Blog

“[The new requirements] enable… a more efficient process to make deductions available to qualifying donor taxpayers and to help prevent section 18A claims abuse.” (SARS) Public benefit organisations (PBOs) are engaged in public benefit activities for example religious institutions, day care centres, disaster relief organisations, health clinics, etc. Many are dependent on donations and, to encourage the public’s generosity, a tax deduction for certain donations made by taxpayers is provided.…  Read more

05 April – Monthly Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) submissions and payments 25 April – VAT manual submissions and payments 29 April – Excise Duty payments 30 April – Value-Added Tax (VAT) electronic submissions and payments & CIT Provisional payments where applicable. Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be used or relied on as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising…  Read more

“Our bigger challenge… is that our pie is not growing fast enough and this limits our ability to generate sufficient revenues to distribute among our priority areas.” (Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana – Budget 2024) Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s third Budget Speech in an election year contained few surprises, but also little in the form of good news, especially for South Africa’s personal income tax payers. The Minister quoted dismal local…  Read more

Budget 2024 effectively brought an increase in personal income tax by not adjusting the tables for tax rates, rebates and medical tax credits, while also implementing substantial increases in ‘sin’ taxes and introducing a proposed global tax on multinational companies. This selection of official SARS Tax Tables and other useful resources will help clarify your tax position for the new tax year. Then follow the link to Fin 24’s Budget…  Read more

07 March – Monthly Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) submissions and payments 25 March – VAT manual submissions and payments 27 March – Excise duty payments 28 March – End of the 2023/24 Financial year, Value-Added Tax (VAT) electronic submissions and payments, & CIT Provisional payments where applicable. Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be used or relied on as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor…  Read more

“Provisional tax is merely a mechanism to pay the normal income tax liability during the tax year… an advance payment of a taxpayer’s normal tax liability.” (SARS) To provisional taxpayers, especially those who are liable for provisional tax in both their personal capacities and as business owners, it may well seem that there are endless provisional tax deadlines and payments to be made every year. There are indeed numerous income…  Read more

07 February – Monthly Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) submissions and payments 23 February – Value-Added Tax (VAT) manual submissions and payments 28 February – Excise Duty payments 29 February – CIT Provisional Tax payments 29 February – PIT Provisional Tax payments 29 February – Value-Added Tax (VAT) electronic submissions and payments Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be used or relied on as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any…  Read more

“SARS is willing and ready to assist taxpayers who want to be compliant. Where taxpayers willfully and intentionally ignore their legal obligations, SARS will act sternly.” (SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter) Businesses are often required to share their tax compliance status, for example for a tender application, bidding process or prequalification as a supplier; to confirm that their tax affairs are in order with SARS; to receive payment; or for foreign investment…  Read more

05 January – Monthly Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) submissions and payments 24 January – End of Filing Season for Provisional taxpayers 24 January – End of Trusts Filing Season for taxpayers liable for provisional tax 30 January – Excise Duty payments 31 January – Value-Added Tax (VAT) electronic submissions and payments & CIT Provisional payments where applicable. Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be used or relied on as professional advice. No…  Read more

“A real gift comes attached with ribbons, not strings.” (Raymond C Nolan) Most clients, suppliers and business associates will appreciate a thoughtful gift from your company, and the Festive Season is the most appropriate time to send such a gift. The challenge lies in selecting a gift that conveys genuine intentions to thank the recipients for the role they play in the success of your business, to strengthen the relationship…  Read more

“Think of giving not as a duty but as a privilege.” (John D. Rockefeller Jr.) Most businesses want to show appreciation to their employees at the end of a long year’s work, and the “Season of Giving” is the ideal time. A thoughtful gift will make any employee feel more recognised and appreciated, and this will improve morale and enhance perceptions about the company and could even increase employee satisfaction…  Read more

7 December – Monthly Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) submissions and payments 28 December – Excise Duty payments 29 December – End of 3rd Financial Quarter 29 December – Value-Added Tax (VAT) electronic submissions and payments & CIT Provisional payments where applicable. Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be used or relied on as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising…  Read more

“…imposing administrative non-compliance penalties is to ensure the widest possible compliance with the provisions of a Tax Act … they are imposed impartially, consistently and proportionately to the seriousness and duration of the non-compliance.” (SARS) The Tax Administration Act stipulates that SARS can issue administrative penalties for outstanding tax returns. In previous years, penalties were only imposed on taxpayers with more than one tax return outstanding. Since December, due to changes in…  Read more

“The importance of the ability of taxpayers to challenge the legality of actions and decisions within the tax system is internationally recognised.” (Taxpayers’ Rights: Theory, Origin and Implementation) In South Africa, taxpayers have the right to dispute tax assessments, interest, late payment penalties, and administrative penalties for various taxes, including Personal Income Tax (PIT), Corporate Income Tax (CIT), Value-Added Tax (VAT), and Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE). This is done by submitting requests such…  Read more

7 November – Monthly Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) submissions and payments 29 November – Excise Duty payments 30 November – Value-Added Tax (VAT) electronic submissions and payments & CIT Provisional payments where applicable. Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be used or relied on as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact…  Read more

“The common assumption is that trusts are some kind of tax panacea…Then, conversely, from a South African Revenue Service (SARS) perspective, trusts are viewed with a degree of suspicion and mistrust. [T]he truth lies somewhere between these positions.” (Broomberg on Tax Strategy) The legal and tax landscape in which South African trusts operate has changed substantially over the last few months, thanks to changes to the Trust Property Control Act…  Read more

6 October – Monthly Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) submissions and payments 30 October – Excise Duty payments 31 October – Value-Added Tax (VAT) electronic submissions and payments & CIT Provisional payments where applicable. Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be used or relied on as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact…  Read more

“The difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion is the thickness of a prison wall.” (Denis Healey, former British prime minister)     Section 234 in Chapter 17 of the Tax Administration Act (TAA) sets out a list of criminal tax offences. If prosecuted and convicted of a tax criminal offence, taxpayers will – at the least – be subjected to a substantial fine and may even face the maximum penalty of…  Read more

“Any taxpayer can be selected by SARS for verification for the purpose of proper administration of tax, including on a risk basis.” (SARS) Companies must, within 12 months of their financial year-end, submit to SARS an Income Tax Return for Companies (ITR14), as well as supporting documents, declaring their full income tax responsibility to SARS. This declaration, return and supporting documents may be selected for verification by SARS. A verification involves the comparison of…  Read more

7 September – Monthly Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) submissions and payments 28 September – Excise Duty payments 29 September – End of the 2nd Financial Quarter, Value-Added Tax (VAT) electronic submissions and payments, CIT Provisional payments where applicable. Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be used or relied on as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any…  Read more