SARS Media Release 2021

Taxing

3 years ago

SARS announces start dates and details for 2021 tax season in South Africa – what you should know

BusinessTech, 25 May 2021 – The South African Revenue Services (SARS) has announced that taxpayers will be able to file their tax returns from 1 July 2021.

SARS said that the other important dates that taxpayers should be aware of are:

1 July to 23 November 2021 – This is the period for taxpayers who file online. Taxpayers who cannot file online can do so at a SARS branch by appointment only.1
July to 28 January 2022 – This is the period for Provisional taxpayers including Trusts may file via eFiling or SARS MobiApp. Read more ..

All forms of rental income must be declared to SARS

Tshwane, 11 March 2021 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) wishes to advise property owners whose properties are located in South Africa and who host fee-paying guests that the rental income they receive must be declared in their income tax return.

This is the same principle that applies to any person who has rental income from letting out their property as a home-owner, placing them under the same obligation to declare such rental income to SARS.

A property owner is also required to register as a VAT vendor with the accompanying obligations, if the short-term rental income exceeds R1-million in a 12 month period.

SARS is working hard to provide clarity and certainty for taxpayers to enable them to Read more ..

SARS calls on employers to prepare data for annual Employers Filing Season

Tshwane, 5 March 2021 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is committed to providing certainty and clarity to all taxpayers and traders regarding their tax and customs obligations so that they can remain compliant and to ensure that transacting with the organisation is as simple and easy as possible.

However, the ease and simplicity of transactions with SARS depends on each segment of taxpayers, traders and third parties fulfilling their legal obligations to ensure a seamless service offering by SARS.

Therefore, SARS calls on employers to ensure that they are ready to submit their annual reconciliation declarations with the latest and most accurate payroll information about their employees and the tax they have deducted. Read more ..

Online filers have one week to meet deadline

Pretoria, Monday 8 February 2021 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) reminds taxpayers that the Filing Season deadline for provisional taxpayers ends on 15 February 2021.

SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter said taxpayers are encouraged to use eFiling or the SARS MobiApp, which is a convenient and safe online method to transact with SARS under the current circumstances.

He urged taxpayers who received auto-assessment notices last year but who have not yet either accepted the auto-assessments, or edited and filed a return in response to the notice, to make use of this opportunity to do so. Read more ..

SARS EXTENDS FILING SEASON PROVISIONAL TAXPAYER DEADLINE FOR ONLINE FILERS

Pretoria, Thursday 28 January 2021 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has noted with deep concern the unprecedented health challenge manifested through COVID-19 with the accompanying loss of lives and livelihoods. SARS wishes to convey its sincere and deepest condolences to those that have lost their loved ones and wish a speedy recovery to those who are convalescing at home or in hospital.

In light of these challenges, SARS has taken a decision to extend the Filing Season deadline for provisional taxpayers, which is currently set for 29 January 2021, to 15 February 2021.

In line with SARS’ communication on steps taken to prevent the spread of COVID19 and protect both the taxpayers and SARS staff, taxpayers are encouraged to use eFiling or the SARS MobiApp.

SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter said, “The decision to extend the Filing Season, was taken with due consideration of the traumatic effects being experienced by taxpayers who have lost loved ones, as well as businesses who have lost staff, during the devastating second wave of Covid-19. Read more ..

SARS ADDRESSES ADOBE TERMINATION OF FLASH PLAYER

Pretoria, Monday 18 January 2021 – The South African Revenue Service (SARS) wishes to apologise unreservedly to all taxpayers for the disruption in services brought about by the termination of support of the Adobe Flash Player platform on 12 January 2021.

SARS duly took note of Adobe’s notice to discontinue support for some of its products beyond December 2020. With this in mind, SARS already migrated the vast majority of its most critical forms to alternative platforms, most notably HTML5.

For the reasons set out below, SARS had, until now, focused on the major tax types with the highest volumes. These are largely completed and operationally stable. While noting the discontinuation of Adobe Flash Player support, we erred in our interpretation that the functionality would continue beyond the support date. This error has created frustration to many taxpayers to whom we owe an apology.

The events leading to the unfortunate disruption and the remedial actions that have been taken as well as those that are under way are detailed below. Read more …

All forms of rental income must be declared to SARS

A property owner is also required to register as a VAT vendor with the accompanying obligations, if the short-term rental income exceeds R1-million in a 12 month period.

SARS is working hard to provide clarity and certainty for taxpayers to enable them to Read more ..