The 2026 tax filing season is here, it officially starts tomorrow. When it comes to this period, for the millions of South Africans who pay tax, SARS will start its auto-assessment period from July 1 to July 12.
Although this automated system is quite accurate, discrepancies do arise from time to time, which is why people can file disagreements if there is a problem with the auto-assessment. It begins on July 13, with a deadline of October 23 for said disagreements.
To help taxpayers understand what to look for in terms of discrepancies, taxtime A list is shared with hypertext. The platform also launched a WhatsApp-based chatbot for locals who have tax-related queries to be answered instantly and most importantly free of cost.
“For 2026, SARS has enhanced the capabilities of its system. Enhancements include pre-populated third-party data, such as investment income; a simplified return with clearer questions; a dropdown of approved medical aid plans to reduce errors; delivery of assessment notices via WhatsApp; and a new declaration alert questionnaire aimed at reducing the number of returns marked for verification,” Taxtime explained in a release.
Andre Bothma, head of tax at Taxtime, said, “SARS' auto-assessment should really be better this year. But SARS can only assess what it can see. If there are income or deductions not in the data that SARS receives, they will not be included in your assessment, so it is your responsibility to get it right.”
As far as common items that may be missing, Taxtime offers the following advice:
- Freelance, side-hustle or other self-employment income,
- rental income,
- foreign income,
- Donation to Section 18A approved organisations,
- Paying eligible medical expenses out-of-pocket,
- home-office expenses,
- Business travel claim against traveling allowance,
- Direct retirement annuity contributions not reported by any fund.
Bothma stressed, “Shortfall in income and shortfall in deductions are two different problems. Shortfall in income can lead to under-declaration and SARS-related questions. Shortfall in deductions means you are leaving money on the table. So make sure to check it carefully for accuracy.”
Thus, before accepting, taxpayers should confirm that the income, deductions and personal details in the assessment match their actual position for the tax year.
If everything looks good after your investigation is completed, SARS treats the auto-assessment as an agreement, and it will stand as is. Additionally, any refunds of R100 or more are paid automatically, which SARS says happens within 72 hours, provided there are no banking, compliance or verification issues.
Bothma concludes, “Your best approach is to take a few minutes to check the numbers against your actual situation.” This is where it advised to use a dedicated testing tool available Free access to its website.
Also, to know more about TamTim new whatsapp chatbotClick on the embedded post below.
(Image courtesy) Behnam Norouzi on Unsplash)
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