Bitcoin - Mining for Answers

Bitcoin: Mining for Answers

By now, most people know what Bitcoin, or cryptocurrency, is. Some have even bought and sold a few and more impressively, some have found out how to turn cryptocurrencies into a business. Then, there are the “miners”. Following a process that involves no actual hard labour or rock breaking, crypto miners can generate cryptocurrencies by […]

Unit Trusts Under Treasury's Spotlight

Unit Trusts under Treasury’s spotlight

Investors in unit trusts are currently taxed only on capital gains when they sell their units. But a proposed amendment could result in some distributions being taxed at income tax rates to the maximum of 45%.

Is Your Organisation Paying Women What They Are Worth?

Women tend to have higher levels of emotional intelligence and empathy compared to their male counterparts, and often promote delivery of soft benefits that may be overlooked in a purely commercial approach to business. Although these are essential to sustainability and human development, especially in Africa.

Beware: failing to file tax returns is a criminal offence

Failing to submit a tax return can result in a criminal record for non-compliant taxpayers. Last month the South African Revenue Service (SARS) published the names of 10 offenders who failed to submit their returns and who now have criminal records. SARS has always been able to do this in terms of the law, but […]

South Africans are emigrating abroad in record high numbers

According to experts operating within the field of emigration, South Africans are expected to break emigration records in 2018. Speaking to 702 Talk Radio, the manager at Financial Emigration, Jonty Leon, discussed the sharp spike in the number of South Africans looking to relocate abroad.

Treasury proposes tax change on collective investments

One of the reasons collective investment schemes, such as unit trusts, are so popular among individual investors is that buying and selling underlying assets is not subject to capital gains tax (CGT). The Taxation Laws Amendment Bill (TLAB), published earlier this month, includes an amendment that may change this.

Dispute Frustrations – SARS suffers Motion sickness

A trend of increased delays and frustration with the South African Revenue Service’s (SARS’) dispute resolution process, are becoming apparent among taxpayers and tax practitioners alike.

An incorrect IRP5 could jeopardise foreign income, travel tax claims

Most individual taxpayers tend to only check their tax certificates (IRP5s) when something goes wrong after submitting their annual tax returns. In most instances, taxpayers will not be allowed deductions or exemptions if there are errors. According to tax commentators, the most common errors are due to incorrect use of source codes.

SARS Creates Tax Loopholes

When is a SARS Tax Court case win actually a loss for the fiscus? After the recent SARS court case, dealing with the taxable income of foreigners working in South Africa, it is hard to argue that no-one is working harder than SARS to create tax loopholes for expatriate employees. If anyone in SARS disagrees, […]

Another Reason to Submit your Tax Return

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has created some nervousness in the South African tax base by embarking on an initiative to criminally prosecute taxpayers who fail to submit their tax returns. Whilst the threat of a criminal record and a fine ought to serve as sufficient incentive to submit one’s return, it is perhaps […]