Freelancer payments: match invoices, bank credits and ePRCs
Source check: 15 September 2026. Practical preparation guidance for Pakistan. Examples are illustrative; any rate or filing period must match your own transaction.
Start with the work behind the receipt
Save the contract or order, the invoice, a description of the service and the client’s details. Then collect the platform settlement and bank credit. Keep local clients, overseas clients and employment income identifiable rather than placing everything in one “freelance income” total.
The State Bank of Pakistan’s ePRC circular describes electronic certificates and statements for funds realised through authorised dealers. Its June 2025 update introduced revised formats from 1 October 2025. Ask your bank which records it can issue for your actual payment route.
Keep one receipt register
| Record | What to capture |
|---|---|
| Invoice | Client, reference, date, service, currency and gross value. |
| Platform settlement | Payment reference, fees, refunds, currency conversion and balance retained. |
| Bank receipt | Credit date, amount, currency and bank reference. |
| Certificate | ePRC or statement reference, where issued, and any details requiring correction. |
| Tax deduction | Separately identified amount and evidence; do not combine it with platform charges. |
Worked example: gross income and net receipt differ
Illustration: a client pays USD 1,000, the platform retains USD 100 and USD 900 remains available for withdrawal. If the full USD 900 is converted at an illustrative Rs. 280 per dollar, that gives Rs. 252,000 before any separately identified bank charge or tax. The USD 100 fee does not disappear merely because it never entered the bank.
Keep the actual conversion evidence and do not use the example’s exchange rate in a return. If you withdraw only part of the available balance, track the rest separately. One bank credit may cover several invoices; one invoice may be paid across several credits. Link them through a settlement reference instead of forcing a one-to-one match.
If the bank record looks wrong
Compare the payer, beneficiary, currency, amount and purpose description with the underlying documents. Ask the bank to investigate a discrepancy using the remittance and invoice references. Do not edit a bank-issued certificate yourself or ask for a purpose code that does not describe the real activity.
A local payment from an intermediary requires a traceable explanation of the route. Obtain the provider’s settlement records and ask the bank about available evidence. Do not assume every local credit can receive an ePRC, or that a missing certificate automatically settles whether income is taxable.
What to prepare for a tax review
Provide an annual summary split by service type and payment route, together with the relevant contracts, receipts and deduction evidence. Identify any registrations or concession claims for separate checking. Your work, tax year and eligibility conditions determine the treatment; the name of the payment app does not.
You can maintain this register yourself each month. Seek help when receipts cross reporting periods, large balances remain abroad, a certificate is inconsistent, or you cannot distinguish independent services from employment. Ask the adviser to explain unresolved items before submitting the return.
When to request help
Bridge the platform amount to the bank credit
Start with the customer's invoice and platform transaction, then show platform fees, refunds, currency conversion, intermediary charges and the amount credited by the Pakistani bank. Record the foreign-currency amount, conversion rate and rupee value consistently. A bank certificate can evidence realization, but it does not explain an invoice of USD 1,000 becoming a USD 930 or rupee-equivalent credit.
Prepare a monthly bridge for each platform and direct client. Match certificate numbers to credits and flag certificates carrying the wrong purpose code, name or date. Ask the bank for a factual correction while records are recent. Keep the service contract and delivery evidence as well: payment through a foreign channel alone does not establish the legal source or concession applicable to the income.
Tell us the tax year, service type, payment platforms and the records you are missing. Start with a short summary. Do not send passwords, PINs or one-time codes. Ask for the scope and professional fee before commissioning work.
Sources
This guide is written against the official and clearly labelled professional references below. Rates, thresholds and portal procedures change between reviews, so open the primary source before relying on a figure.
- SBP: electronic proceeds realisation certificates — FE Circular 05 of 2022
- SBP: revised ePRC formats, issued June 2025 and effective October 2025
Questions people also ask
Is a platform fee the same as income tax?
No. Record platform charges and identified tax deductions separately, using the supporting records for each.
Does an ePRC guarantee a reduced tax rate?
No. It supports the receipt trail. The service, period and applicable eligibility conditions still require review.