SARS 2023 Tax Filing Season for Individual Taxpayers

On 23 June 2023 SARS announced the start of the Filing Season 2023 on 7 July 2023 @ 8pm.

Deadlines for filing are:
⦁ Individual taxpayers (non-provisional): 23 October 2023
⦁ Provisional taxpayers:  24 January 2024

Payment due dates for non-provisional eFilers will be adjusted as follows:
⦁ Auto assessed taxpayers -due date 30 days post Filing Season 2023 closing date (23 October 2023)
⦁ Not auto-assessed taxpayers, payment due date will be 30 days after a notice of assessment has been issued.

Provisional taxpayers as well as Trust submissions can start with filing a return from 7 July 2023 after 8 pm until 23 January 2024.

What has changed?

1. No more 40 Business Days Rule on Auto Assessments – non-provisional taxpayers can now amend the auto-assessment up till 23 October 2023 which is the normal filing due date. This will give those in the auto-assessment population more time to file a return if they wish to edit their auto-assessments.
2. Statement of Assets and Liabilities
   Provisional taxpayers with business interests are required to declare their assets and liabilities (based on cost) in their tax returns each year. Provisional Taxpayers with assets above R50 million are required to declare specified assets at market values on their 2023 tax returns.
3. Foreign Income Disclosure
   A new Foreign Income container on the return for taxpayers who must declare worldwide foreign income was introduced with three new fields:
   ⦁ New field “Income received from foreign employment services not reflected on a South African IRP5/IT3(a) certificate, subject to tax outside RSA and the s10(1)(o)(ii) exemption does not apply”.
   ⦁ New field “Income received from foreign employment services not reflected on a South African IRP5/IT3(a) certificate, subject to tax outside RSA and the s10(1)(o)(i) exemption applies.”
   ⦁ New field “Income received from foreign employment services not reflected on a South African IRP5/IT3(a) certificate, subject to tax outside RSA and the s10(1)(o)(i) exemption does not apply.”.
4. Spouses Married in Community of Property Assessment
   Taxpayers who are married in community of property are taxed on half of their interest, dividends, rental income, and capital gains. This Filing Season SARS has retrieved “Married in community of property” status from taxpayer’s previous declaration and collaborated with the Department of Home affairs to confirm marital status. Where the spouses are successfully matched and have interest investments, SARS will replicate the interest investment certificate on both spouses’ return where they will be taxed 50% upon assessment.
5. Section 93 Reduced Assessment
   SARS has automated the process of requesting Reduced Assessment in terms of section 93 of the Tax Administration Act. The process will use a form called RRA01 where taxpayer will be able to complete it on e-Filing.
6. There are various updated guides are available on the SARS website guiding the process. You can access them via the SARS website here.

For more on the Auto Assessment process see read more on ‘How does Auto-Assessment work’ here.

New Features introduced

Tax Return Status Dashboard

The SARS Online Query System has a new feature, the Tax Return Status Dashboard providing Taxpayers, Registered Representatives and Tax Practitioners with a visual status of the progress of Personal Income Tax returns in terms of submission, verification/audit, and refund processing.

You are now able to check the progress of your Personal Income Tax Return after submission. This enhancement aims to keep you informed so there is no need for you to phone the SARS Contact Centre or go to a SARS Branch office.

Check your auto-assessment status
Taxpayers who qualify for this year’s Filing Season 2023 auto-assessment can now check whether they have been auto-assessed via the SARS Online Query Service functionality, click here.