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Being taxed for free or cheap housing



I am being taxed on an amount for free housing. When will I pay less tax? If I get the amount as salary and pay it over to my employer as rent or if they deduct tax from my salary for the free housing.

TaxTim TaxTim says:
1 July 2014 at 14:39

Why do you have free housing?

Freddie says:
2 July 2014 at 9:53

Thank you for the reply. We are on a camp grounds that host camps for men and women and many church groups. There is a house on the plot and they have used the SARS calculation to calculate my housing and it works to about R108000 per year. I also get free electricity. I am full time employed by the camp grounds and acts as supervisor and caretaker.

TaxTim TaxTim says:
2 July 2014 at 11:08

Regardless of the method of payment, if they provide you with the housing for free then you will need to be taxed on this amount. It can be seen as they giving you a housing allowance each month and you find your own place, either way you will get taxed. The difference here is that you get taxed on the amount only as a percentage, whereas if you were to pay for your own home then you would pay the full amount not just the tax percentage.

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