Tax guide

Section 18A donations

A deductible donation is narrow. The organisation must be approved, you need the section 18A certificate, and the Act caps the deduction at 10% of taxable income.

Certificate or nothing

Keep the 18A receipt for that year. A bank description that says “church” or “gift” is not the certificate. School fees are generally not 18A. Crowdfunding for a person is not 18A.

The 10% cap

The deduction cannot exceed 10% of taxable income (before this deduction). Excess can be carried forward under the Act’s rules. Do not enter the full bank total if it blows the cap — SARS will limit it.

Salary-only years

Section 23(m) does not kill a valid 18A claim. It is one of the items that still goes through on a salary-only return, together with 11F and medical credits.

Disclaimer: This is general guidance based on the South African Income Tax Act and published SARS Interpretation Notes as at the 2026/2027 year of assessment (1 March 2026 – 28 February 2027). It is not professional tax advice. Deductibility depends on your facts. Confirm current figures on sars.gov.za before you file.

Find the section 18A donations 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.

Check my statement for section 18A donations (free)

3 + 3 free estimates

Section 18A donations

Certificate or nothing

The 10% cap

Salary-only years

Related reading

Find the section 18A donations in your bank statements