October 24, 2022
Taxpayers’ actions need to back up what they claim to be In many groups of companies, intra-group loans make sense as a way of funding the operations of the group. If the funds are sourced from outside the group by a borrower entity and then on-lent to other companies within the same group as the borrower, the question is whether the interest incurred by the borrower entity is deductible in terms of section 24J(2) of the Income Tax Act No 58 of 1962 (the Tax Act)? This question was once again considered in Taxpayer H v Commissioner of the South African […]
October 14, 2022
For commission-earners and the self-employed, the rules are slightly different—but travel costs can be claimed. The common mistake that I make when writing articles about travel allowances is that I tend to forget that not all of us are ‘wage slaves’. Indeed, there are many taxpayers for whom the saying, “If a man will not work, he shall not eat” is a daily reality—those who are self-employed, as well as those who derive their earnings from commission. But the very fact that they don’t earn a regular salary means that they also do not receive a fixed travel allowance. And […]
October 14, 2022
Telephonic audits are on the rise “A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March”. These famous Shakespearean words forewarning the misfortune of Roman emperor Julius Caesar (which Caesar ultimately ignored and led to his demise) may not be as archaic as appears at first sight—especially in the realm of tax, and when SARS’ new ‘audit strategy’ is considered. In recent months we have seen a substantial spike in SARS contacting taxpayers directly (even with the appointment of a registered tax practitioner or legal representative), either telephonically, or via email correspondence, seeking additional information / confirmations from the taxpayer. A […]