NEWS | RELIEF FOR EXPATS CONFIRMED WITH PROMULGATION OF TAX LEGISLATION
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.
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.
1 March 2021 marks a watershed for retirement funds in South Africa, says Jean du Toit, attorney and head of tax technical at Tax Consulting South Africa.
As a South Africa working and living abroad, there is nothing more frustrating than incessant delays on applications for new and/or renewals of South African Government-issued documentation (referred to as “Civic services”).
On 13 October 2020, National Treasury and SARS published their responses on the Draft Taxation Laws Amendment Bill (“TLAB”), which included potential relief for South African expatriates who were unable to leave South Africa owing to the Covid-19 lockdown.
The protracted lockdown in South Africa resulted in the Department of Home Affairs (“DHA”) offering limited emergency services. South African citizens and permanent residents seeking Civic Services such as unabridged birth and marriage certificates were left frustrated as existing applications were indefinitely delayed.
National Treasury has responded to some of the key changes proposed in its Draft Tax Law Amendment Bill (TLAB) and Draft Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill (Draft TALAB) – including questions around emigration and harsher punishments for taxpayers.
South African expatriates who were unable to leave South Africa on account of the lockdown will be relieved to learn that the requirements of the foreign employment exemption (Section10(1)(o)(ii)) will be relaxed.