Tag: SARS
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Interest: SARS’ view on the in duplum rule
The in duplum rule originated from the South African common law and has been applied through South African case law for over 100 years. The rule aims to protect borrowers from exploitation by lenders that allow and, in some cases, cause interest to accumulate unabated: leading borrowers into further indebtedness. In terms of the common law, the interest charged on a…
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The unfortunate timing of BGR55 for developers
In terms of the Tax Administration Act, the South African Revenue Service (“SARS”) can issue Binding General Rulings (“BGR”) on matters of general interest or importance and clarifies the Commissioner’s application or interpretation of the tax law relating to these matters. BGR55 (issued on 10 September 2020) clarifies the VAT consequences of the sale of fixed property consisting of…
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Tax disputes: Suspension of payment
With the 2020 tax filing season in full swing, many taxpayers are likely to engage in dispute proceedings as their income tax assessments are issued by SARS. This will particularly be the case where errors are contained on the so-called “auto-assessments” (which in itself is a misnomer). But what happens to the disputed tax amount until the process is finalised? Pay now, argue later The basic…
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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…
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What to expect this tax season as an individual taxpayer
The tax season is swiftly approaching. For many people, it’s a time of the year that they dread. When it comes down to it, tax can become complicated mess that involves a lot of maths and calculations that just doesn’t come naturally to most. For those of us who don’t have PhDs in accounting or…
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What is meant by “connected persons”?
On 28 January 2020, SARS released interpretation note 67 providing guidance on the term “connected persons” in section 1(1) of the Income Tax Act. The interpretation note itself is voluminous but worthy of a short discussion as one may fall within this definition without knowing. The definition allows for the following scenarios to be regarded…
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Withholding of employees’ tax during liquidation proceedings
Decisions of South Africa’s courts are an essential source of law. The courts uphold and enforce the Constitution and develop common law that is consistent with the values of the Constitution, and the spirit and purpose of the Bill of Rights. In a taxation context, court decisions assist in how legislation must be interpreted or…
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The give and take of share transfers
Many business transactions are concluded in terms of section 42 of the Income Tax Act. The section essentially allows a transfer of an asset by a person to a company, in exchange for equity shares in that company, allowing for tax neutral transaction. The South African Revenue Service has recently issued Binding Private Ruling 339, relating to a transaction in which listed shares are transferred to a collective investment scheme (CIS) in exchange for participatory interests…
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Practical Considerations in Claiming SARS COVID-19 Relief
While South Africa is currently in a state of lockdown during which a significant number of businesses have had to cease operations, some relief from a tax perspective has been announced by the government. Tax-compliant businesses with a turnover of less than R50 million will be allowed to defer (importantly, not have waived) 20% of their pay-as-you-earn liabilities over…
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For how long can your taxes haunt you?
In terms of section 99 of the Tax Administration Act, 28 of 2011, an assessment may not be made three years after the date of an original assessment by the South African Revenue Service (SARS), or in the case of a self-assessment by a taxpayers (such as in the case of a Value-Added Tax return),…