Auto-assessments notices started on the 7th of July until the 21st of July. This means that SARS has taken all the information submitted by 3rd parties and prepared your tax return. You no longer need to approve your return, and SARS will pay out your refund within 72 hours of the assessment.

At our firm, we’re committed to helping you stay compliant, informed, and stress-free when it comes to tax matters. Whether it’s VAT, PAYE, or Income Tax, we’re here to support you every step of the way. But we need your help with something important.

One of the most notable changes is the automation of the application process for requesting relief from South African tax under Double Taxation Agreements (DTA) for pensions and/or annuities. This means that you can now submit your applications via eFiling, making the process more efficient and reducing the need for manual interventions. SARS aims to evaluate these applications within 21 working days.

Turnover tax is a simplified tax system aimed at reducing the administrative burden for small businesses with an annual turnover of less than R1 million. If your turnover exceeds R1 million, you must register for VAT and pay tax at standard rates. Businesses can be registered for both turnover tax and VAT (voluntary registration).

As the 2025 individuals tax season approaches, it's essential to start gathering the necessary documents to ensure a smooth and timely submission of your tax return to the South African Revenue Service (SARS). You are more than welcome to start sending this to Pumeza and we will save this on file. We aim to make this process as seamless as possible for you. Below, we've outlined the key dates for the 2025 tax season and a comprehensive list of documents you'll need to provide us. Additionally, we'll explain the auto-assessment process and how we can assist you with it.

As we approach the new financial year, we want to remind you of an important update regarding the minimum wage rates in South Africa. Effective since 1st March 2025, the minimum wage rates increased as follows:

As accountants, we often get questions from our clients about the different types of VAT rates and how they apply to their businesses.

In this post, we'll break down these concepts and explain when each rate is effective, how they affect your input VAT claims, whether you need to register for VAT if your business delivers zero-rated supplies, and the requirements for a VAT invoice.

As we approach the end of February 2025, it's time for a friendly reminder about some important tax deadlines. The second provisional tax payment is due by the end of February 2025. 

This is a crucial deadline for all taxpayers, and it's essential to ensure that your payments are made on time to avoid any penalties or interest from SARS.

As your trusted accountant, I want to share an incredible opportunity for you to grow your wealth without the burden of taxes. Introducing the Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) – a powerful tool designed to help you save more efficiently.

A Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) is a special type of savings account that allows you to earn interest, dividends, and capital gains without paying any tax on these earnings. This means that all the growth in your investment remains entirely yours, free from the clutches of the taxman.

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has recently updated the definition of "residence" in the VAT Act, effective from the 1st of January 2025. The recent change in the VAT Act's definition of residence was made to align the VAT regulations with the criteria used in the Income Tax Act. This alignment aims to provide clarity and consistency across different tax regulations, ensuring that the criteria for determining residency are uniform.

As the start of a new tax year approaches, it’s time to shift our focus towards effective tax planning and ensuring a smooth filing process when the time comes. For South African taxpayers, this means being proactive about retirement annuity contributions and keeping track of important documents as well as remembering to track your travel if you receive a travel allowance. With filing season typically kicking off in July, now is the perfect time to get organised and stay ahead of the game.

As we approach February 2025 it's time to remind you about the upcoming deadline for the 2nd provisional tax payment. This applies to companies with a financial year ending in February, as well as all provisional taxpayers in South Africa. Ensuring that your provisional tax is submitted on time is crucial to avoid penalties and interest imposed by the South African Revenue Service (SARS).

As part of ongoing efforts to streamline tax processes and ensure accurate reporting, SARS has introduced a new requirement for trusts: the IT3(t) form.

The new IT3(t) requirements for trusts will be effective for the 2024 tax year. Trustees are required to submit the IT3(t) certificates by 31 May 2024. This means that all distributions made to beneficiaries between 1 March 2023 and 28 February 2024 must be reported using the IT3(t) form by this deadline.

Proper record-keeping is essential for accurate tax reporting and compliance with the Tax Administration Act and other relevant tax laws in South Africa. Maintaining accurate and complete records is crucial for a few reasons: It substantiates the information reported in your tax returns, It enables you to respond effectively to any queries or audits from SARS, and it provides a clear financial history, which is beneficial for personal financial management and planning.

We understand that the thought of a VAT audit can be daunting, but it needn’t be. With the right preparation and a thorough understanding of the process, it can be a smooth and stress-free experience.

In this blog, we will provide you with an overview of why a VAT audit happens in South Africa, what the process entails, and how we ensure that all necessary documents are ready and available from the start.

With the growing popularity of cryptocurrencies, it's crucial to understand how these assets are treated by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and why you need to disclose them in your yearly tax return.

SARS requires that any income or gains from crypto assets, including digital wallets and crypto accounts, be disclosed in your tax return. This includes exchange tokens (such as Bitcoin), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and utility tokens.

South Africa has a Dividends Tax regime, which taxes dividend income at a flat rate of 20%, regardless of the amount. One crucial aspect to keep in mind is that dividends are paid out of a company's profits after company taxes have been paid. In South Africa, the standard corporate tax rate is 27%. This means that before any dividend is declared, the company must first pay tax on its profits at this rate.

A Compliance Tax Pin from SARS (South African Revenue Service) is a digital tool that allows individuals or entities to prove their tax compliance status to third parties. It is essential for various reasons, including: Tender Applications: When applying for government or private tenders, it is often required to show proof of tax compliance. A valid compliance tax pin provides quick verification.

As you continue to plan for your retirement, it's crucial to understand the two-tier retirement pot system recently implemented in South Africa and how withdrawals from your retirement fund can affect your tax obligations.

Starting September 1, 2024, contributions will be split into savings and retirement components at a ratio of one-third and two-thirds, respectively. The two-tier retirement pot system was introduced in South Africa to provide greater flexibility and security for individuals when they retire.