News

National Treasury Withdraws Controversial Proposal to Remove Tax Exemption on Foreign Pensions, Opts for Broader Consultation The National Treasury has for now abandoned its highly contested proposal to remove the tax exemption for foreign pensions applied to South African tax residents. This follows a robust public participation process where several role players warned of the […]

Tax Season May Be Over, But South African Expatriates’ SARS Work Might Not Be With the 2025 tax submission season now behind us, many South Africans living abroad may believe their tax obligations are settled for the year. However, for expatriates whose records at the South African Revenue Service (SARS) still reflect them as South

Parliament Heard: Foreign Pensions Tax Could Deter Wealthy Retirees, Returning Expatriates and Investment The proposed removal of the tax exemption on foreign retirement funds for South African tax residents could have far-reaching negative consequences, including deterring wealthy foreigners and expatriates from choosing South Africa as a retirement destination, discouraging return migration, and scare off global

Hidden Danger of Under-Declaring Income: Why Expats May Be More at Risk Without Knowing It “In terms of the Tax Administration Act, the accused is obliged to submit tax returns for assessment by a specific return date. The accused failed to submit 4 Personal Income Tax returns. Now, therefore the accused is guilty on 4

Outdated SARS Security Details Could Lock South African Expatriates Out of the System Many South Africans living abroad do not realise that outdated contact information such as old mobile numbers or inactive email addresses on the South African Revenue Service (SARS) system, can block access to their eFiling profile, often with serious consequences. READ MORE

Think You’re Safe Abroad? SARS Says Otherwise According to the 2025 Henley Private Wealth Migration Report, South Africa is projected to lose approximately 250 dollar-millionaires this year alone. Despite this continued outward migration of high-income individuals, the number of taxpayers formally ceasing tax residency with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) to protect their worldwide

SA Non-Tax Residency – The Rush Must Not Foreshadow Precision With the 2025 annual tax filing season deadline fast approaching, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has quickly tightened its verification processes for taxpayers requesting to update their tax residency status to that of non-resident on a more urgent basis than they would have liked.

Moving Abroad May Also Require the Right Tax Move at Home As South Africans seek new lives and opportunities abroad, many remain unaware that their tax obligations at home will continue to follow them until they formally cut tax ties with the South African Revenue Service (SARS). Ceasing to be a South African tax resident

Knowing Your SARS Status Matters: Here is Why a Tax Diagnostic Report is Essential For many taxpayers, especially expatriates, managing South African tax obligations from a distance can be complicated. Years may pass without any direct interaction with the South African Revenue Service (SARS), and key details like contact information, banking details, and tax number

SARS Coming After Foreign Retirement Funds South Africans who have worked abroad and accumulated foreign retirement funds, or foreign nationals who become South African tax residents, need to urgently be aware that the South African Revenue Service (SARS) now wants taxing rights on their foreign retirement funds. This proposed amendment is set to come into