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.

MTN International (Mauritius) v CSARS – HC23203/11

JUDICIAL REVIEW AND RAISING ASSESSMENTS By Heinrich Louw, Cliffe Dikker Hofmeyr On 31 January 2013, judgment was handed down in the North Gauteng High Court in the case of MTN International (Mauritius) Limited v Commissioner for the South African Revenue Service (as yet unreported, case no 23203/11). The facts were briefly as follows. The taxpayer was a Mauritian company, registered as a taxpayer with the South African Revenue Service (SARS), and a subsidiary of a South African holding  company. The taxpayer acquired various interests, notably in Nigeria and the Middle East, through loans obtained from its South African holding company.

UK Court decision on corporate tax residency

Written by: Justin Liebenberg, Director Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Tax A company incorporated outside South Africa can be tax resident here if its place of effective management (POEM) is located in South Africa. POEM is also often used as the tie-breaker to finally determine corporate tax residency under double tax agreements. A recent court decision in the UK sheds further light on POEM especially in the context of a double tax agreement.