Often when a company recommends a product or service, you’ll find yourself asking - what’s in it for them? In this case the answer is better service at an excellent better price. Now, you know that we love Xero; it’s incredibly well-featured and constantly evolving to meet the demands of small to medium enterprises but it’s not always the most appropriate option for some companies.

Here’s a date for your diary - 24th of May, 2024. Now, that’s a rather important date if you hold a 5% or greater stake in a company in South Africa as it’s the last date to register under the newly introduced Beneficial Ownership Register. Failure to register if you should will be seen as a breach of the Companies Act and could result in fines being levied.

So what’s this all about, and what is Beneficial Ownership?

Managing a business involves a lot of responsibilities, with payroll management being one of the most critical. Understanding the intricacies of the payroll system in South Africa is essential for compliance and smooth operations, whether you're a startup or a seasoned business operator.

Here's a simplified breakdown of the payroll process.

As the start of a new tax year approaches, it’s time to shift our focus towards effective tax planning and ensuring a smooth filing process when the time comes.

For South African taxpayers, this means being proactive about retirement annuity contributions and keeping track of important documents as well as remembering to track your travel if you receive a travel allowance.

With filing season typically kicking off in July, now is the perfect time to get organised and stay ahead of the game.

I thought it would be nice to write about something other than tax and year-ends. Yes, they’re important, and yes I’ll continue to write about them, but a change, they say, is as good as a rest. (Personally, I’m not sure about that, but whatevs…)

As thoroughly modern accountants we have wholeheartedly embraced technology, you may have noticed this! In addition to our client-facing systems we use technology ourselves to stay on top of our business.

As the year progresses and you contemplate ways to reward the dedication and hard work of your teams (and perhaps yourselves as directors), gift vouchers emerge as a popular and appreciated token of gratitude.

However, your largesse should also be tempered with an understanding of the tax implications such gestures carry, especially under the regulations of SARS. This guide aims to shed light on these implications, ensuring that your acts of appreciation are both generous and tax compliant 😆.

Thinking about the end of the tax year does tend to induce a sense of mild dread; what will SARS want? When will they want it? Will this ever end?! 😆

While it can feel onerous, there are some things you can do before the end of the tax year which are very much to your benefit, rather than the wellbeing of the tax authorities. One of the biggest of these is topping up your retirement fund or pension fund before the end of the tax year in South Africa (which runs from 1 March to the end of February).

In South Africa, managing a (Pty) Ltd company involves understanding tax obligations and benefits as outlined by the South African Revenue Service (SARS). One of the questions that arise in the realm of tax deductions involves the eligibility of claiming expenses for reading glasses. This blog delves into whether reading glasses can be considered a deductible expense under current South African tax laws for (Pty) Ltd companies.

In South Africa, the rules for deducting travel expenses for directors of small proprietary limited companies (Pty Ltd) are governed by the South African Revenue Service (SARS).  These rules can be quite specific and are subject to change, so it's always best to consult the latest SARS guidelines or a tax professional. However, we can provide a general overview.

Well, that’s Christmas and New Year done, and we’ve all had plenty of time to clear our heads and face up to 2024! So, Happy New Year, and let’s talk about… Tax!

We know - it’s not the most thrilling subject, but a failure to deal with it in a timely manner will guarantee you interesting times as SARS starts asking pointed questions.

So, what are the filing dates for 2024? Fortunately for all of us, these are no secret, SARS posts these on its website, but here’s an extract of the relevant information: