Guides

Plain-language explainers on how Philippine taxes and mandatory contributions work — and how much comes out of your salary.

Our calculators answer "how much?" in a few seconds. These guides answer the questions that come after: why that amount, what the rule actually says, which edge cases apply to you, and what to do when your payslip disagrees with the formula. Each one is written in plain language, works through real examples with pesos rather than algebra, and links back to the tool that does the arithmetic for you.

How Income Tax Is Computed in the Philippines (2026) A plain-language guide to Philippine income tax under the TRAIN law — the 2026 brackets, what counts as taxable income, and worked examples for common salaries. How to Compute Your GSIS Pension (Basic Monthly Pension Formula) How to compute your GSIS pension in the Philippines — BMP = 2.5% × RAMC × years of service — worked examples, the 90% cap, payout options, and who qualifies. Pag-IBIG Contribution Explained: Rates, the ₱200 Cap, and MP2 How the Pag-IBIG (HDMF) contribution works — the 1% and 2% rates, the ₱10,000 fund-salary cap that limits it to ₱200, the employer match, and voluntary savings. PhilHealth Contribution: How Much Is Deducted From Your Salary How the PhilHealth premium works — the 5% rate, the income floor and ceiling, the 50/50 employee-employer split, and how much comes out of your pay. SSS Contribution Table Explained (Employed, Self-Employed) How the SSS contribution is computed — the 15% rate, Monthly Salary Credit, the employee/employer/EC split, and the MPF Pension Booster, with examples. SSS Contributions for OFWs (2025/2026): How Much and How to Pay from Abroad How much OFWs pay for SSS in 2025/2026 — the 15% rate, ₱8,000 minimum MSC (₱1,200/month), the ₱5,250 maximum, flexible deadlines, and how to pay from abroad.

Where to start

If you're employed and just want to understand your payslip, read the income-tax guide first — it explains the TRAIN brackets and why your marginal rate isn't the rate you actually pay — then the SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG guides for the three mandatory deductions above it.

If you're working abroad, the OFW guide is the one that matters: the contribution floor is higher for land-based OFWs, the payment deadlines are unusually flexible, and paying from overseas works differently.

If you work in government, the GSIS guide covers the pension formula end to end, including the two payout options at retirement and what you get if you leave before qualifying.

How we keep these accurate

Every figure in a guide is checked against the official source — the BIR schedule, the SSS circular, the PhilHealth advisory, the Pag-IBIG circular, or the governing law — and cross-checked against the same unit-tested logic that powers our calculators, so a guide and its tool tell you the same thing. Each guide carries the date it was last verified. Rules change; if you spot something that looks stale or wrong, tell us and we'll re-check it against the primary source. More on our process is on the about page.