February 28 each year marks the end of the tax year in South Africa. There are 10 points South African private investors need to tick off before then.
One
Ensure that the South African Revenue Service (Sars) subsidise retirement savings to the fullest extent possible. Investors are allowed to deduct a maximum of 15% of their non-retirement-funding income in respect of contributions to retirement annuity funds.
Non-retirement-funding income is broadly speaking defined as taxable income that is not used in any calculation to determine contributions to employer pension and/or provident funds, income other than your normal salary. A 40% subsidy on contributions is most certainly not something to be sneezed at!
Two
Capital-gains tax (CGT) is increasingly becoming more relevant in the lives of taxpayers. Private investors should review their current CGT exposure and review any investments or assets that will be realised in the short term in order to determine whether it is favourable to trigger the CGT event before or after February 28.
Three
February 28 is also the date on which the second provisional tax payment needs to be made. Should this payment be lower than the official estimate as determined by Sars, it needs to be within 10% of the actual taxable income for the 2008 year. Private investors should ensure that their provisional tax payments are correctly calculated in order to avoid penalties and interest provisions.
Four
Sars is becoming increasingly more vigilant in terms of travel-expense claims, and taxpayers should ensure that they remember to record their vehicle mileage on February 28.
Five
Private investors who have trusts should ensure that distributions of taxable income to beneficiaries on low tax bases are made before the end of the tax year.
Six
Taxpayers are allowed to make donations to the extent of R100Â 000 per tax year before donations tax of 20% is imposed. Private investors should ensure that this donation allowance is maximised in each tax year. Investors with loan accounts are urged to exercise caution and take professional advice before merely writing off such loan accounts.
Seven
Private investors who have offshore investment should ensure that they in a position to obtain accurate income and capital values as at February. Countries around the world have different tax-year ends and not all international institutions render valuations at February 28 each year. It is the obligation of the investor to ensure that adequate income and capital valuations are obtained.
Eight
Taxpayers are allowed to deduct from their taxable income donations made to designated public-benefit organisations, to a maximum of 10% of their taxable income. In respect of the 2008 tax year, the allowable deductible amount was increased from 5% to 10% of taxable income.
We are living in extraordinary times in South Africa, with extraordinary needs, and we urge South Africans to ensure that levels of charitable giving are made to combat poverty — and, while about it, why not get a tax deduction? Taxpayers should ensure that they receive the appropriate certificate for the designated public-benefit organisation.
Nine
Employees who have had a hard year on the road travelling for business purposes should ensure that their employers give them the appropriate subsistence allowance and that this allowance is correctly reflected on their IRP5. Taxpayers are allowed to claim, without having to submit vouchers, R60 or R196 a day for local travel and $190 a day for international travel.
Ten
Last, but by no means least, with effect from the 2007 tax year, Sars no longer requires substantiating vouchers and corroborating documents to be submitted. However, taxpayers need to keep these vouchers and documents in a safe place as Sars may call for them should a tax return be audited and queried. Make sure the documents are not turfed but stored carefully away.
These vouchers and documents need to be kept for five years; this period runs from the date of the tax assessment to which these documents relate.
Sars has increasingly become a more vigilant and more effective organisation, and private investors are urged to take their fiscal responsibilities seriously. It should always be remembered that with tax affairs, ignorance is not recognised as a valid extenuating factor.
Private investors should be rather safe than sorry and ensure that due care and attention is given to these matters.
Compiled by BJM Private Client Services