Which dividends are exempt from Dividend Withholding Tax?
Posted 20 April 2017
There are certain dividends, which don’t attract dividends tax, provided some conditions are met. However, lets first take a step back and clarify what dividends tax is, and how it is calculated.
Dividends tax is a withholding tax, which is levied at 20% on dividend distributions. It is the obligation of the company paying the dividend to withhold the tax and pay it over to SARS.
Depending on the nature or status of the dividend recipient (i.e. the party who receiv...
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Alert: Change to Provisional Taxpayer Rules
Posted 23 March 2017
Currently, there is a legal obligation for South African resident employers to register with SARS for employee’s tax (PAYE) so they can withhold tax on a monthly basis from their employees’ salaries, and pay this over to SARS. However, the situation is different for foreign companies who employ South African residents. If these companies don’t have an office or a branch or some other legal representation in South Africa, they don’t have an obligation to register with SARS for PAYE...
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Unpacking the Budget Speech: proposed changes to foreign employment
Posted 10 March 2017
Since the announcement of the 2017/2018 budget, TaxTim has been asked many times about the changes to the foreign employment income exemptions rules which could have a very negative effect on taxpayers working overseas.
Currently, if a South African resident works for a foreign employer and is out of the country for 183 days or more, within a 12 month period, and they fulfil various other conditions, their foreign employment income may be exempt from South African Income tax. Please ...
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Penalty FAQs
Posted 6 March 2017
What is a recurring penalty? OR What are recurring SARS penalties? OR What does it mean to receive a penalty?
This is a penalty for non-submission of your returns in previous years. You need to see which returns you have not submitted and submit them ASAP. You also need to make payment to SARS for this penalty, but you would have to call them on 0800 00 7277 or log onto SARS eFiling to get a current statement of account and know exactly what they want from you.
Turnover Tax FAQs
Posted 6 March 2017
What is the definition of tax threshold? Tax thresholds? SARS Threshold.
A Tax threshold is the lower limit of earnings at which tax needs to start being paid. So any income less than the current threshold, would not be taxed.
What is Turnover Tax?
Turnover Tax is a simplified tax system only available to sole proprietors, partnerships, companies or close corporations with a “qualifying turnover” of less than R1m per year. These types of entities are called micro businesses....
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Rental Income FAQs
Posted 6 March 2017
Should interest on your home loan be deducted from your rental income?
Yes, it does, the interest would go under the finance costs, the actual bond repayments are not deductible for tax purposes.
Should my rent which is paid by my boss, reflect on my payslip?
Yes, this would be fully taxable at the same rate as your salary. It can reflect as 'other allowances - taxable" and can reflect under source code 3713 on your IRP5.
Is there a VAT payment on maintenance expenses for my car? ...
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Provisional Tax FAQs
Posted 6 March 2017
What is a provisional tax?
Provisional tax is paid by people who earn income other than a salary / traditional remuneration paid by an employer.
How do I convert from a provisional taxpayer to a regular taxpayer? OR How do I de-register as a Provisional Taxpayer?
Your tax number stays the same, just make sure that it has not been deactivated. This has happened in some cases. You will also need to de-register as a Provisional Taxpayer (this won’t affect your tax number) You can do this on eFiling by going to the Home Tab and clicking Tax Types and de-registering there. This will mean you are only a "regular" taxpayer...
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Contract Workers FAQs
Posted 6 March 2017
Contracting Benefits vs Salary?
You will still be able to claim deductions for medical, travel and RA directly regardless of how you are earning income.
Contract worker and the tax effects?
Contractors are taxed if they earn above the threshold. This is the same as a full time employee.
Tax Thresholds?
For the 2018 tax year, anyone under 65 years of age earning above R75 750 will not pay tax.
Digging into the detail of Building Allowances
Posted 3 March 2017
The cement is all used up and the bricks have been laid exactly where they need to be. A huge sigh of relief because… finally, construction and renovations are complete! And, just when you thought the worry was over, you realise that the differences between the building allowance and renovations aren’t clear to you. “Aren’t they all the same?” is the question lingering in your head. Don't fret, below is a breakdown of the exact clarity you’re looking for.
...
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Special Economic Zones
Posted 3 March 2017
Special Economic Zones (SEZ’s) are certain designated areas of a country demarcated by the government for special targeted economic activities. These are generally areas where business and trade laws are different from that of the rest of the country. The aim of these zones is to encourage increased foreign investment and trade, as well as job creation. This done by way of several tax incentives which are available to business which operate in SEZ’s.
They include the following:...
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Rebate FAQs
Posted 22 February 2017
What is a rebate?
A rebate is an amount by which SARS takes off the actual taxes owing to them. SARS will calculate the amount of tax that you owe to them, based on your income and expenses throughout the year, then if certain conditions apply, they’ll reduce the amount due.
What does a negative tax refund amount mean?
This means SARS owes you money
What do I do if my refund was paid into the wrong bank account? ...
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Audit FAQs
Posted 22 February 2017
What is the meaning of an audit? What is an audit from SARS? SARS audit What is a SARS audit?
Being audited just means that SARS could be doing a random selection and checking that all the information submitted is the same as they have.
How long does it take for SARS to pay me after an audit? OR Payment pending an audit, how long is that? OR Payment still pending due to audit.
It can take anywhere from 24 hours to a few months. You will receive a letter of completion once the audit has been verified indicating if any changes have been made. You just have to sit tight and be patient....
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Donations FAQs
Posted 22 February 2017
Are donations to political parties’ tax deductible?
They are deductible if the political party is a registered Public Benefit Organisation/Not-For-Profit and is registered with SARS.
Are church donations deductible?
The church should give you a receipt with a PBO/NPO/NPC number, if they don't have a number then you cannot claim the deduction. The number needs to start with a 9. It should be either 9 or 10 digits.
Foreign gift in the form of donation OR Donation from overseas OR Informing SARS of inheritance OR Donations received from overseas...
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IRP5 FAQs
Posted 22 February 2017
What is an IRP5?
An IRP5 is the employee's tax certificate that is issued to him/her at the end of each tax year detailing all employer/employee related incomes, deductions, and related taxes. The employee uses it specifically to complete his/her income tax return for a specific year.
Do I need an IRP5?
Yes, you do if you were employed during the tax year.
Can I submit a return without an IRP5? OR Am I able to submit returns without my IRP5? OR Are you able to submit without the IRP5?...
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2017/2018 Budget - The rich are going to pay more, but what does that mean for the rest of us?
Posted 22 February 2017
Personal Tax Rates (rates below)
Individuals across the country, those qualifying above the new tax threshold of R75 750 (previously R75 000) will be paying increased taxes of R16.5bn (previously R5.65bn in actual tax increase) for the next tax year, most of this will be for high income earners, however. Taxpayers generally across the board will be earning the tiniest bit more money each year as their tax brackets...
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Depreciation FAQs
Posted 17 February 2017
What constitutes wear and tear? What is depreciation? What is the depreciation limit?
Wear and Tear or Depreciation is the decrease in value of an asset. SARS allows you to deduct this decrease each year based on the tables. See here for the latest
Depreciation Calculator Can I claim depreciation for my car as a sole proprietor if I have a log book by using the tax table?
You would be able to depreciate your car over 5 years, but you need to then apportion it for the use of business travel based on the logbook...
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Tax Exemption for Foreign Employment Income : What You Need to Know
Posted 11 November 2016
If you think earning an income from a global source isn’t taxable on home soil, I’m afraid I have some bad news. Whether you’re earning Dollars, Euros or Yen, as a South African, it’s more than likely you’ll have to pay tax on this income. This is because South Africa’s taxation system works on a residence-based tax system meaning we’re taxed on worldwide income.
There is, however, some good news!
Section 10 of the Income Tax Act offers a list of conditions where income earned (or at least a portion of it) for services rendered outside of South Africa borders will be exempt from income tax.
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6 Reasons Accounting Records Are Critical to Your Small Business
Posted 18 October 2016
You’re an entrepreneur. A wildly innovative individual. An ideas person. A make-things-happen person. A real go-getter. Passionate about your business and pursuing your dreams. And brilliant at keeping your accounting records up to date. Chances are that last one doesn’t ring true, does it? Don’t feel alone, financial record-keeping is the bane of existence for most small business owners and managers.
When you’re in the throes of building your empire from the gr...
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Special Stopper at SARS: What We Know For Sure
Posted 22 September 2016
Over the last few weeks, our helpdesk has received an alarming number of queries from taxpayers asking what they can do as their refunds are being held back by SARS due to a special stopper being placed on their account. It’s a complex situation and the only advice we've been able to provide has been for the individual to make contact with SARS directly to try resolve the matter.
The South African Institute of Tax Professionals (SAIT) issued a statement on Tuesday 20 September 2016 advising that they’re looking into the issue after numerous complaints had been raised...
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Promised a Guaranteed Tax Refund? Be Afraid - Be Very Afraid
Posted 16 September 2016
Guarantees are pretty powerful – they’re used by leading manufacturers and retailers to gain our confidence and trust. We’ve all come across them at some point or another: “Life time guarantee”, “money back guarantee”, “product satisfaction guaranteed, or your money back”. They’re a promise. A promise that your purchase will provide you with a level of value, or a return on your investment. While a guarantee is common – expected, ...
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10 Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund
Posted 8 September 2016
It’s tax season, and one of the most compelling reasons to file a tax return (besides the fact that it’s the law, of course) is the chance that you’ve overpaid the taxman and that you’ll hear that sweet SMS sound of funds deposited into your bank account from SARS. Of course the best part about a tax refund is that it’s likely you hadn’t budgeted on the extra cash, and so you’re able to spend it as you please. Whether you choose to do so sensibly or splurge a little, we’ve rounded up some ideas on how to spend or invest your tax refund.
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7 Types of Tax Directives
Posted 19 August 2016
Imagine you’re an estate agent or luxury car salesman. Chances are that you don’t earn much (if anything) as a basic salary and you rely on a few big deals and commission payments to keep you afloat during quieter months.
Or ima...
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Tax Free Savings Accounts: Everything You Need to Know
Posted 21 June 2016
As a nation, South Africa does rather poorly on the savings front. With the majority living near or below the breadline, there’s not much to save when you’re more concerned with just getting through the month. Our high levels of consumer-debt, combined with little in the way of personal savings, means we become financial burdens on the government in the long-run...
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Food for Thought on Subsistence Allowances
Posted 13 June 2016
You’ve been up since 4am in order to catch yet another red-eye flight for a 9am business meeting - 1,400km away - and you’re already onto your third coffee by the time you board the plane. While you’re fairly accustomed to the frequent business trips requiring out of town travel, you’re still somewhat confused by the tax implications of the subsistenc...
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9 Steps to File an Objection to Your Tax Assessment
Posted 1 June 2016
You’ve been diligent with your tax obligations. You’ve paid your PAYE each month without fail. You’ve kept all the supporting documents for your deduction claims. You’ve carefully filled out your tax return, making sure you’ve put all the right amounts in all the right places, against all the right codes. (Pssst, if you used T...
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