Senator Pangilinan seeks to extend estate tax amnesty period until December 2028

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has filed Senate Bill No. 1740, seeking to extend the period for availing of estate tax amnesty until December 31, 2028, to help Filipino families settle estate tax obligations without incurring steep penalties resulting from missed deadlines.

The proposed measure filed by Pangilinan seeks to amend Republic Act No. 11213, as amended by Republic Acts Nos. 11569 and 11956.

Pangilinan’s bill proposes to extend the estate tax amnesty, which lapsed on June 14, 2025, until December 31, 2028, covering the estates of decedents who died on or before December 31, 2024, and whose estate taxes remain unpaid or had accrued as of that date.

Under the proposal, executors or administrators, legal heirs, transferees, or beneficiaries who wish to avail of the amnesty must file, either electronically or manually, a sworn Estate Tax Amnesty Return on or before December 31, 2028.

In the bill’s explanatory note, Pangilinan acknowledged the “persistent challenges” faced by many Filipino families in settling estate tax obligations and formalizing ownership of inherited properties.

Further, “[D]espite prior extensions, many Filipinos continue to struggle with compliance due to practical, economic, and external factors. These include financial hardships, documentation gaps in long-unsettled estates, and complex probate requirements that demand legal expertise and resources often beyond the reach for middle- and low-income families.”

The measure also seeks to relieve Filipino families of civil, criminal, and administrative liabilities, while allowing installment payments of estate taxes for up to two years without civil penalties and interest.

“This measure addresses longstanding barriers to timely settlement of estates. By providing a clear, fair, and flexible pathway to compliance, the bill supports the orderly transfer of ownership and promotes the regularization of property rights,” Pangilinan added.

-Paraluman News