BONUS - RUSTENBURG - The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has announced 15 July 2024 as the start of the Filing Season for provisional and non-provisional taxpayers, with auto-assessments to run from 1 to 14 July 2024.
Taxpayers whose contact details have changed, must update these details on eFiling or the SARS MobiApp to facilitate an easy and seamless Filing Season and to curb instances of fraud and identity theft.
SARS Commissioner, Edward Kieswetter, has assured standard taxpayers that SARS remains committed to a Filing Season that will require little or no action from the taxpayer, due to the use of big data, machine learning and algorithms. SARS is proud to announce that the pool of taxpayers who will be auto-assessed will increase to about 4.8 million this year, compared to about 3.8 million last year.
Taxpayers who agree with the auto-assessment do not have to do anything. If a refund is due, it will be paid within 72 hours. If tax is due to SARS, the taxpayer must make the payment by the due date.
If a taxpayer does not agree with the auto-assessment, they should make all applicable changes and file their return the normal way via eFiling or the SARS MobiApp on or before 21 October 2024.
Kieswetter said, “The large number of digital platforms available to taxpayers reinforces the trend of a decreasing number of taxpayers needing to visit branches and wait in queues.”
Taxpayers can also contact SARS through the SARS Online Query System on SARS’s website (https://tools.sars.gov.za/soqs). Taxpayers can use this service without going into a SARS branch or calling SARS.
The SARS Online Query System enables taxpayers to submit a payment allocation query, request your tax reference number, submit supporting documents if SARS asked you to do so, report a new estate case, update registered representative and verify or request your tax compliance status.
Kieswetter urged taxpayers to be transparent and accurate when filing, to enable a constructive relationship with SARS. “The use of technology and data has enhanced SARS’ ability to detect instances of non-compliance. Taxpayers must not inflate their expenses and under-declare their income to obtain impermissible refunds.”
Taxpayers can learn more about how to use SARS’ digital platforms, by visiting the SARS TV YouTube channel for detailed video tutorials, or by visiting the SARS website.
