Here are the top five questions that the South African Revenue Service (Sars) call centre receives — along with the answers.
Where can I find the 2011/12 tax tables?
Go to www.sars.co.za, locate the Call Centre Top 5 box and click on the link.
May I still file even if I missed the November 26 2010 deadline?
Yep — but you’ll have to pay penalties. According to Sars, penalties and interest are liable when submissions are made after deadline. There’s a Penalties 2010 brochure on the site.
How do I make a payment to Sars?
Let us count the ways … Sars eFiling, internet banking, debit order, over the counter at an Absa, FNB, Nedbank, Investec, CitiBank or Standard Bank branch or at a Sars branch office. For more information, visit Sars’s home page, click on “I want to …” and select the “Make a payment to Sars” option.
I need to register as a taxpayer and get a tax number. What should I do?
If you’re a first-time taxpayer, you need to obtain the IT 77 form from your nearest Sars branch, or download it from the site. Visit Sars’s home page, click on “I want to…” and select the “Register” option. Once you’ve filled it in, visit Sars with a copy of your ID or passport (your driver’s licence isn’t accepted), your bank details (a cancelled cheque, certified/original copy of your account statement or an original letter from your bank confirming your details), a statement of income for the last three years (IRP5s etc.) and proof of residence (electricity bill etc.). Once you’ve registered and been allocated a tax number, you can register as a taxpayer on www.sarsefiling.co.za.
How will penalties work?
A schedule of penalties can be found on the site. From the home page, select “Tax types”, then “Income tax”. Then click on “2011 tax season” and go to “Penalties” for the full schedule.
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