What's Next After Giving Birth?

This applies to all working mothers.

I wanted to update my status the a month after I gave birth and when I returned for work. This includes updating my tax status (from M - married to M1 -married with 1 dependent) and the government statutory - PHILHEALTH, HDMF and SSS.

This is my first baby, and I had no idea as to the whats and hows of updating my record. I went to our  HR's office and asked them about. First thing that I need to do and the most important requirement for those mentioned above is to get an NSO copy of JD's birth certificate. To do this, I opted to get the NSO copy at the SM Business Center in Mall of Asia (I don't want to waste my time for long queue in NSO office located in Macapagal in Pasay, it will take more than an hour because there are lots of people getting NSO copy). At the SM Business Center - I filled out the form and handed to the cashier, she told me this "Ma'am March 21, 2012 po, wala pa po ito sa NSO, 3 months po bago makuha kasi po for manual verification pa from local registrar", because I knew it beforehand, I continued getting a copy and waited for 3 long months until I received it (para kang naghihintay ng napaka espesyal na package from abroad di ba).

Worth it naman kasi a single copy that I requested was used to update my PhilHealth, HDMF and SSS status, they just need the photocopy. but for BIR, the original and photocopy are to be submitted together with the Form 2305, afterwhich, when the BIR stamped and received the form, HR will return the original copy.

Why was I so eager to update then? The year-end was about to come,and it means there will be a tax annualization! And I wanted to get back even just a small portion of the tax collected from me, tax refund!I missed it very much, kaya I was very eager to update everything. So lucky me kasi nakahabol, earlier pa nga eh, parang mga October hehe.

And came January 2013! Tada! I had a Php8k tax refund! Woot! O di ba, from all those 30%-35% tax deduction from my salary for 12 months, yun lang ang nakuha ko. But still, I was thankful for the amount I received.

In other cases though, if you think 3 months is too long and the annualization period is getting near, you have an option. This one had been done by my friend who gave birth on September 21. Her husband took charge of updating her tax status and he thought that if he waits for an NSO copy in 3 months, he will not be able to get a refund. So what he did was, the birth certificate copy from local civil registrar where his wife gave birth was used. He personally went to the NSO office in Macapagal, and have the officers signed the birth certificate copy and dry sealed. That one was the one he used in to attach in BIR Form 2305.

Medyo tyaga tyaga lang talaga. You wanted to give the benefits your children could have kaya tiis tiis and tyaga tyaga, patience baga.