Barter transactions: What is the tax cost of my asset?
Barter transactions are commonplace in today’s commercial environment. Parties exchange goods or services without a cash transaction underpinning it. The question is, “What happens when I sell the asset in future? Do I have a tax cost for it?” Paragraph 20(1)(a) of the Eighth Schedule to the Income Tax Act refers to ‘the expenditure actually incurred in respect of the cost […]
Transferring assets between group companies
The Income Tax Act contains various provisions in terms of which transactions can occur between specified parties without adverse tax consequences being incurred in respect of those transactions. These provisions are contained in sections 41 to 47 of the Income Tax Act and are generally known as the “group relief provisions”. Apart from certain value-shifting and general […]
Are your tax practices paying dividends?
Although there are several exclusions to the general rule, South Africa applies a withholding tax on dividends declared by companies at a rate of 20%. It is essential to appreciate that such a withholding obligation for companies do not arise only on “ordinary” dividends but that the concept of what constitutes a dividend, goes much wider. The Income Tax […]
Transferring assets from persons to companies
Many business transactions are concluded in terms of section 42 of the Income Tax Act. This section essentially allows a transfer of an asset by a person to a company, in exchange for equity shares in that company, allowing for a tax neutral transaction. The South African Revenue Service has recently issued Binding Private Ruling […]
Short term insurance: Consequences of being over or underinsured
Some people believe in short term insurance, others don’t. If you do believe in taking out short term insurance, make sure that your assets are not over or underinsured. If your assets are overinsured, it means you pay unnecessary premiums for insurance cover you will not be able to claim for. If you are underinsured, […]