When SARS Says ‘No’, They Must Tell You Why
Taxpayers have the right to obtain reasons for decisions by SARS. When I was about three years old, my mother admonished me not to play with matches, and like the precocious brat I was, I demanded to know “why”. Many a parent, faced with similar demands from their offspring, would be tempted to exert parental […]
Mastering record keeping: How to meet SARS’s electronic documentation standards
Mastering record keeping: How to meet SARS’s electronic documentation standards Too often, taxpayers seem to forget that the most important aspect of dealing with SARS is to ensure that they can discharge their burden of proof. As a taxpayer, it is on you to provide SARS with the relevant material that, on a balance of […]
VAT on Short-Term Lettings and Commissions
VAT on Short-Term Lettings and Commissions Are you acting as agent or principal—and what would be the pragmatic approach? There are very few people across the world who haven’t heard of Airbnb. Started in San Francisco in 2008, this multi-billion-dollar NASDAQ-listed company that employs around 7,000 people has revolutionised the short-term letting industry. Over four […]
The new proposed SARS solar energy tax credit
The new proposed 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 […]
Flying towards a tax saving: Double Tax Agreement, or financial emigration?
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 […]
Accounting tips for small businesses
Accounting tips for small businesses When operating a small business, there are so many important daily tasks to remember especially if you are also the business owner. Your day is most likely jam-packed with numerous to-do lists and other miscellaneous tasks that need completing. When your day is filled up like this, sometimes the last […]
Section 7C – A practical explanation
What is section 7C? This section of the Income Tax Act is an anti-avoidance measure aimed at transactions between connected persons and trusts, where a trust is funded by low interest or interest-free loans. This is usually done to ensure that assets form part of the trust’s capital, and the funder (who is usually a […]
Expats are forced to pay their dues
In a recent Supreme Court of Appeal decision, the court had to determine whether the payment by an employer to tax consultants for providing assistance to the employer’s expatriate employees constituted a taxable benefit, as contemplated in the definition of “gross income” in section 1 of the Income Tax Act[1] read with section 2(e) or (h) […]
Tax over the years
It has often been said that inflation is the destroyer of wealth. To put this statement into a tax perspective, it is interesting to have a look back at historical rates of tax and related interest rates. It is, of course, true that earnings have also increased over the years, but it is nevertheless interesting […]
Taxation of Foreign Employment Income
South Africa has a residence-based tax system, which means residents are taxed on their worldwide income, regardless of where that income was earned. South African tax residents living overseas and earning remuneration in respect of services rendered outside of South Africa are exempt from tax in South Africa, provided that the individual is outside of South Africa for a period or periods exceeding 183 full days (60 of which have to […]