Non-dependent medical expenses
Can you claim medical expenses for someone not a member of your medical scheme? You can, but there are many boxes to tick. Medical scheme membership is normally offered to individuals and their immediate dependents, who would usually be their spouses and children under 18 (unless they are in full-time education, in which case they […]
The new SARS solar energy tax credit
The tax credit for individuals installing solar panels is here, for a limited time only. The proposed new law regarding the tax credit available to individuals who install solar panels has been announced. The system will be introduced in the form of a tax credit, as opposed to a tax deduction. This is good news, […]
IRP5 not uploaded? Expect significant delays
When an employer’s failure to upload an IRP5 brings SARS to a grinding halt. One of my clients has recently retired—and like all retirees, they went through the whole rigmarole of completing the numerous forms required by their employer retirement fund so that the fund can calculate their lump sum entitlement and monthly pension. Now […]
Disclose your defaults before SARS finds them!
A grim warning for South African taxpayers. Long gone are the days when tax fraudsters could run circles around SARS, which has intensified its efforts to crack down on tax evasion by pursuing criminal action against non-compliant taxpayers. One example is when SARS came knocking on the door of a private hospital and its director, […]
How SARS catches tax-dodgers
SARS auditors employ methods that most people wouldn’t have even considered. How does the South African Revenue Service (SARS) catch those who do not contribute their fair share to state coffers? Here are some tests that SARS auditors perform to see if you are being somewhat economical with the truth. Comparing VAT returns to your […]
Flying towards a tax saving: Double Tax Agreement, or financial emigration?
Having visited over 12 international locations in 2022, and engaging with South African expatriates, we can attest to a recent report issued by the United Nations, which found that around 900 000 South Africans are already living and working overseas—and indeed, this may well be an understatement. The common misconception amongst expatriates, however, is that getting […]
Render unto Caesar: Shares and the SARS slice
Whether you are a share trader or a long-term investor, when you make a profit, SARS will want its slice of the pie. Ever since biblical times, there has been a tug-of-war between governments trying to extract as much as possible from their citizens in the form of taxes, and individuals trying to keep as […]
VAT treatment of irrecoverable debts
What happens to the VAT that was paid over to SARS? Vendors often provide goods or services to clients on credit. In the current economic climate, clients are more likely to acquire goods or services on credit and may thereafter be unable to settle these debts. Other factors, for example disputes, may also result in […]
Follow due process, yes—but be reasonable!
Condonation for the late filing of legal documentation depends on whether the interests of justice will be served by the court granting such condonation. IN TAXPAYER M v CSARS (Case Number VAT1826) heard by the Gauteng Tax court, Windell, J handed down an important decision regarding the validity of a default notice (and the resultant impact on […]
Tax compliance lives beyond death
A deceased estate takes on a (tax) life of its own while being wound up I started my first job back in September 1987 at the tender age of 18, and approximately nine months later I received my very first income tax return from the Receiver of Revenue (as SARS was known in those days), […]