Stock option plans

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue issued Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 88-2012 clarifying the tax implications of income or gain derived by an employee from the exercise of stock option plans.

In BIR Ruling No. 119-2012 dated Feb. 22, 2012, it was ruled that any income or gain derived by the employees from their exercise of stock options is considered as additional compensation subject to income tax, and consequently, to withholding taxes on compensation.

In the ruling, stock options were granted by domestic corporations as part of their compensation plan. Under the plan, the employees were given the right to buy a specified number of shares of a foreign corporation, up to a specified time/period from the grant date, at a fixed price regardless of the stock’s future market price.

It was designed to reward employees and the criteria for the reward was dependent on performance, outstanding business achievements, and exemplary organization, technical or business accomplishments/demonstrated expertise yielding significant effects on business/society. At the same time, all full-time and most part-time employees were given one-time number of shares upon employment.

The foregoing notwithstanding, any income or gain derived from stock option plans granted to managerial and supervisory employees which qualify as fringe benefits is subject to the fringe benefits tax.

The additional compensation or the taxable fringe benefit, as the case may be, is the difference of the book value (BV)/ fair market value (FMV) of the shares, whichever is higher, at the time of exercise of the stock option and the price fixed on the grant date. The option has value only if, at the time of the exercise, the stock is worth more than the price fixed on the grant date. The additional compensation or taxable fringe benefit arises whether the shares of stocks involved are that of a domestic or foreign corporation.

If the shares to be issued at the exercise of the stock options come from the unissued shares of sock of the issuing corporation, the original issuance of the said shares is subject to the documentary stamp tax.

In the event that the employees subsequently sell, barter, exchange or otherwise dispose of shares of stock obtained from their exercise of the stock options, the tax treatment is as follows:

If the shares involved are shares of stock in a domestic corporation not traded in the stock exchange, the gain, if any, is subject to the capital gains tax. Further, the sale or transfer of the said shares is subject to the documentary stamp tax (Section 24 and 25 of the NIRC).

If the shares involved are shares of stock listed and traded through the local stock exchange, the transaction is subject to the stock transaction tax (Section 127(A) of the NIRC); and

If the shares involved are shares of stock in a foreign corporation, the gain, if any, is subject to ordinary income tax.

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