The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has continually granted a lifeline to non-compliant taxpayers by keeping the Voluntary Disclosure Programme (VDP) open, which allows non-compliant taxpayers to come clean. The VDP came as a saving grace for many, especially as SARS began ramping up its efforts to eliminate non-compliance and massive collection drives.
Binding Private Ruling: BPR 387 Attribution of nett income to a public benefit organisation (09 December 2022) This ruling determines the tax consequences of a public benefit organisation (PBO) holding a participatory interest in a controlled foreign company, which is a foreign incorporated charity.
Commissioner for SARS v Coronation Investment Management SA (Pty) Ltd (1269/2021) [2023] ZASCA 10 (07 February 2023) The issue before the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in this matter was whether a controlled foreign company (CFC) constituted a foreign business establishment (FBE) as contemplated in the Income Tax Act, No. 58 of 1962 (the ITA).
The greylisting of South Africa by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), due to concerns about the country’s anti-money laundering efforts, has had significant consequences for individuals and businesses operating within South Africa. One of the key impacts of greylisting is the increased scrutiny of cross-border financial transactions, particularly with the remittance of funds out […]
SARS has completely overhauled tax returns for trusts. Although this has been hinted at for a long time, the degree of overhaul is far from expected.
When pursuing international career growth, and offshore employment, be aware that moving your person, without the requisite paperwork, will have you scoring bonuses in Belgium, but still subject to SARS in South Africa. In order to ensure optimal taxation, South Africans abroad must make use of either the Double Tax Agreement or Financial Emigration process […]
With no fanfare or any prior notification, on 24 April 2023, SARS released new enhancements to the Tax Compliance Status (TCS) process, and with immediate effect. These changes will be directly felt by specific taxpayers seeking to transfer funds out of South Africa and will effectively change the ball game for those who have ceased […]
In the weeks following the announcement of SARS’ enhanced Approval of International Transfers (AIT) process Tax Consulting South Africa hosted technical training sessions for several SARS-recognised controlling bodies. To date, this has included the South African Institute of Taxation, the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa, and the South African Institute of Professional Accountants.
On 10 March 2023, new dispute resolution rules were published in terms of the delivery of any document, notice or request made in respect of the SARS dispute resolution process. The new rule states that the delivery “must be made… to the taxpayer’s electronic filing page through www.sarsefiling.co.za”. This aligns with SARS’ strategic objectives of […]
With the Covid-19 pandemic largely in the rear-view mirror, tens of thousands of South Africans are seizing lucrative employment opportunities abroad. At the same time, many of these expatriates are unaware that their hard-earned income is at risk of double taxation.