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Independent Contractor Posts in Tax Q&A

Is my previous company suppose to apply for a tax directive on retrenchment?



I was retrenched last year July (2015) Once I had received my notice and my retrenchment package I noticed that they had taxed me on my retrenchment package. I asked the Payroll/HR department if they had applied for a tax directive to which they replied that it was not necessary. I told them that as far as my understanding went it was necessary to determine how much tax I should pay if any.

Fuel Reimbursement



What tax code must be used when a company reimburses fuel only and business km's exceeds 8000km per annum. There is no refunds for wear and tear, repairs and maintenance or insurance. At present the code on the IRP5 is 3702, is this correct?

SARS Payout



I owed SARS money (Statement of Account Period: 2015/07/28 To 2016/01/28), I submitted a dispute, and the following is now showing. SARS Status: Please note that your tax return cannot be processed immediately due to an outstanding Tax Directive. Therefore, manual intervention is required. SARS will advise you as soon as your tax return has been assessed 2016/01/28. When I followed up this is the newest update:
NOTICE OF ASSESSMENT: REDUCED ASSESSMENT 2016/02/15. The amount stated here is a negative amount/ amount with a minus infront. Do they deducted this amount from the amount I owned them, or do they owe me this amount?...

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Tax question on medical aid and correction for SARS



I've just got back and seen the email from SARS. I have a few questions. 1. I made a mistake on the foreign Income, as it was through the business and not my personal account. I was busy doing my business accounts while filling in my personal tax and got confused. 2. My medical aid was paid by my previous employer. They forgot to cancel my medical aid and have asked me to pay them back for that year. I received a tax certificate from my medical aid so do I still qualify to claim tax from that?

Treatment of rental loss and living expenses while studying



From Sep '14 to Oct '15 I temporarily left the employ of my company to study my MBA full time overseas. During this time I rented my primary residence in South Africa out. (a) Am I able to deduct the losses on the rental of my primary property (rent - levies - interest on bond - rates) from my taxable income?

(b) During the time I was away, I had to make use of savings to pay for living expenses (food, necessities, partial travel expenses, but NOT tuition, textbooks, accommodation, vi...

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How does it work now if you just earn commission but tax and uif does not get deducted?



Hi. I used to work for company that deducted tax from my salary, so I'm a registered. But now I work for a company that does not deduct tax and I only get commission. My question is how do I claim my tax for my medical aid if I don't receive a IRP5?

How does it work now if you just earn commission but tax and uif does not get deducted?

Chairperson tax explained



Please explain the following to me:
1. The taxation of non-executive chairpersons of small companies earning a monthly amount in directors (Chairperson) fees. (They work full time earning a salary from a different Company. )
2. Should the non-executive chairperson be treated as an employee on the payroll of the small Company whilst working for another company or can it be treated through normal finance department transactions?
3. Should the normal statutory deductions like SDL an...

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Business travel claims with no travel allowance



How does one go about claiming a vehicle that I use 70% for business and 30% private. I have a detailed log book and do about 18,000km business travel/year but I do not receive a travel allowance.

Can I deduct my Gautrain tickets from my tax



Can I deduct my Gautrain tickets from my tax

Reimbursive travel



For the 2015 year of assessment, my employer re-reimbursed me for travel. They paid me at the official SARS rate of R3. 30 per km, I traveled 6,691. 52 kms, it is thus my understanding that because this is less than the maximum allowed by SARS of 8,000km, this amount falls under non-taxable income and should be allocated to the code 3703. My employer allocated this to code 3702 on my IRP5. I corrected this on my tax return, yet SARS are of the opinion that this amount should fall under taxable i...

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Where in the ITR12 can I claim toll fees paid on business trip if I don't use actual costs.



I have incurred toll fees while on travelling on business trips to clients. My employer does not reimburse this fees I incurred citing that I should cover them from the reimbusive travelling claim that I get. I don't use the actual cost incurred but rather the estimates as per tables. My question is, where in the ITR12 can I book this fees against my income.

Multiple sources of income



I am a co-owner of a company which I work for and currently work part time for a University. Last year I worked part time for a corporate company and thus I have multiple sources of income. I find it extremely difficult to understand where each of these earnings should go etc.

Incorrect logbook information



I just want to find out with regards to car allowances. I switched employment in June 2014 and did not have access to my kilometers claimed at my previous employer. I started working at my previous employer again in January of this year and found my old information. It seems like I might have submitted incorrect information on half of the year for car allowance. I am currently being audited manually, and do not know what to do, please advise?

Unemployment and provisional tax



I was unemployed for roughly six months of the 2015/2016 tax year, do I need to submit any proof. Now with the new work I have to pay provisional tax because I work for myself but not as a company, how does this affect tax deductions?

Payment to spouses for admin work



I am self employed and work from home. My wife helps me with admin part time. Am I able to pay her a reasonable market fee and deduct this from my income. My wife also contracts for other companies. What the implications for preparing tax returns.

PAYE for employee with 2 employers



I am sharing a secretary between me and a colleague. We are working in the same office. We pay her a total of R8000 p. M (R4000 each). Obviously PAYE should be deducted based on her total yearly income (R96000) and paid to SARS before the 7th of each month. Is it fine for me and my colleague to split the PAYE and UIF contributions and pay those separately to SARS, and issue her one payslip between us? If so, does she need two IRP5s issued?

Query re first time tax for new small unregistered business



I left a permanent job and started a freelance design business in July 2015. My Personal income tax for last year is up to date. I need to start paying tax on my business but have no idea how this works. I am using my personal bank account to receive payments from clients for design services. I am not yet breaking even and can barely pay my bills. I am not making a profit yet. I have no idea how tax works. I need help and wondered if signing up to TaxTim would be the way to go? I would need to b...

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Audit income statement



The SARS auditor is asking for an income statement to explain why I have a lose of R16 000. This I assume was from my car travel expenses. Why are they asking me for this?

Is it an expense of must it be depreciated?



I am quite confused and google doesn't help. I am a freelancer and I work from home. I have a dedicated office therefore I deduct my business expenses. I recently had to upgrade my computer network - my question is, is this an expense i. E. Do I deduct the amount I spent buying the computer, or do I have to do the depreciation calculation? Is there some monetary limit to make it easier to figure out when it is an expense and when the depreciation calculation must be applied?

Get tax up to date with SARS?



I have not submitted my tax for one period and the next to come. I was fully employed and now freelance. I'd like to get my tax up to date the most affordable way. My partner moved back to SA over 10-15 years ago and has not worked all of that time - some of it only - and not yet done any tax returns. We'd like to sort this too.

Does receiving a car allowance when l have a car bought cash have impacts on my tax?



I bought a car cash before getting my current job. I receive a car allowance at my current job and am not willing to change my car anytime soon. Is that an issue with SARS? Is that going to affect my tax, if so how?

Fringe benefit tax on fuel card



We receive a fuel benefit which is indicated as an income ( this in my mind will put me into the next bracket ). I am taxed on the higher income, then the very same amount that has been used for fuel is shown as a deduction. I don't understand this can you please explain. I don't see the benefit of a fuel card.

As the sole employee and director do I have to pay PAYE or can I pay provsional tax bi-annually?



I am an independent consultant. I have been operating since June 2015 and have been paying myself a salary and deducting PAYE
I have recently found out that I must be a provisional tax payer as well
Since I have started in June and have not deducted any expenses to arrive at my taxable income, it appears that with 2 months to go I have overpaid my tax significantly
from a cash flow perspective, I will only receive my refund around July/August
Am I able to not pay PAYE for the...

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Can my husband claim medical if the wife makes the payments?



I became a stay at home Mom as of 1 Dec 2015. I know money's transferable from hubby are not taxed. Can I still pay for things and my hubby claim for them? I have a disability and have two autistic sons. All three of us are registered as disabled with SARS.

How to measure kms



I dont have a travel allowance and use my private car for work. My company does reimburse me for work related travel. Question is from where do my km's get measured as some days I drive straight to site from my house and not via office. How does the calculation look and lastly how much should they pay me per km?
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