BAD DEBTS AND VAT

While there is currently a focus on the income tax considerations of bad and doubtful debts (given that National Treasury has proposed changes to section 11(j) of the Income Tax Act[1] to allow for an allowance of 25% of impairments in respect of doubtful debts), the Value Added Tax (VAT) aspect of bad debts is […]

“BOOKING” CAPITAL LOSSES ON SHARES IS NOT THAT EASY

There is a number of techniques that taxpayers use to reduce their capital gains tax (CGT) exposure on long-term share investments. A common practice is to utilise the annual exclusion of R40 000 provided for in paragraph 5 of the Eighth Schedule of the Income Tax Act[1] by selling shares that have been bought at a […]

OUTSTANDING TAX RETURNS

Individuals who filed personal income tax returns and found that they owe money to SARS are encouraged to make their outstanding payments by 31 January 2018. This is for taxpayers who filed their returns during the 2017 Tax Season. Acting SARS spokesperson, Mr Sicelo Mkosi expressed that taxpayers who fail to oblige with the deadline […]

THIRD PROVISIONAL TAX PAYMENTS

Provisional taxpayers are required to submit two returns annually: one after six months from the start of the relevant year of assessment, and again one on the last day of the relevant tax year.[1] Since provisional taxpayers are taxpayers who earn income in a form other than salaried income (and from which PAYE is deducted […]

GONE ARE THE DAYS OF TAX-FREE SALARIES ABROAD

Many South African taxpayers earning a salary abroad have for many years been able to benefit from so-called “double non-taxation”. This would be the case where salaries are earned in countries where the employer country would not tax salaries earned in that country, and where a domestic South African income tax exemption would also be […]

THE VAT CONSEQUENCES OF CHANGE IN INTENDED USE OF GOODS

It happens ever so often that a business would purchase goods, and subsequently apply those goods in a different manner than it had initially intended to at the time that those goods were acquired. For example, a sole proprietor dealing in motor vehicles may decide to take one of those vehicles and apply it towards […]

DIRE PROVISIONAL TAX PENALTIES ON UNDERESTIMATION OF INCOME

Provisional taxpayers are generally those taxpayers who earn income from sources other than a salary. In other words, PAYE is not deducted from these other sources of income on a monthly basis and paid over to SARS. As is the case with PAYE, provisional tax presents a cash flow mechanism to National Treasury through which […]

WHEN TO REGISTER FOR VAT VOLUNTARILY

Taxpayers may register for Value-Added Tax (‘VAT’) on either a voluntary or compulsory basis.  This article considers the commercial benefits linked to an enterprise registering for VAT on a voluntary basis only. Taxpayers who are registered for VAT are required to charge VAT on supplies (that is on sale of goods or the rendering of […]