Category: Tax
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Thinking of selling an asset?
What happens when you sell an asset? When you sell or dispose of an asset, you either realise a profit or a loss from the exchange. When you realise a profit, you are subject to pay capital gains tax (CGT) on that realised profit. Are all assets subject to CGT? Not all assets are subject…
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Requests for suspension of payment from SARS
Since its introduction, the “pay now, argue later” rule relating to disputed amounts of tax has been and remains to be the subject of much controversy, and rightfully so. The basic premise is that even though you disagree with an amount of tax, once you have been assessed by SARS, the amount becomes due and…
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Fixed and reimbursive travel allowances
When determining the best remuneration package for travelling employees, South African employers and employees are continuously considering the benefits between a travel allowance, a reimbursive travel allowance or both. For this purpose, the employees’ tax (“PAYE’’) and income tax consequences of these two allowances are set out in more detail below. A travel allowance is…
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Helpful tax resources
South African taxes are inherently complex and often involve interpretation, consulting and in exceptional cases, a fair amount of educated guessing on exactly what the legislature intended when the various acts were drafted. However, in order to assist taxpayers through the maze of information, there are some very helpful aids available to taxpayers and tax…
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Ring-fencing of assessed losses of certain trades – Part 1
Persons are generally allowed to set off any losses incurred in respect of one trade against the income derived from another trade, thereby reducing their overall tax liability. However, section 20A of the Income Tax Act[1]ring-fences losses incurred by natural persons from certain trades under specific circumstances. If applicable, the natural person will not be…
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Ring-fencing of assessed losses of certain trades – Part 2
Section 20A of the Income Tax Act[1]ring-fences losses incurred by natural persons from certain trades under specific circumstances. If applicable, the natural person will not be able to set off the loss incurred from that trade against the income from any other trade (such as salary or other professional income) and may only set off…
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Turnover tax deregistration
The Sixth Schedule of the Income Tax Act details the workings of the turnover tax system applicable to micro-businesses. Turnover tax is an optional system (with preferential tax rates) and is essentially a simplified tax system that is available for micro-businesses (businesses with a qualifying turnover of R1 million or less). The Sixth Schedule deals…
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Admin penalties for outstanding Corporate Income Tax returns
In general, all registered companies must submit corporate income tax (“CIT”) returns within 12 months of the end of the company’s financial year-end. This is applicable to all companies that are resident in South Africa, that receive source income in South Africa, or that maintain a permanent establishment or a branch in South Africa. On…
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Correction of tax invoices
Since it is illegal to issue more than one tax invoice per taxable supply, and another tax invoice may not be issued to alter any consideration in respect of an original tax invoice issued, the Value-Added Tax Act[1] prescribes very specific circumstances in which vendors may issue credit notes in respect of tax invoices that…
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Different interest rates in tax
The Income Tax Act[1] contains definitions for various interest rates. These interest rates serve as the basis for interest calculations in income tax in different circumstances and can broadly be categorised into three main areas. Knowing the difference between these different types of interest rates could have a material impact on the amount of interest…
