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Rebate FAQs

Posted 22 February 2017

What is a rebate?
A rebate is an amount by which SARS takes off the actual taxes owing to them. SARS will calculate the amount of tax that you owe to them, based on your income and expenses throughout the year, then if certain conditions apply, they’ll reduce the amount due.

What does a negative tax refund amount mean?
This means SARS owes you money

What do I do if my refund was paid into the wrong bank account?
This money will need to be recovered from the person to whom the money was incorrectly paid. Also, note that the only way for banking details to be changed is for the employee to go directly into SARS with the correct documents.

The 3 R's: Returns, Rebates, and Refunds Explained
Please see refer to our blog post: The 3 R's: Returns, Rebates, and Refunds Explained

How do rebates work?
Rebates cause a reduction in your tax liability so instead of the money being refunded to you directly it is set off against your tax liability and if you have a tax credit the excess tax will be paid out to you. You do not get money back if you owe SARS R0 before the rebate is applied. 

Audit complete, still no refund from SARS? When is SARS going to pay me out my refund? Why is my SARS refund delayed? How do I get my refund/returns from SARS?
Please refer to our blog post: When Will SARS Pay My Tax Refund?

Why are there different levels of tax rebates?
The different rebates are designed for those taxpayers who are at different stages of their lives. Those younger than 65 have different earning potential and have not retired yet so are earning different and higher forms of income. In most cases, as the age of the taxpayer increases so do their costs of living and so allowances need to be made for this. Also, given the mandatory retirement age of 65, it would not be fair to expect those taxpayers to have the same taxpaying threshold as those still working.

How can you claim a deceased person's tax money?
The executor of the estate needs to submit his final tax return. The executor is the person named in the will who is responsible for distributing the deceased person's assets and settling their debt.
This person would need to go to SARS with a Letter of Authority (naming them as the executor) and a copy of their ID, 3 months’ bank statements and proof of address as well as the deceased' documents; SARS will then file the tax return.

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