64 articles
South African tax blog
Filing season dates, IRP5 codes, deductions, and what SARS will not allow — written against the current year of assessment, not last year’s leftover copy.
Filing season 2026
Start here for your 2026 return
Deadlines, 2026/27 brackets, provisional tax, and side income. Written for the current year of assessment.
SARS Filing Season 2026 — Deadlines That Actually Apply
The 2026 filing season dates from SARS — auto-assessment window, who must still file, and the two deadlines that matter.
SARS Tax Brackets 2026/2027 — Rates, Rebates, Thresholds
The 2027 year of assessment tables after Budget 2026 — brackets, rebates, and the income level where tax starts.
SARS Auto-Assessment 2026 — When to Accept and When to Edit
Auto-assessment is not a free pass. Check income SARS cannot see, then accept or edit before the deadline.
How to Register as a Provisional Taxpayer
The first invoice is not “I’ll see in October.” August is a payment date.
Side Hustle Tax in South Africa — Declare It, Then Apportion
A night market, a Shopify store, or weekend Uber is a trade. The day-job laptop is still 23(m).
e-Hailing Tax in South Africa — Uber, Bolt, and the Logbook
Platform payouts are income. Fuel and wear need a logbook and a real trade — not a screenshot of the app.
Section 23(m) — What a Salaried Employee Can Still Claim
If you only earn a salary, software, fuel, and Takealot are not deductions. Here is what the Act still allows.
What Is Not Tax Deductible in South Africa
A merchant name is not a section 11(a) expense. Here is what Taxzi refuses to auto-claim.
Medical Tax Credits 2026/2027 — Section 6A and 6B
Credits, not deductions. Fixed 6A amounts from SARS, plus a narrower 6B formula for large out-of-pocket costs.
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SARS Tax Refund - How Long Does It Take and How to Check?
Submitted your return and waiting for a refund? Here's how long it actually takes, how to check the status, and what to do if it's delayed.
How to File Your Tax Return on SARS eFiling (Step-by-Step)
A practical walkthrough of the entire SARS eFiling process - from registering your profile to submitting your ITR12 and checking your assessment.
Two-Pot Withdrawal Tax — Marginal Rate, Not the Lump-Sum Table
A savings-pot withdrawal is income this year. The fund withholds via a SARS directive. Check the shortfall on assessment.
Section 18A Donations — The 10% Cap and the Certificate
A SnapScan to a charity is not enough. Approved PBO, 18A receipt, 10% cap.
Independent Contractor vs Employee — Why 3616 Matters
The label on the invoice is not the test. The statutory relationship and the IRP5 code are.
TFSA Limits 2026/2027 — R46,000 a Year, R500,000 Lifetime
Budget 2026 raised the annual tax-free contribution limit. The lifetime cap and the 40% excess penalty did not go away.
Rental Income Tax in South Africa — Declare the Gross, Claim the Trade
Rent is income. Bond repayments are not a deduction. Interest, rates, and repairs on that property can be.
Capital Gains Tax for Individuals 2026/2027
Budget 2026 lifted the annual CGT exclusion to R50,000. Inclusion is still 40% for individuals.
How to Read Your IRP5 — The Codes That Change the Bill
The certificate is the year. The payslip is a month. Here is what to check before you accept a pre-populated ITR12.
PAYE vs Provisional Tax — Two Ways Tax Gets Paid
If you have a job and a side hustle, you can have both. The worksheet should credit what was actually paid.
SARS Verification vs Audit — What the Letter Actually Means
Most “SARS is coming for me” emails are verification. Still treat them as real.
How to Object to a SARS Assessment
Disagree in writing, on time, with the codes and the facts. Mood is not a ground.
The Local Interest Exemption (Section 10(1)(i))
Discovery “interest boost” is still interest. A crypto off-ramp is not.
IT3(b) Interest Certificates — What SARS Already Knows
If the bank sent it to SARS, the gap on your return is a gift to verification.
How to Pay SARS — eFiling, eWallet, and the Reference
Wrong reference, right amount: the debt stays open and interest runs.
ITR12 Source Codes Explained (the Ones People Mix Up)
Wrong code, right rand: SARS still thinks you told a different story.
Wear and Tear (IN 47) — Why the Laptop Is Not 100% This Year
R18,000 hardware. About R6,000 this year if you have a trade. Not R18,000 and a victory lap.
EasyEquities, Satrix and Share Sales — CGT, Not a Bonus Salary
The app paid out R50,000. That is not R50,000 of taxable salary.
Crypto: CGT or Income? (SARS Cares About the Facts)
The blockchain does not pick your tax category. Your pattern of dealing does.
Commission Earners — When 23(m) Loosens and the Logbook Matters
Commission is not a free-for-all. It is a different 23(m) fact pattern.
Foreign Income When You Live in South Africa
The currency is not the residence test.
Dividends Tax — Usually Already Withheld
If the broker already withheld, do not also dump the gross into PAYE income.
SARS Refund Bank Details — Why the Money Went Somewhere Else
The assessment said refund. The old FNB account said otherwise.
What Is Taxable Income in South Africa?
If the working on a website does not add up, the website is wrong — not you.
Subsistence Allowance — The SARS Daily Rates Are Not a Lifestyle Grant
A Woolworths shop in your suburb is not a travel per diem.
PAYE Job Plus a Side Hustle — One Return, Two Buckets
The day job is 23(m). The night invoices are a trade. Do not mix the laptop story.
Crypto Wallets vs Exchange Sales — CGT Still Needs a Base Cost
Moving coins to a wallet is usually not a sale. Selling or spending them is. Base cost still matters.
IRP5 Source Codes People Actually Search (3605, 3702, 3926, 4001)
The certificate is a code list. Here is what the usual ones mean before you accept the pre-populate.
Medical Aid Dependants — Who Gets the Extra 6A Credit
Credits follow the scheme certificate, not the family WhatsApp group.
Retirement Annuity vs Pension Fund — Same 11F Cap, Different Pipe
One ceiling. Two certificates. The debit order is not a second cap.
Home Office in a Shared Flat — Exclusive Use Still Means Exclusive
Three flatmates and a kitchen table is not a study. A closed room can be.
Section 18A Receipts — What the Certificate Must Actually Say
Kindness is not a source code. The receipt is.
Two-Pot After You Withdrew — What Still Goes on the ITR12
The fund withheld something. The return still has to show the withdrawal.
Freelancer Record-Keeping SARS Will Actually Ask For
A colourful spreadsheet is optional. Source documents are not.
Capitec and FNB Statements for Tax — What to Download
One month of screenshots is not a year of assessment.
Commission vs Salary — Why 3605 Changes the Deduction Story
The job title is not the test. The IRP5 split is.
Foreign Remote Work When You Still Live in South Africa
A US invoice and a Sea Point lease is still a South African tax year.
Wear and Tear on a Laptop — Interpretation Note 47, Not the Full Price
Takealot on 2 March is not a same-day deduction for a salaried year.
Interest Exemption Under 65 vs 65+ — R23,800 and R34,500
Age on the last day of the year of assessment changes the slice. The bank already told SARS.
Should I Accept My SARS Auto-Assessment? A Checklist
Accept means you are satisfied the year is complete — not that the SMS looked official.
Logbook vs Bank Uber Lines — Why the Statement Loses
The bank proves you paid. The book proves the trip was business.
Section 23(m) and a Side Trade — The Exception Is the Trade, Not the Job
The exception is invoices and a real hustle — not a new laptop narrative.
Section 10(1)(o) — Foreign Employment Days, Not a Remote Job Title
The exemption is about where the services were rendered, and how many full days you were out.
Airbnb and Short-Let Tax — Still Rental Income, Still Records
Guest nights are a trade. Your own holiday in the same flat is not a deduction.
Disability and Additional Medical Tax Credits (Section 6B)
The ITR-DD is the gate. A diagnosis in a chat is not.
Retrenchment Packages — Severance Tables, Leave Pay, and the IRP5
One payout, several codes. Do not tax the whole package in your head at 45%.
Travel Allowance & Logbook - SARS Claim Guide
If you receive a travel allowance or use your own vehicle for work, a logbook is the evidence. Home to a fixed office still does not count.
What Documents Do You Need for Your Tax Return?
A practical checklist of every document you might need when filing your ITR12 - organised by type of income and deduction.
Do I Need to File a Tax Return in South Africa?
Not everyone in South Africa needs to file a tax return. Here's how to find out based on your income, employment type, and SARS requirements.
Cryptocurrency Tax in South Africa - SARS Rules Explained
SARS treats cryptocurrency as an asset - meaning gains are taxable. Here's how crypto is taxed, what records to keep, and how to declare on your ITR12.
SARS Audit - What to Expect and How to Prepare
A factual guide to SARS audits and verifications - why they happen, what documents you need, your rights under the Tax Administration Act, and how to respond.
Provisional Tax in South Africa Explained Simply
If you earn freelance, rental, or investment income, you're likely a provisional taxpayer. Here's what that means and how to handle it.
Home Office Deduction - SARS Section 23(b) Explained
Everything you need to know about the home office deduction - who qualifies, how to calculate the floor area ratio, and which expenses count.
Freelancer Tax Guide South Africa - What You Must Know
Everything freelancers, contractors, and gig workers in South Africa need to know about tax - from registering with SARS to claiming deductions and filing returns.
What Can I Claim Against Tax in South Africa? (2025 Guide)
A comprehensive overview of every deduction and credit available to individual South African taxpayers - sorted by category with SARS section references.
Find the SARS claims hiding in your bank statements
Upload bank statements. Taxzi flags lines that may qualify under SARS rules. Mixed shops stay out until you say what they were. You confirm every claim. This is guidance — not a filed return.
Works with FNB, Standard Bank, Absa, Nedbank, Capitec, Investec and Discovery Bank PDF statements.
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