Business rescue will not be a viable option for companies in distress, until amendments are made to the Income Tax Act and VAT requirements. Any benefit that financially distressed companies could potentially derive from business rescue might be nullified by the tax implications of certain common business rescue processes. “In fact, unless amendments are made to the Income Tax Act and VAT requirements, successful business rescue will often not be possible,” says Dawid van der Berg of tax, auditing and business advisory company BDO.
Author: Nyasha Musviba
SARS–Transfer Duty Guide
Today, Sars issued a new guide for transfer duty, it replaces the previous issue, Transfer Duty Handbook that was issued in March The new guide contains a discussion of the application of the Transfer Duty Act 40 of 1949, in respect of transactions involving immovable property such as land, buildings and other real rights in connection with immovable property situated in South Africa. Although fairly comprehensive, the guide does not deal with an analysis of all the legal detail which may sometimes be necessary when dealing with immovable property transactions. However, it has been necessary to include a certain amount of technical and legal terminology in explaining certain concepts which underpin the transfer duty legislation.
Commissioner's discretion to levy or remit penalties under the Tax Administration Act
By Beric Croome and Elsabe Strydom , ENS – Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs The Tax Administration Act 28 of 2011 (“TAA”) which came into effect on 1 October 2012 (bar a few specific sections) introduced two types of penalties, namely administrative non-compliance penalties and understatement penalties. This article considers whether the Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (“SARS”) has any discretion to levy the above mentioned penalties as compared to any discretion provided for in the repealed penalty provisions as contained in the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962 (“ITA”). The taxpayer’s right to have the penalties remitted as per the TAA compared to the taxpayer’s right to remittance in terms of the ITA is also considered.
Call To Speed Up African Tripartite FTA Negotiations
by Lorys Charalambous, Tax-News.com, Cyprus The Government of Zambia has called on the three African regional economic communities (RECs) – the East African Community (EAC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) – to speed up their free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations.
SARS : Basic Guide to Income Tax for PBO and Donations deductions
In South Africa, an organisation that has a non-profit motive or is established or registered as a non-profit organisation does not automatically qualify for preferential tax treatment. An organisation will only enjoy preferential tax treatment after it has applied for and been granted approval as a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO).
Draft Interpretation Note: Deduction of expenditure incurred on repairs
SARS recently published Draft Interpretation Note on in which it seeks to provide guidance on the interpretation and application of section 11(d) which allows a deduction for expenditure incurred on repairs for the purposes of trade. Expenditure on repairs to an asset not comprising trading stock is likely to be of a capital nature, particularly when it is not incurred at regular intervals.
Draft Interpretation Note: determining a 'group of companies' for purposes of the corporate rules
This Draft Note when published as final one will provides guidance on the interaction of the definitions of a “group of companies” contained in sections 1(1) and 41(1). The corporate rules contain, amongst other things, special provisions relating to the income tax consequences (including capital gains tax consequences) of transactions between companies forming part of a “group of companies”. Under qualifying circumstances, the corporate rules make it possible for companies in such a group of companies to transfer assets between each other without adverse tax consequences.
Draft Interpretation Note : Treatment of Tips
Over the years tax implications on tips received by waiters had always been a grey area, SARS published a draft note that discusses and clarifies the potential income tax, SDL and UIF implications in respect of the receipt of tips encountered in (but not limited to) the service industry. The Note will focus on a “tripartite” tipping relationship between the following three parties: The patron, The recipient and The owner.
Do your objections and appeals to Sars correctly
Do your objections and appeals to Sars correctly ..… or else it could become very costly. The taxpayer in H R Computek (Pty) Ltd v CSars (830/2011) [2012] ZASCA 178 learnt a painful and expensive lesson about the importance of adhering to the rules and provisions relating to objection and appeal. In particular, this judgement reminds taxpayers, not for the first time, that the grounds of your objection are extremely important because you are stuck with them all the way through the judicial process.
PwC 2013 Tax Budget Comments
PwC 2013 Tax Budget Comments Personal Income Tax Higher income tax earners will have R231,25 less income tax to pay per month, assuming they have a basic annual taxable income of R700,000. Lower income tax earners will pay R86 less income tax annually, assuming they have an annual basic taxable income of R165, 600.The individual threshold for submitting a tax return was raised from R120,000 to R250,000 per year. This means that taxpayers that have taxable income of less than R250,000 annually will not be required to submit tax returns.