Budget speech 2020 – government last ditch attempt due to exodus of south africans

NEWS | BUDGET SPEECH 2020 – GOVERNMENT LAST DITCH ATTEMPT DUE TO EXODUS OF SOUTH AFRICANS

In December 2017, the change to the foreign employment income exemption was promulgated into law. This has widely become known as the “expat tax”. The exemption at that point was capped at R1mil, meaning that South African tax residents earning foreign employment income above this threshold would no longer be exempt from tax in South […]

NEWS | THE STATE NEEDS WEALTH TO ESTABLISH A SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND

The notion of creating a sovereign wealth fund for South Africa is a contradiction in terms. Jean du Toit, senior admitted attorneys at Tax Consulting SA, says this would imply that we do have surplus funds.

Rogue Tax Pactitioner or Accountant And Keeping Them Honest

NEWS | ROGUE TAX PRACTITIONER OR ACCOUNTANT AND KEEPING THEM HONEST

The filing of tax returns has evolved from manually submitting your returns to everything being done on the e-filing platform. Taxpayers are in some instances forced by SARS to use the e-filing process and this is Constitutionally allowed and administratively fair, as SARS is obligated under law to operate efficiently as possible.

One Good Turn: Donations Made at Fundraising Events – Receives the Go-Ahead from SARS

NEWS | ONE GOOD TURN: DONATIONS MADE AT FUNDRAISING EVENTS

The upside of being generous for a taxpayer is usually a corresponding deduction for tax purposes, to the extent that the taxpayer can show a receipt for a donation made to a public benefit organisation (“PBO”) in terms of section 18A of the Income Tax Act.

Understanding South African Expat Tax

NEWS | UNDERSTANDING SOUTH AFRICAN EXPAT TAX

Amendments to the Income Tax Act will soon see all South Africans working outside the country’s borders contribute to the fiscus from 1 March 2020.

SARS Reimagined Tax Dodgers Take Note

NEWS | SARS REIMAGINED – TAX DODGERS TAKE NOTE

On 1 February 2020, SARS released an exciting media statement, indicating that the revenue authority has embarked on a journey to reinvent SARS. With the power of technology and with the right people, SARS hopes to build an organisation that will provide a world-class service to the compliant taxpayer, but one that will be equally […]

South African Seafarers and Yachties Know your tax obligations

NEWS | SOUTH AFRICAN SEAFARERS AND YACHTIES: KNOW YOUR TAX OBLIGATIONS

As most know by now, SARS is grappling to increase revenue for their coffers, looking to South Africans who earn foreign income to subsidise the deficit. With all the uncertainty around the change in the foreign employment income exemption, which is coming into effect as of 1 March 2020, more and more people are wanting […]

PRINCIPAL OFFICERS MAY NO LONGER BE APPOINTED BY SERVICE PROVIDERS, SAYS FSCA

On 19 December 2019, the FSCA (Financial Sector Conduct Authority and the “Authority”) issued a communication informing the retirement funds industry and stakeholders about its new approach to addressing the inherent conflict of interest relating to principal officers (POs) appointed on boards of retirement funds (funds), while also being employed by service providers to these […]

The Fiscus Needs Money what to Expect in the Upcoming Budget

NEWS | THE FISCUS NEEDS MONEY – WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET?

On 15 January 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law five different revenue related bills. These bills, which have now been promulgated include the Taxation Laws Amendment Act No. 34 of 2019, the Tax Administration Laws Amendment Act No. 33 of 2019 and the Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Act No. […]

Dire need for economic growth-to-stimulate revenue collections

NEWS | DIRE NEED FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH TO STIMULATE REVENUE COLLECTIONS

The World Bank has slashed South Africa’s economic growth forecast for 2020 from 1.5% to a mere 0.9%. This, while the country is faced with a revenue shortfall of anything between R50bn and R100bn for the tax year ending March.