SARS Archives -

More SARS flu

Not content with being lambasted by the tax ombudsman’s office, SARS now seem to be making up their own rules as they go along.

“Internet explorer is the safest browser” SARS*

You know that SARS is really in a mess when they still insist that Internet Explorer is the “safest” browser. It is also the only browser in which their efiling application functions correctly. How is this possible in 2017?

SARS still employing delaying tactics

The tax ombudsman recently made damning findings about SARS unreasonably delaying paying refunds. SARS, of course, denied that there is anything malicious in this. However, experience seems to show that they are still very much applying stalling tactics in their desperate search for funds.

Not treating customers fairly – SARS!

Something seriously dodgy is happening at SARS – just had the 3rd case of them rejecting an RA tax certificate as proof of contribution to an RA. They are insisting on proof of contributions (since inception). Shouldn’t be too difficult to obtain but so much additional work – and on what legal grounds? Worse still …

SARS – touching lives negatively

Just received a revised assessment from SARS for a client for the 2014 tax year, disallowing her retirement annuity contribution and thus resulting in a revised assessment and penalties!!!

Bad design – come on SARS

At first I thought that maybe it was only me and that the settings on my computer must be faulty – turns out it’s not me. It’s everyone who uses efiling…

Remove all sharp objects…

I attended a presentation by one of the SA asset managers recently…it was a good job that there were no sharp knives around. It was real slit-your-wrists stuff! Their view is that SA is pretty much stuffed and that unless there is a significant change in ANC leadership that we are on the “low road” …

This cant be good?

I know I am banging on a bit about SARS and tax at the moment but it is probably because for me it is the period when we have the most interaction with SARS – not only are we in the throes of the 2010 filing season but the 2011 first provisional tax deadline is …

Provisional tax returns – to submit or not to submit?

There seems to be quite a bit of confusion around provisional tax this year and more importantly who is liable to submit a return. SARS have adopted a new approach and are not automatically sending out returns any more and are rather leaving it up to tax payers to request the forms from SARS. In …

SARS – just like Alice

I had to make a trip to SARS in Cape Town this am to hand in the 6 paper provisional tax returns that I cant get on efiling – this is despite several email and telephonic requests to SARS to get them on e-filing. As I arrived there I was greeted by the site in …

The Financial Coach