Taxpayers who file at a branch must submit their tax returns by 31 October  2018, 3 weeks earlier. The tax return deadline this year will be 31 October 2018, meaning most taxpayers and tax practitioners will have 18 fewer business days to meet the 2018 tax season deadline.

Acting SARS commissioner Mark Kingon sheds some light on why tax season 2018 has been reduced by 3 weeks. Their reason … they want you to be jolly this Christmas season, for REAL! The shortened tax season would allow additional time for SARS to do return verification’s before most taxpayers go on holiday in December which means the tax refunds, if any due, will be in your pocket in time for Christmas gifts and that well deserved holiday.

Shortened SA Tax Season to Make the Holiday Season a Jolly Time

“Often there are delays with taxpayers having to respond to our queries and requests over the holiday break,” said Mark Kingon. More than 50% of individual  non-provisional tax payers submit their tax returns in the first 3 months, the remainder trickle in in the remaining months with a spike in the last month. Do not be caught in the end of SA tax season mad rush! The pressure is on tax practitioners to get the required info from the clients early to complete their work before the dead line.

SARS eFiling deadline for provisional taxpayers is the 31st January 2019.