I am not sure what to do with his money earned while working offshore. He writes: I work offshore and, therefore, my income is not taxable in SA. I have resigned from my company to move to another. The new company does not have a retirement/saving plan that I have been contributing into. It is Fidelity in the UK. As it was a company plan, I cannot continue with it and I am now going to get paid out this lump sum of $170 000. I want to invest this for retirement. What is the best way? Bring it into SA due to current favourable exchange rates and pay off my house, because it is about the same amount that is owed on the house?
Category: International Tax
On South African tax compliance, tax morality and taxpayers’ freedom to do tax planning – Canada, Ireland and South Africa are not worlds apart
The upcoming Budget Speech comes against the backdrop of a depressing South African growth rate, stubbornly high unemployment, a depreciating Rand (with more US tapering still to come), continued strikes in the mining sector, deadly service delivery protests and declining tax revenues. On a more positive note: In November 2013 Minister Gordhan pointed to the continued growth in tax compliance by South Africans and said: “… the ability to collect tax revenue …to finance the provision of public services and socioeconomic infrastructure has been a cornerstone of our democracy these 20 years.”
Sars takes on South African billionaire
Pretoria – South African billionaire Mark Krok’s local assets, worth R298m, were placed under curatorship by the North Guateng High Court in Pretoria on Friday. The SA Revenue Service (Sars) obtained a final preservation order against the businessman. Judge Hans Fabricius confirmed a provisional preservation order granted in February last year against Krok’s South African assets. The assets include a large portfolio of shares in JSE-listed companies such as African Bank, BHP Billiton, Bidvest, First Rand, MTN, Vodacom, Sasol, SABMiller, and Tsogo Sun. They also include a plot in Plettenberg Bay, a R40m property in Clifton and a Jeep Sahara.
The limitation of deductions for untaxed interest
Author: Kyle Mandy (PwC) The Taxation Laws Amendment Bill 39 of 2013 proposes the introduction of a new section (section 23M) to the Income Tax Act (ITA) to limit the deduction of interest incurred by a debtor in respect of a debt owed to a creditor that is in a ‘controlling relationship’ with the debtor and the interest in question is not subject to South African tax. The restriction will apply to interest incurred on or after 1 January 2015. In essence, the section limits the deduction for interest paid between connected persons where the interest is not taxed in the hands of the recipient to an amount determined with reference to 40% of taxable income before interest and capital allowances.
Income Tax Act 58 of 1962 – Deemed exchange gains & losses
Section 24I(10) of the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962 (ITA) has been replaced by a new provision for years of assessment commencing on or after 1 January 2013. Section 24I(10) of the ITA deferred unrealised exchange gains and losses on exchange items between connected persons and groups companies until they were realised. However, section 24I(10) has been deleted and replaced with section 24I(10A)with effect from years of assessment commencing on or after 1 January 2013.
Transfer Pricing adjustments: What are the consequences?
Author: Billy Joubert (Deloitte) South Africa’s transfer pricing rules changed radically for years of assessment starting on or after 1 April 2012. This means that the consequences of such an adjustment being made now are very different, depending on whether the adjustment relates to a year of assessment commencing before – or after – 1 April 2012. Perhaps the most fundamental change was in relation to the mechanics for making transfer pricing adjustments. As regards the consequences of TP adjustments, these are also now very different. Many of the TP adjustments currently being made or contemplated relate to years of assessment commencing before 1 April 2012. For ease of reference we shall refer to such years as old years.
New Withholding Tax on Cross-Border Services
Author: Graeme Palmer (Commercial Department of Garlicke & Bousfield Inc) The Income Tax Act, 1962 was recently amended to provide for a new withholding tax on cross-border service fees. According to the new law, a withholding tax of 15% must be levied on the amount of any service fee that is paid by any person to or for the benefit of any foreign person to the extent that the amount is regarded as having been received by or accrued to the foreign person from a source within South Africa. A foreign person is any person who is not a resident.
International Tax – South African executives on foreign boards
Introduction South African companies are increasingly looking to global expansion to build their capabilities and expand their operations into foreign jurisdictions. Where South Africans serve on the boards of foreign companies and render services to foreign entities, they typically do so in terms of split employment contracts in respect of their services rendered within and outside of South Africa. In addition to the remuneration, they may also receive directors’ fees for services rendered to the boards. Their employment contracts with the foreign company and the requirement
International Tax – Exit charge CGT – Section 9H
The Taxation Laws Amendment Bill 39 of 2013 (the Bill) was tabled by the Minister of Finance on 24 October 2013. One of the interesting amendments in the Bill to the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962 (the Act) relates to the exit charge on interests in immovable property, especially in light of the recent amendments to the double tax treaty between South Africa and Mauritius, concluded on 17 May 2013.
International Tax – Base erosion and profit shifting
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) issued a 15 point action plan on base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS). The plan aims to “effectively prevent double non-taxation” and to ensure that low tax jurisdictions will not be able to continue with practices that “artificially segregate taxable income from the activities that generate it”. It seems that the action plan of the OECD will have a huge impact on worldwide transfer pricing and these actions must be carefully considered as it may have a major impact on how multinational groups operate.