26/08/2026
🚨 BIR IDENTIFIES 14 RED FLAGS THAT MAY TRIGGER PRIORITY TAX AUDITS
Business owners and taxpayers, this is a good time to review your books and tax compliance.
Under BIR Revenue Memorandum Order (RMO) No. 22-2026, the Bureau of Internal Revenue has identified risk indicators that may cause taxpayers to be electronically selected as priority cases for audit.
Among the red flags cited are:
🔴 Income tax payments below 2% of gross sales
🔴 Substantial sales but continued reporting of net losses
🔴 Significant increases in assets despite reported losses
🔴 Drastic decline in reported sales or VAT payments
🔴 Significant increases in exempt or zero-rated sales
🔴 Input VAT claims exceeding 75% of total output VAT
🔴 Discrepancy notices and system-generated inconsistencies
🔴 Operating for more than five years without having been audited
🔴 Losses attributed to natural calamities or inventory obsolescence
🔴 Income or shared expenses involving related companies
The BIR also considers certain cases mandatory for audit, including taxpayers found to have underdeclared sales or income—or overstated expenses or deductions—by at least 30%.
Taxpayers flagged through third-party information, system-generated discrepancies, and certain tax refund or credit claims may likewise be covered.
⚠️ WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
Being selected for audit does not automatically mean that a taxpayer has committed a violation. However, unusual figures, inconsistencies, unsupported deductions, questionable VAT claims, or discrepancies between tax returns and accounting records can attract greater scrutiny.
This makes accurate bookkeeping and regular reconciliation more important than ever.
Before an audit happens, businesses should already be asking:
✅ Do our sales in the books agree with our tax returns?
✅ Are our expenses properly documented and deductible?
✅ Are VAT input and output taxes properly reconciled?
✅ Can we explain significant losses or changes in assets?
✅ Are transactions with related parties properly recorded and supported?
✅ Do our financial statements, tax returns, and other regulatory submissions tell a consistent story?
The BIR also clarified that an audit or verification must be supported by a valid electronic Letter of Authority (eLA), Tax Verification Notice, or Mission Order, as applicable. An audit undertaken without the required authority is considered unauthorized.
Good tax compliance is not something you prepare only when the BIR arrives. It should be built into your accounting system every day.
At NCM Accounting Office and Consultancy, we help businesses maintain organized accounting records, review tax compliance, reconcile accounts, and identify potential issues before they become bigger problems.
📞 0917 779 8919
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📍 3rd Floor, Karldale Square, National Highway, Brgy. San Pedro, Puerto Princesa City
NCM Accounting Office and Consultancy
Helping businesses stay informed, organized, and compliant.