South Africans who are already living abroad but have not yet properly financially emigrated need to be aware of the major benefits of taking the important step of ceasing tax residency to get their tax affairs in order with the SA Revenue Service (SARS).
South Africans living abroad who have not yet financially emigrated and cashed in their retirement annuity savings are concerned about the volatile rand exchange rate.
South Africans emigrating to greener pastures may be prevented from leaving the country – or worse – if their application for tax clearance is denied by SARS.
The process of financial emigration, which is the process that allows a taxpayer to formally place themselves on record as a non-resident for tax purposes with the South African Revenue Service (SARS), recently changed and came into effect on 1 March 2021.
Financial emigration is the process used by many South Africans abroad to formalise their non-resident status for both tax and exchange control purposes, and which is set to be amended, as mentioned a year ago in Budget 2020, and come into effect on 1 March 2021.
South African expatriates have been kept in suspense regarding a proposed law change aimed at providing relief to those who could not leave the country under lockdown.
The President has given effect to the 2020 tax proposals by signing three tax Acts into law. On 15 January 2021, the President gave his assent to the Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Act No. 22 of 2020 (“Rates Act”), the Taxation Laws Amendment Act No. 23 of 2020 (“TLAA”) and […]
The days where SARS shuts its eyes to taxpayers’ offshore holdings are thing of the past. SARS is finally utilising the Automatic Exchange of Information regime to pin down taxpayers who have not disclosed their offshore interests and numerous taxpayers have already received some alarming notices to this effect.
South Africans living or working abroad can no longer avoid the long arm of SARS. Under pressure to meet its revenue quotas, the tax authority has started auditing the country’s non-compliant expatriates in earnest.
Important Tax Directive Updates from SARS will impact expats’ withdrawal of retirement interests12/04/2025 - 06:39
Don’t be misled: No waiting period for SA expats who want to cease tax residency25/03/2025 - 19:07
Understanding South Africa’s Exit Tax and the Proposed Tax on Retirement Interests25/03/2025 - 09:10
Talk of a Wealth Tax in South Africa is just not going away05/03/2025 - 10:42
South Africa’s Financial Future in Limbo – Should You Exit Now?01/03/2025 - 08:11