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You found a great Filipino VA. You agreed on a rate. Then payday arrives and you realize nobody ever told you how to actually get the money to the Philippines — or what’s legal, what’s expected, and why your VA just mentioned something called “13th month.”
I live in the Philippines, so I’ll give you the answers from the receiving end — the side most guides never see.
The short version
Pay monthly or twice a month via Wise, agree on who absorbs transfer fees before the first payday, pay on the exact day you promised, and budget a pro-rated 13th-month bonus in December. Do that and you’ll be a better employer than most.
The best ways to send money to the Philippines
Wise (recommended). Lowest fees, real exchange rate, lands in a Philippine bank account or GCash usually same-day or next-day. This is what most experienced employers settle on.
PayPal. Every Filipino freelancer has it, so it’s the easy first payment — but fees are high and the exchange rate is poor. Your VA quietly loses 4–6% of their pay. Fine for week one; switch to Wise after.
GCash / Maya (mobile wallets). Hugely popular here — many VAs prefer GCash for day-to-day money. Wise can send directly to GCash, which combines the best of both.
Payoneer, Veem, direct bank transfer. All workable; fees and speed sit between Wise and PayPal.
What matters more than the tool: decide who pays the transfer fee (most employers absorb it — it’s a few dollars and buys enormous goodwill) and never be late. In my experience, late pay destroys a VA relationship faster than low pay.
How much should you actually pay? (2026 rates)
General admin VAs typically earn $400–$700/month full-time; specialized skills (bookkeeping, design, marketing) run $700–$1,200+. If you want the full breakdown by role and hours, I’ve written a complete guide: How Much Does a Filipino VA Cost? (2026 Employer’s Guide).
Do you owe taxes when you pay a Filipino VA?
(I’m not a lawyer or tax adviser — confirm with your accountant.) In general, a Filipino VA working for you from the Philippines is an independent contractor, not a W-2 employee. For US employers that usually means: no payroll taxes, no 1099 (1099s are for US persons — the relevant form, if your accountant wants one, is a W-8BEN the VA signs to document foreign status). Your VA is responsible for their own Philippine taxes. Simple as that for most small businesses — but get it confirmed for your situation.
What is 13th-month pay — and do you have to pay it?
In the Philippines, employees legally receive an extra month’s salary in December (“13th month”). For overseas contractors it is not legally required — but here’s the from-the-Philippines truth: your VA’s local friends all get it, their family budget expects it, and Christmas is enormous here. Employers who pay a full or pro-rated 13th month keep their best people for years; employers who don’t often lose them in January.
Budget it from day one: divide monthly salary by 12 and mentally set that aside each month. A $500/month VA costs you $542/month real cost with 13th month included — still a fraction of a local hire.
Set the payment terms in writing before day one
One short paragraph in your offer note prevents 90% of payment friction: rate, schedule (e.g., 15th and 30th), method (Wise), who absorbs fees, 13th-month policy, and invoice/no-invoice. My VA Hiring Toolkit includes the rate & 13th-month cheat sheet plus fill-in-the-blank offer templates with this exact language — $27, or $17 with code SUBSCRIBER.
Where to find a VA worth paying
If you haven’t hired yet, start with my honest OnlineJobs.ph review — it’s the platform I recommend for direct, long-term hires (flat fee, no cut of your VA’s pay forever, unlike Upwork). You can browse VA profiles here: OnlineJobs.ph.
The bottom line: Wise + on-time + 13th month = a VA who stays for years. The money mechanics are the easy part; showing up reliably is the actual skill.
Written from Mati City, Philippines — the side of the world where your VA’s paycheck actually lands.