Tax Archives -

It’s time that treasury stopped being short-sighted when it comes to the wealthy!

A few years ago, during the National Budget Speech, government put a cap of R350k pa on retirement contributions. It appears that no one at treasury has given this much thought

“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 …

UT or share portfolio

There are many with strong opinions about the merits of a share portfolio versus a unit trust portfolio. Here’s another one (strong opinion) in favour of a unit trust portfolio.

Open letter to Mr Oupa Magashula

Dear Sir Part of the service offering of our financial planning business involves assisting people with their tax returns (we submit over 140 each year as well as 80 provisional tax returns). Tax is not really something that we enjoy doing nor is it a profitable aspect of our business. However, it is an essential …

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 …

It’s going to be a long tax season…

My grandfather taught me that if ever I needed to write a letter in anger that it was better to write it and then wait until the next day to send it – just to check that I still felt that way and that I still wanted to say the same things when the heat …

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