due exceeds
P2,000.

E) An individual taxpayer can adopt either the calendar or fiscal period for
purposes of filing his income tax return.

F) The capitalization rules may be resorted to by the BIR in order to compel

corporate taxpayers to declare dividends to their stockholders regularly.

G) Informer’s reward is subject to a final withholding tax of 10%.

H) A non-resident alien who stays in the Philippines for less than 180 days
during the calendar year shall be entitled to personal exemption not to
exceed the amount allowed to citizens of the Philippines by the country of
which he is subject or citizen. (2010 Bar)

19. Z is a Filipino immigrant living in the United States for more than 10 years.
He is retired

and he came back to the Philippines as a balikbayan. Every time he comes to

the Philippines, he stays here for about a month. He regularly receives a pension
from his former employer in the United States, amounting to US$1, 000 a
month. While in the Philippines, with his pension pay from his former
employer, he purchased three condominium units in Makati which he is renting
out for P15, 000 a moth each.

a. Does the US$1, 000 pension become taxable because he is now residing in
the Philippines? Reason briefly.
b. Is his purchase of the three condominium units subject to any tax? Reason
briefly. (2007 Bar)

20. Antonia Santos, 30 years old, gainfully employed, is the sister of Edgardo

Santos. She died in an airplane crash. Edgardo is a lawyer and he negotiated

with the airline company and insurance company and they were able to a agree
total settlement of P10 Million. This is what Antonia would have earned as
somebody who was gainfully employed. Edgardo was her only heir.
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 a. Is the P10 Million subject to estate tax? Reason briefly.
b. Should Edgardo report the P10 Million as his income being Antonia’s only
heir? Reason briefly. (2007 Bar)

21. Nutrition Chippy Corporation gives all its employees (rank and file,

supervisors and managers) one sack of rice every month valued at P800 per
sack. During an audit investigation made by the Bureau of Internal Revenue
(BIR), the BIR assessed the company for failure to withhold the
corresponding withholding tax on the amount equivalent to the one sack of
rice received by all the employees, contending that the sack of rice is
considered as additional compensation for the rank and file employees and
additional fringe benefit for the supervisions and managers. Therefore, the
value of the one sack of rice every month should be considered as part of the
compensation of the rank and file subject to tax. For the supervisors and
managers, the employer should be the one assessed pursuant to Section 33
(a) of the NIRC. Is there a legal basis for the assessment made by the BIR?
Explain your answer. (2007 Bar)

22. Weber Realty Company which owns a three-hectare land in Antipolo entered

into a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with Prime Development Company for
the development of said parcel of land. Weber Realty as owner of the land
contributed the land to the Joint Venture and Prime Development agreed to
develop the same into a residential subdivision and construct residential houses
thereon. They agreed that they would divide the lots between them.

a. Does the JVA entered into by and between Weber and Prime create a
separate taxable entity? Explain briefly.
b. Are the allocation and distribution of the saleable lots to Weber and prime
subject to income tax and to expanded withholding tax? Explain briefly.

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 c. Is the sale by Weber or Prime of their respective shares in the saleable lots
to third parties subject to income tax and to expanded withholding tax?
Explain briefly. (2007 Bar)

23. Noel Santos is a very bright computer science graduate. He was hired by

Hewlett Packard. To entice him to accept the offer for employment, he was
offered the arrangement that part of is compensation would be an insurance
policy with a face value of P20 Million. The parents of Noel are made the
beneficiaries of the insurance policy.

a. Will the proceeds of the insurance form part of the income of the parents
of Noel and be subject to income tax? Reason briefly.
b. Can the company deduct from its gross income the amount of the
premium? Briefly. (2007 Bar)

24. Charlie, a widower, has two sons by his previous marriage. Charlie lives with

Jane who is legally married to Mario. They have a child named Jill. The
children are all minors and not gainfully employed.

1. How much personal exemption can Charlie claim? Explain. 2.5%

2. How much additional exemption can Charlie claim? Explain. 2.5% (2006
Bar)

25. Gold and Silver Corporation gave extra 14th month bonus to all its officials

and employees in the total amount of P75 Million. When it filed its
corporate income tax return the following year, the corporation declared a
net operating loss. When the income tax return of the corporation was
reviewed by the BIR the following year, it disallowed as item of deduction
the P75 Million bonus the corporation gave its officials and employees on
the ground of unreasonableness. The corporation claimed that the bonus is
an ordinary and necessary expense that should be allowed.

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 If you were the BIR Commissioner, how will you resolve the issue? 5%
(2006 Bar)

26. X, while driving home from his office, was seriously injured when a bus

Driven by a reckless driver bumped from behind his automobile. As a result,

he had to pay P200,000.00 to his doctor and P100,000.00 to the hospital
where he was confined for treatment. He filed a suit against the bus driver
and the bus company and was awarded and paid actual damages of
P300,000.00 (for his doctor and hospitalization bills), P200,000.00 by way
of moral damages, and P50,000.00 for what he had to pay his attorney for
bringing his case to court.

Which, if any, of the forgoing awards are taxable income to X and which are
not? Explain. (2005 Bar)

27. A, a doctor by profession, sold in the year 2000 a parcel of land which he
bought as a form of investment in 1990 for P1Million. The land was sold to B, his
colleague at a time when the real estate prices had gone down and so the land was
sold only for P800,000.00, which was then the fair market value of the land. He
used the proceeds to finance his trip to the United States. He claims that he should
not be made to pay the 6% final tax because he did not have any actual gain on the
sale. Is his contention correct? Why? (2001 Bar)

28. Explain briefly whether gain on sale of a car used for personal purpose is
taxable on non-taxable. (2005 Bar)

29. Explain Briefly whether gain arising from expropriation of property is taxable
or non-taxable.

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30. Three brothers inherited in 1992 a parcel of land valued for real estate tax
purposes at P3.0Million, which they held in co-ownership. In 1995, they
transferred the property to a newly organized corporation as to their equity, which
was placed at the zonal value of P6.0 Million. In exchange for the property, the
three brothers thus each received shares of stock of the corporation with a total par
value of P2.0 Million or, together, a total of P6.0 Million. No business was done
by the corporation and the property remained idle, In the early part of 1997, one of
the brothers, was in dire need of funds, sold his shares to the two brothers for P2.0
Million.

Is the transaction subject to any internal revenue tax other than the documentary
stamp tax? (1997 Bar)

31. An insolvent company had an outstanding obligation of P100,000.00 from a

creditor. Since it could not pay the debt, the creditor agreed to accept payment
through dacion en pago a property, which had a market value of P30,000.00. In the
dacion en pago document, the balance of the debt was condoned.

a) What is the tax effect of the discharge of the unpaid balance of the
obligation on the debtor corporation?

b) Insofar as the creditor is concerned, how is he affected taxwise as a

consequence of the transaction? (1997 Bar)

32. Explain briefly whether recovery of bad debts previously charged off is
taxable or non-taxable. (2005 Bar)

33. What is meant by “tax benefit rule”? Give an illustration of the application of
the tax benefit rule. (2003 Bar)

34. Distinguish a capital asset from an ordinary asset. (2003 Bar)

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35. What is the rationale for the rule prohibiting the deduction of capital losses
from ordinary gains? Explain. (2003 Bar)

36. State with reasons the tax treatment of income realized from sale of (i) capital
assets; and (ii) ordinary assets in the preparation of annual income tax returns.
(2005 Bar)

37. Mr. Sebastian is a Filipino seaman employed by a Norwegian company, which

is engaged exclusively in international shipping. He and his wife, who manages
their business, filed a joint income tax return, the BIR issued on April 20, 2001 a
deficiency income tax assessment for the sum of P250,000.00, inclusive of interest
and penalty. For failure of Mr. and Mrs. Sebastian to pay the tax within the period
stated in the notice of assessment, the BIR issued on August 19, 2001 warrants of
distraint and levy to enforce collection of the tax.

What is the rule of income taxation with respect to Mr. Sebastian’s income in 1997
as a seaman on board the Norwegian vessel engaged in international shipping?
Explain your answer. (2002 Bar)

38. Mr. Santos died intestate in 1989, leaving his spouse and five children as the
only heirs. The estate consisted of a family home and a four-door
apartment, which was being rented to tenants. Within the year, an
extrajudicial settlement of the estate was executed among the heirs, each
of them receiving his/her due share. The surviving spouse assumed
administration of the property. Each year the net income from the rental of
the property was distributed to all, proportionately, on which they paid,
respectively the corresponding income tax. In 1994, the income tax returns
of the heirs were examined and deficiency income tax assessments were
issued against each of them for the years 1989 to 1993 as having entered
into unregistered partnership. Were the assessments justified? (1997 Bar)

39. Distinguish Allowable Deduction from Personal Exemptions. Give example of

an allowable deduction and another example for personal exemption.
(2001 Bar)
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40. OXY is the president and chief executive officer of ADD Computers, Inc.
When OXY was asked to join the government service as director of the
bureau under the Department of Trade and Industry, he took a leave of
absence from ADD. Believing that its business outlook, goodwill and
opportunities improved with OXY in the government, ADD proposed to
obtain a policy of insurance on his life. On ethical grounds, OXY objected
to the insurance purchase but ADD purchased the policy anyway. Its annual
premium amounted to P100,000.00. Is said premium deductible by ADD
Computers, Inc.? Reason. (2004 Bar)

41. X is the manager of Mang Douglas Hamburger Inc. X had dinner with Y,
owner of a chain of restaurants to convince the latter to carry Mang Douglas
hamburgers. After Y agreed, both went their separate ways. X celebrated by going
to a single’s bar. He picked up a partner and consumed a bottle of beer. He drove
home at 3:00 a.m. On his way home, he sideswiped a pedestrian, who died as a
result of the accident. X amicably settled the case by paying the heirs of the
pedestrian. The money, however, came from Mang Douglas Hamburger, Inc.

Discuss whether the reward, given to the heir can be claimed by Mang Douglas
hamburger, Inc. as an expense deductible in its Income Tax Return. (1993 Bar)

42. PQR Corp. claimed as a deduction in its tax returns the amount of P1,000,000
as bad debts. The corporation was assessed by the Commissioner of Internal
Revenue for deficiency taxes on the ground that the debts cannot be considered as
“worthless,” hence they do not qualify as bad debts. The company asks for your
advice on “What factors will help in determining whether or not the debts are bad
debts?” Answer and explain briefly. (2004 Bar)

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