Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian

Tax-filing season: What Sars needs you to know

3 min read

Tax-filing season is upon us and, with this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of what you need to know right now. Really.

  • You must submit a return if you earn more R120 000 a year, you have worked for more than one employer during the tax year, or you are paying your own retirement annuity and medical aid. If you incurred major medical costs during the tax year, you are also obliged to file.

  • Taxpayers who did not submit their returns online last year will already have received a tax return form (ITRR) in the post. If you have not received yours, contact the Sars call centre on 0800 00 Sars (7277).

  • There are new fields on the ITR12, including compulsory spouse details you need to complete if you were married in community of property as at February 28 2010. Total investment income amount earned must be declared even if you are married in community of property.

  • Under medical deductions, if you previously qualified as a “handicapped person” you must have your disability re-confirmed. Complete the Form ITR-DD — Confirmation of Diagnosis of Disability if you are an individual taxpayer. This must be signed by a registered medical practitioner.

  • If you eFile online (and that’s about 90% of all taxpayers), you do not need to request a return. Your eFiling profile will have a customised return ready and waiting online. Sars is going out of its way to encourage online filing which is, after all, more eco-friendly.

  • The deadline for postal submissions (paper tax returns) for provisional and non-provisional taxpayers is September 30 2010 .

  • The deadline for electronic submissions through Sars branches and eFiling for non-provisional taxpayers and trusts is November 26 2010.

  • The deadline for electronic submissions through Sars branches and eFiling for provisional taxpayers and trusts is January 31 2011.

  • E-case tracking means that you can get information on your filing in real time — call-centre agents will have access to this. Resolving queries has never been quicker.

  • Sars has introduced electronic signature pads to allow you to sign your electronic return. This improves security and saves trees — what’s not to love?

  • Be aware that unpaid tax can now be recovered directly from your salary or bank account, so be aware that your bank and your employer are now, indirectly, tax-collecting agents. You can run, but you can’t hide.

  • Sars will never request your banking details via email or SMS, so do not respond to emails that tell you Sars has money to refund to you. If you are in line for a rebate, you won’t hear about it in this way.

    • Although it may seem like you have plenty of time, don’t procrastinate — beat the last-minute chaos by setting August 31 as your personal deadline.