Wear and Tear or Depreciation is the decrease in value of an asset. SARS allows you to deduct this decrease each year, which you can then use towards replacing those assets if you wish. Different types of asset have different write-off periods.
For example, if you use your laptop for work and it cost R12,000 in the 2020 tax year, you can depreciate the laptop by R4,000 each year, for 3 years total, until 2022 and claim the R4,000 as a deduction, therefore paying less tax! Note, however that SARS will probably ask for a letter from your employer confirming that this was allowed.
Assets purchased which cost less than R7,000 can be written off in full during the tax year they were paid for.
Use the calculator below to calculate your depreciation:
Wear and tear calculator
