South African expatriates living and working abroad are firmly in the Tax Man’s sights. Recent enhancements clearly indicate the South African Revenue Service (SARS) is increasing its focus on the importance of expatriates legally confirming the basis on which they cease their tax residency status in South Africa to benefit from a reduced income tax liability as non-resident taxpayers.
As the 2025 tax filing season approaches, many South Africans working from home are asking what home office expenses they can claim as tax deductible items, and how to do it correctly. This question is especially relevant for the growing number of South African employees working remotely for global companies who are increasingly turning to tax practitioners for guidance.
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has announced enhancements to its record-keeping of taxpayers’ tax residency status this coming tax filing season, taking direct aim at returning South African expatriates.
With the 2025 tax filing season fast approaching, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has introduced a new user-friendly eFiling feature aimed at making tax compliance simpler and more accessible for the ordinary taxpayer.
Since the introduction of the Crypto Revenue Augmentation Unit by the South African Revenue Service (“SARS”), numerous taxpayer’s who have traded, invested or even used crypto assets for purchases, have received Audit and Request for Relevant Material Notices, specifically relating to such crypto asset transactions.
It is not to say that all South Africans who have started a new life overseas – whether for an extended period or permanently – have or want to sever all ties with their country of birth. Many still have bank accounts and pension money in South Africa or may want to buy property here for a variety of reasons.
The first tangible evidence emerged that the Tax Man’s newly appointed army of 1,700 tax debt collectors will hit the ground running within the next few weeks after completing their initial training and attending workshops on the task ahead.
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has officially discontinued the printing and posting of all system-generated letters, effective 31 May 2025. From this date forward, all SARS correspondence will be delivered electronically via eFiling and other digital platforms.
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has reported a recent surge in trust tax return submissions, yet it says it remains concerned about the overall level of compliance within the trust sector. No wonder then that SARS is significantly increasing its scrutiny of trusts to ensure compliance with tax laws, focusing intensely on registration, accurate declarations, and timely payments.
The South African Revenue Service (“SARS”) is no longer the passive revenue service many South Africans remember. With the injection of R3.5 billion from the national budget and the ominous launch of “Project AmaBillions,” SARS has entered its most aggressive phase of enforcement in years and is quickly turning into one of the most sophisticated, assertive, and unrelenting revenue authorities in the world.