PERA in the Philippines: Details for global employers

Riding the fine line between employer obligations and employee perks canfeel a bit like a roller coaster for multinational employers. What’smandated in one country is optional in another.

And even when certain benefits are optional, cultural norms still influenceemployer decisions.

Case in point, retirement saving schemes.

In the Philippines , retirement saving is discretionary. The Personal Equity andRetirement Account , or PERA, is similar to an IRA program. It’s asupplemental retirement fund.

What is the PERA fund?

The Personal Equity and Retirement Account (PERA) is a tax-advantagedsavings account intended to supplement social pensions. The PERA fund isvoluntary for both employees and employers in the Philippines.

Most working Filipinos receive a pension as their primary retirement income.The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is how the aging Filipinopopulation covers their cost of living. But many choose to supplement thatpension with personal retirement savings.

And like many other forms of retirement savings, it’s capped at an annualcontribution limit due to the significant tax benefits of socking money awayin these accounts.

PERA accounts invest funds into:

• United investment trust funds
• Mutual funds
• Stocks from PSE-listed companies
• Government securities
• Insurance pension products
• Annuity contracts

What to know about employer contributions

First and foremost , employer contributions to PERA are optional —in every sense of the word. There are no government mandates requiring employercontributions, and Filipino culture doesn’t set any clear expectations foremployers either.

A few more things to note:

• Employers are subject to the maximum annual contribution of PHP 100,000
• Employer contributions are tax-deductible
• Contributions have no impact on social security requirements
• Employer contributions are not calculated as taxable income for the employee

Sure, there are clear benefits for the employees. But if employercontributions are voluntary, should global employers contribute? It’s adecision each company must make for themselves.

The benefits of PERA contributions in the Philippines

On the upside, when it comes to compensation, PERA contributions may bebetter for employees than a wage increase . Employees are not taxed onemployer contributions to their PERA accounts, while they are taxed onadditional wages.

Adding PERA contributions to your benefits package also helps yourmultinational business to:

• Attract and retain top talent
• Increase engagement and incentivize performance
• Reduce tax liabilities

Companies that offer voluntary contributions like these are generally viewedfavorably by their workforce. This perk often leads to a more engagedworkforce, higher productivity rates and less turnover.

So, there are both specific benefits and broad scope benefits at play when global employers choose to contribute to PERA funds in the Philippines.

Keep in mind that the Filipino population is generally ill- prepared forretirement. Contributing to PERA in the Philippines could be a little thing for yourcompany—that turns out to be a big, life-changing thing for your multinationalworkforce.

What to consider before adding PERA contributions as a benefit

However, offering PERA contributions does add another step in your payrollprocessing.

Like other types of investments, PERA contributions can also be risky. The amount of money that an individual can net from these investments isvariable. It depends on where the money is invested and how well thatinvestment performs over time.

There are a few restrictions on PERA withdrawals, so this money isn’timmediately available to your employees. It’s a retirement account, so the55 and 5 rule is generally applied . This means that the beneficiary must be at least 55 years old, and the account must be open for at least 5 years before funds can be withdrawn.

However, if the beneficiary is suffering from a long-term illness,disability, or is deceased, the 55 and 5 rule may not apply. Employersaren’t simply providing a cushion for retirement. PERA contributions canprovide a safety net for workers who suffer severe injuries or illnesses, orfor their families in the event of an untimely death.

The bottom line on PERA funds in the Philippines

Contributing to PERA funds in the Philippines is voluntary.

There are plenty of other mandates that already drive up the payroll burden incountries around the world. Many global employers are looking to justify theirdecision to contribute—or not contribute—to these retirement vehicles.

It can be easy to say no to voluntary contributions, but make sure youunderstand the full scope of what you’re declining. Yes, investments are anexpense for your business, and they don’t offer a guaranteed rate of returnfor your employees. But some could argue that fighting the global talentshortage with slim benefits packages is even more expensive and risky.

If you’re worried about adding more steps to your global payroll process,we can help. Keep it simple with Payroll 360services.