How to Register Your Business in South Africa: A Step-by-Step Guide
Registering a business in South Africa is essential to ensure your company operates legally and complies with local regulations. The process can be straightforward if you follow the proper steps. Here’s a guide to help you through the registration process. Step 1: Choose Your Business Structure The first decision you’ll need to make is the […]
Filing Season 2024: Make Sure to Check Your SARS Uploads
It seems like it was just the other day that I’d finished submitting the 2023 tax returns for of my clients—mainly because for two of them, it literally was. For the clients in question, the late submission was due to delays in obtaining IRP5 certificates from various providers. SARS has imposed the inevitable administrative penalties […]
Why Your Business Should Partner with a Tax Expert: Save Money, Gain Expertise
Managing taxes can be complex, especially when tax rules are constantly changing. By partnering with a tax specialist, you can simplify the process, save money, access expert advice, and find peace of mind. Facing These Tax Challenges? Complex Regulations: Tax laws can be complicated and frequently updated. Keeping Up: Regular changes in tax laws require continuous monitoring. […]
What to Do if You Owe SARS Money
Owing money to the South African Revenue Service (SARS) can be stressful, but don’t panic. By understanding your options and taking prompt action, you can resolve the issue and minimise the impact. This guide will equip you with the knowledge you need to navigate a tax debt situation. The importance of addressing tax debt Take […]
Be wary of zero or low-interest loans
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 […]
Wear-and-tear allowance
Capital expenditure incurred in the production of income and in carrying on of a trade does not qualify for a deduction under the so-called general deduction formula in section 11(a) of the Income Tax Act No 58 of 1962 (the Act). The Act does, however, grant deductions or allowances for specific types of capital expenditure […]
Analysing tax exemption for dividends
Dividends are a valuable part of many shareholders’ income, but even though they are exempt from regular income tax, it does not mean that they are completely exempt from tax. A dividend can be defined as any local or foreign dividend paid by a resident company of South Africa or a foreign country, provided that the […]
Doubling down on income taxes
The purpose of double tax agreements (“DTA” or “treaty”) between the tax administrations of two countries is to enable the administrations to eliminate double taxation, where each country intends to levy a tax in respect of the same amount of personal income. South Africa has a very favourable treaty network across the world. Generally, the […]
How to claim your home office as a tax-deductible expense
As the old adage goes, change is as good as a holiday. But the way that the novel coronavirus has shaken up the world we live in, has, to the contrary, been extremely disruptive and stress-inducing. For many people, the disruption has come in the form of shifting from the traditional office space to working […]
SARS interest on provisional tax
As with various other business transactions, taxes in their various forms also attract interest, either payable by the taxpayer to SARS, or due to the taxpayer from SARS. Apart from knowing which of the various SARS interest rates are applicable (which is often a challenge in itself), knowing in which circumstances interest is applicable and […]