It hit me like a ton of bricks.

I received a letter – a preliminary notice to be exact, from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

The notice says I hadn’t filed and paid taxes for seven years.

Seven years?! How could that even happen?

As I read the letter, I felt a wave of disbelief—but then clarity set in.

I knew I had filed every tax return. I just needed to prove it.

Old me would have panicked, complained, and ranted about life’s unfairness.

But this time, I stayed calm.

I had a system. I had processes. And I knew I could handle it.

This experience reminded me of something crucial: being prepared and organized isn’t optional—it’s essential.

The same is true of marketing your business. Without a plan, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, miss opportunities, or scramble at the last minute.

Finally, after a week, I was able to compile all the tax returns that were mentioned in the letter.

Wait, is there a submission date?

I need to check that.

When Life Rocks Your Boat… Stay Ready

So I told you that I received a preliminary notice from the BIR, right?

I also mentioned that the notice says I haven’t filed and paid several tax returns.

After a week of gathering documents, I submitted my proof to the BIR Compliance Officer.

She checked every page.

Silently.

A few minutes later, she said something that lifted a weight off my shoulders, “There’s no need to escalate this. You’re in the clear.”

I was relieved—but it wasn’t just luck.

It was preparation.

I had the records I needed because I had a system in place. (I am grateful to my accountant for never leaving everything up in the air.)

Running a business is full of surprises, and marketing is no different.

Trends shift, algorithms change, and your audience evolves. Without a plan, it’s easy to feel like your boat is rocking.

For now, the storm has passed. Or has it?

Because you see, there may not be a need to escalate my concern. However, I still need to do something.

The Cost of Being Unprepared

The BIR Compliance Officer said that since I showed the documents, there would be no need to escalate the matter.

I won’t face possible enalties.

Whew.

However, there are still tax returns that need further probing, like submitting proof of payment.

Meaning, I would still need to find those proof, then go back to their office to submit them.

Hay.

The BIR notice reminded me of a hard truth: being good at what you do isn’t enough.

You can work hard. You can serve your customers You can play by the rules.

However, without preparation, the cost of being unprepared can be steep.

In marketing, the penalty for being unprepared isn’t a fine. It’s missed opportunities, wasted time, and lost sales.

Ouchy!

The BIR Compliance Officer gave me back my two-inch thick documents (Did I mention that to you before? Oh, I just did. Talk about the government’s paperless campaign).

But I had a lingering thought. I’d like to ask a question. However, I was scared to ask it.

You Can Transform Chaos Into Confidence

Sino ba’ng hindi takot sa BIR?

Besides, she already gave back my documents.

However, I won’t be able to sleep if I slip this chance.

And so I asked the question, “Ma’am, will there be a deadline for the other proof of documents that you need from me?”

The Compliance Officer stated I don’t need to submit additional requirements by a due date since I already provided the documents.

Whew. Buti na lang nagtanong ako.

“But…”

Ugh I hate it when they say that!

“But until then, the mentioned tax returns on your list remain active. They are still marked as ‘not filed and paid’. Once you have those proofs, go back here so we can clear your record.”

I said “Thank you” to the officer, then I left the office.

I sent updates to my family and my accountant via SMS.

I went home relieved.

There is still some work to be done. But at least, this concern will be closed as soon as I come back with the needed requirements.

What is there to do next?

The Rewards of Planning Ahead

On my way home from the BIR office, I considered how to better organize my tax returns.

• I am grateful that I subscribed to a tax-filing app (it’s Taxumo! You may sign up for a free account. Use my Taxumo referral code: SHE0P7ZZ)
• I thought of ways to access my tax files digitally.
• And hmm, should I start paying a Google Drive plan?

I planned and thought all of these while on the way home.

Just like solving a BIR crisis with a plan, I realized that when you plan your business’ promotions, especially on social media, these take place:

• Your content connects deeply with your audience.
• You consistently attract new leads.
• Your business grows—without overwhelm.

This Just Makes Sense!

I took a breather  – a few hours – from my BIR preliminary notice concern.

All is well, of course – no penalties. However, the concern is not quite a closed case.

It’s not something that I could drop then go to the next project kind of thing.

My goal is to close the concern before the third week of December 2025.

I don’t care if the Revenue District Office is having a Christmas Party.

I will go there with my completed documents again.

Won’t stop until I’m cleared. The goal: case closed before 2025.

New beginnings. That just makes sense, right?

It’s the same with marketing your business.

What’s one marketing goal that you want to hit before the year ends? Let me know—I’d be happy to help.

I hope my BIR Notice story, together with my marketing your business lessons, enlightened you in some way.