Tax implications of cross-border remote working
Tax implications of cross-border remote working When remote workers are located outside of SA, the tax issues get complicated Remote working from foreign jurisdictions has become increasingly popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the lockdown rules being relaxed in most jurisdictions, it appears that employers should not expect the workplace to return to the […]
Beware the ‘Ides of SARS’ – Telephonic audits are on the rise
Beware the ‘Ides of SARS’ – Telephonic audits are on the rise “A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March”. These famous Shakespearean words forewarning the misfortune of Roman emperor Julius Caesar (which Caesar ultimately ignored and led to his demise) may not be as archaic as appears at first sight—especially in the […]
Scammers posing as SARS officials are on the rise
In late August 2020, a large credit bureau in South Africa was the target of a data breach where millions of private individual and company data records were compromised. This data leakage, coupled with the tax filing season, makes for the perfect opportunity for taxpayers’ information to be abused, subjecting taxpayers to potential financial loss. Scammers thrive on the inherent vulnerability of taxpayers during the tax season and know how to capitalise on the taxpayers’ struggles in dealing with […]
Are tax statutes up for interpretation?
In Commissioner for SARS v United Manganese of Kalahari (UMK) (25 March 2020) the interpretation of tax statues in conjunction with other statutes was considered. UMK conducts mining operations and specifically that of manganese. UMK was caught in the crosshairs based on its interpretation of section 6(3)(b) of the Royalty Act, which regulates how mining ventures should calculate […]
The taxing of capital gain
Section 9HA of the Income Tax Act deals with deemed disposals by a deceased person. This section of the Act often causes some confusion, especially where there are heirs or legatees other than the surviving spouse. In terms of the provision, a deceased person is treated as having disposed of his or her assets at the date of death, for an amount received or accrued equal to […]
Calculating your foreign currency capital gain
With the fast approaching 2019 tax season, taxpayers who have realised a capital gain in a foreign currency should take note of the special rules that apply to the translation of those gains to Rand. Generally, there are two ways of translating a capital gain or loss into Rand – a “simple method” and a […]
2019 Tax Season: Are you ready?
SARS recently released two media statements, in which it notes several improvements made to eFiling for the 2019 tax season, including the issue of customised notices indicating specific documents required in the event of an audit or verification and a simulated outcome issued before a taxpayer has filed.What is the tax season? Tax season is […]
Application for reduced assessments
Where taxpayers are aggrieved by assessments issued by the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the Tax Administration Act[1] makes provision for a dispute resolution process, whereby a taxpayer can request reasons for an assessment, object to an assessment, and if necessary, further appeal procedures are available. Dispute resolution is process-orientated, and strict rules prescribe the […]