Why your business should partner with a tax expert: Save money, gain expertise
Managing taxes can be complex, especially when tax rules are constantly changing. By partnering with a tax specialist, you can simplify the process, save money, access expert advice, and find peace of mind. Facing These Tax Challenges? Complex Regulations: Tax laws can be complicated and frequently updated. Keeping Up: Regular changes in tax laws require continuous monitoring. […]
Filing season 2024: Make sure to check your SARS uploads
It seems like it was just the other day that I’d finished submitting the 2023 tax returns for of my clients—mainly because for two of them, it literally was. For the clients in question, the late submission was due to delays in obtaining IRP5 certificates from various providers. SARS has imposed the inevitable administrative penalties […]
Travel claims, but no allowance?
For commission-earners and the self-employed, the rules are slightly different—but travel costs can be claimed. The mistake that I make when writing articles about travel allowances is that I tend to forget that not all of us are ‘wage slaves’. Indeed, there are many taxpayers for whom the saying, “If a man will not work, […]
What to Do if You Owe SARS Money
Owing money to the South African Revenue Service (SARS) can be stressful, but don’t panic. By understanding your options and taking prompt action, you can resolve the issue and minimise the impact. This guide will equip you with the knowledge you need to navigate a tax debt situation. The importance of addressing tax debt Take […]
Understanding the Foreign Services Income Exemption: The Requirement for Service Rendering
Many articles have been written about the application of the foreign income exemption provided for under Section 10(1)(o)(ii) of the Income Tax Act. This section provides for an exemption from South African tax from specific employment income earned while rendering services outside South Africa. The section limits such income qualifying for the exemption to any […]
Deducting income tax and CGT for estate duty
Is subjecting taxpayers to estate duty on post-death asset growth appropriate? In 1789 Benjamin Franklin said that “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”. He was right about death—but anyone who has had to interpret our tax laws would know that the task is fraught with uncertainty. This […]
Analysing tax exemption for dividends
Dividends are a valuable part of many shareholders’ income, but even though they are exempt from regular income tax, it does not mean that they are completely exempt from tax. A dividend can be defined as any local or foreign dividend paid by a resident company of South Africa or a foreign country, provided that the […]
Doubling down on income taxes
The purpose of double tax agreements (“DTA” or “treaty”) between the tax administrations of two countries is to enable the administrations to eliminate double taxation, where each country intends to levy a tax in respect of the same amount of personal income. South Africa has a very favourable treaty network across the world. Generally, the […]
Tax deductions against salary earnings
Our clients who earn only a salary will know that very few tax deductions are available against salary income for income tax purposes and whereby they may reduce the taxable income derived ultimately from such remunerations. Section 23(m) of the Income Tax Act[1] provides that none of the deductions ordinarily available to taxpayers in terms […]
Budget 2018: It’s a numbers game
South Africa’s budget paints a very interesting picture when one drills down into the numbers involved. The annual national budget presented in Parliament on 21 February 2018 by Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba presented South Africa’s biggest budget yet, providing for budgeted consolidated Government expenditure over the 2018/2019 fiscal year in the amount of R1,657,200,000,000! Of […]