“SARS will implement these tax relief measures because compliant taxpayers have paid their fair share of tax, making it possible for government to provide such a temporary safety net in a time of extreme difficulty” (SARS) Battered by national lockdowns of varying intensity since March last year, many businesses have been further affected by weeks…
“If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself” (Henry Ford) Initiating, setting up and launching a new, typically, small business is a challenge and can be a lonely journey to growth and, hopefully, success. Could developing a partnership or co-operative with like businesses be a pathway to growth and profitability? How…
“The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.” (John Maxwell) To be a good leader in the small business environment a person needs to possess a variety of skills, understand themselves and recognise areas where there is room for improvement. The leader’s abilities will be the…
“Do you know the difference between education and experience? Education is when you read the fine print; experience is what you get when you don’t” (American singer and social activist, Pete Seeger) Microinsurance refers to an area of cover made accessible to low-income individuals and businesses at relatively low cost. Within the South African context,…
07 September – Monthly Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) submissions and payments 23 September – Value-Added Tax (VAT) manual submissions and payments 29 September – Excise Duty payments 30 September – Corporate Income Tax (CIT) Provisional Tax payments where applicable 30 September – End of the 2nd Financial Quarter 30 September – Personal Income Tax (PIT) top-up Provisional…
“We would simply ask taxpayers to consider carefully the longer-term implication of defining an area in their primary residence as a home office for tax purposes” (Edward Kieswetter – SARS Commissioner) “All employers should allow their employees to work from home unless it is absolutely necessary for them to perform work on-site” was among the…
“Generosity is a virtue, but unlimited generosity is a fast route to bankruptcy” (Bret Stephens) Healthy cash flow is what keeps a company afloat. The ability to pay suppliers and staff, without risking the future of the business, entirely independently of expected new payments, is vital for any enterprise to keep going. In this era…
“When looking for funding, don’t just look for cash. Look for the right people” (American fashion entrepreneur, Jodie Fox) According to South African Reserve Bank data, the low level of small business financing appears to be emanating from the demand side as “the vast majority of SMEs indicate that they do not borrow from financial…
“One of our strategic objectives is to make it easy for taxpayers to comply with their tax obligations, and hard and costly for those who willfully do not comply” (Edward Kieswetter, SARS Commissioner) Earlier this year, SARS and the NPA (National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa) announced that they are joining up to deal with…
7 August – Monthly Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) submissions and payments 25 August – Value-Added Tax (VAT) manual submissions and payments 30 August – Corporate Income Tax (CIT) Provisional Tax Payments, where applicable 30 August – Excise Duty Payments 30 August – Personal Income Tax (PIT) Provisional Tax Payments Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be used…
The future of money is digital currency” (Bill Gates, Co-founder of Microsoft) Note: The risks and consequences of willfully or negligently failing to make full and true declarations to SARS, or to submit documents or information requested by SARS are now substantial, so ask your accountant for advice specific to your circumstances! Cryptocurrencies have been…
“If [business is] not listening to the youth, they are not listening to their future competitors, employees, or customers” (Wadia Ait Hamza, head of Global Shapers at the World Economic Forum) Youth Day commemorates and celebrates the impact the youth of a country can have on the future – the Soweto Uprising on 16 June…
“Digital is the main reason just over half of the companies on the Fortune 500 have disappeared since the year 2000” (CEO of Accenture, Pierre Nanterme) With the increased buzz around 4IR (the Fourth Industrial Revolution) in the last year particularly, due to lockdowns and “isolated industrialization”, it’s befitting to zoom-in the lens on how SMMEs…
“You are what you share” (Charles Leadbeater, We Think: The Power of Mass Creativity) Instagram is a popular photo and video-sharing social media platform with over one-billion active users around the globe. Users are able to share photo or video posts as well as temporary “Stories” that exist on their profile for just 24 hours.…
7 June – Monthly Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) submissions and payments 25 June – Value-Added Tax (VAT) manual submissions and payments 29 June – Excise Duty payments 30 June – Value-Added Tax (VAT) electronic submissions and payments 30 June – Corporate Income Tax (CIT) Provisional Tax Payments where applicable 30 June – End of the 1st Financial…
“The more that energy costs, the less economic activity there can be” (Robert Zubrin) It has been 13 long years since we first experienced load shedding in 2007. Since then, businesses have lost thousands of hours of productivity and significant amounts of money to these “rolling blackouts”. The situation is not going to improve –…
“The point to remember is that what the government gives it must first take away” John S. Coleman If it weren’t for the PAYE system, which forces employees to pay taxes as they earn their money, each of us would be liable for a lump sum payment of between 18% and 45% of our total…
“By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail” (Benjamin Franklin) The media is awash with warnings about the dangers of not complying with POPIA (the Protection of Personal Information Act) by 1 July 2021, and indeed the risks of non-compliance are substantial. The clock is ticking …. if anyone in your business needs to…
Many decisions are made on the basis of careful research and considerations about a variety of issues. Not all these deliberations will necessarily turn out to be correct. That in itself does not place question marks over the leadership’s execution of its responsibilities in terms of the Companies Act to act with due care, skill…
7 May – Monthly Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) submissions and payments 25 May – Value-Added Tax (VAT) manual submissions and payments 28 May – Excise Duty payments 31 May – Value-Added Tax (VAT) electronic submissions and payments 31 May – Corporate Income Tax (CIT) Provisional Tax Payments where applicable Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be…
“Is there a phrase in the English language more fraught with menace than a tax audit?” (Erica Jong, American novelist) A number of recent tax developments strongly indicate that taxpayers will face even more intense scrutiny from SARS in this new tax year. Most recently, an additional R3 billion was allocated to SARS in the…
“Designing a presentation without an audience in mind is like writing a love letter and addressing it ‘to whom it may concern” – Ken Haemer In these challenging times, raising finance could very well be a matter of business survival, so knowing how to pitch to potential investors is a critical skill you should not…
The European (and South African) authorities (refer to governance codes below) opted for a principles-based approach. However, governance cannot be truly effective without the integrity of purpose and actions which drive the ‘tone from the top’ leading to a strong moral compass founded on ethically-based values. The governance imperative Corporate Governance has been a topic of ongoing…
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest,” (American politician and inventor, Benjamin Franklin) Most SMMEs (Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises) in South Africa fold in the first two years of doing business. Reports suggest that the lack of education and training are some of the primary reasons for the low level of entrepreneurial activities…
The Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA) provides a statutory insurance policy for your employees and pays them compensation if they are killed, injured, disabled or contract an occupational disease or illness whilst at work. As an employer you are required to register and to submit an annual return (RoE or Return of…
7 April – Monthly Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) submissions and payments 23 April – Value-Added Tax (VAT) manual submissions and payments 29 April – Excise Duty payments 30 April – Value-Added Tax (VAT) electronic submissions and payments 30 April – Corporate Income Tax (CIT) Provisional payments where applicable. Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be used or…
“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” (Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu) It was with a sense of trepidation that South Africans awaited the 2021 Budget Speech by Finance Minister Tito Mboweni. Still confronted with all the challenges that existed before COVID-19 – massive debt, lacklustre growth, unemployment,…
How much will you be paying in income tax, petrol and sin taxes? Use Fin 24’s four-step Budget Calculator here to find out. Have a look at the tax tables below for the new Individual and Special Trust income tax brackets, and for a convenient reminder of the various other taxes that remain unchanged – Source: SARS…
“If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today” (Thích Nhất Hạnh) According to a press release issued this year by the World Bank, the pandemic has taken “a heavy toll of deaths and illness, plunged millions into poverty, and may depress economic activity and incomes for a prolonged period”.…
“It’s been said that government doesn’t create jobs, business does. For the most part, this is true. But government creates the environment in which businesses can excel and expand” (American politician and lawyer, Christine Gregoire) There are several resources that the government, under the guidance of the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD), has made…
(N.B. The increases highlighted below are extracted from the Employment and Labour Minister’s announcement of 9 February 2021, and emphasis has been supplied where helpful in enabling quick identification of your employment sector. Comment is in square brackets) “The National Minimum Wage (NMW) for each ordinary hour worked has been increased from R20,76 to R21,69 per hour [a 4.5%…
5 March – Monthly PAYE submissions and payments 25 March – VAT manual submissions and payments 30 March – Excise Duty payments 31 March – VAT electronic submissions and payments 31 March – Corporate Income Tax Provisional Tax payments where applicable. Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be used or relied on as professional…
“The only thing that hurts more than paying an income tax is not having [an income on which] to pay an income tax” (Thomas Dewar) Provisional tax is not a separate tax but rather a method of payment used to collect in advance some of a taxpayer’s income tax payable for the year. SARS calls…
“Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman – not the attitude of the prospect” (W. Clement Stone) With the world experiencing its toughest business environment in decades, your sales reps are the people who more than anyone else need to not only embody the company and its values, but also be capable of…
Many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are owned and managed by the founder(s), sometimes with the involvement of family members, and in the early stages of the life of a small or medium-sized company there would seem to be little reason or motivation to appoint independent non-executive directors to the board. However, as an entity…
“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure” (Colin Powell) The obvious starting points to securing tenders would be the likes of B-BBEE certification and company registration, but from an operational perspective – there are things suppliers can do to find relevant tenders, and to…
5 February – Monthly PAYE submissions and payments 25 February – VAT manual submissions and payments 25 February – Excise Duty payments 26 February- Personal Income Tax Provisional Tax payments 26 February – VAT electronic submissions and payments 26 February – Corporate Income Tax Provisional Tax payments Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not…
“If you think compliance is expensive – try non-compliance.” (Paul McNulty, former US Deputy Attorney General) The extent of corporate taxes – from income tax, employment taxes and value added tax (VAT) to dividend taxes, capital gains taxes, transaction taxes and other indirect taxes – along with the operational aspects such as data and reporting…
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest” (Benjamin Franklin) It can be tempting to look at South Africa and the bad news that seems to hit us like freight trains one after another, and immediately consider moving all your money offshore. There is however far more to consider than simply your gut feel, and…
Due to the recession, there are a rising number of local companies in financial distress and facing threats or applications from creditors to liquidate their businesses. The latest Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) figures released in November show that the total number of liquidations increased by 33.2% in the three months ended October 2020 compared with…
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” (Arthur C. Clarke, English science writer and inventor) Virtual meeting platforms have their pros and cons, but the standout advantages seem to be their cost effectiveness, time saving capabilities and their ability to host large numbers of attendees at very small cost. The options available to companies…
7 January – PAYE submissions and payments 25 January – VAT manual submissions and payments 28 January – Excise Duty payments 29 January – VAT electronic submissions and payments 29 January – CIT provisional payments Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be used or relied on as professional advice. No liability can be accepted…
The prevalence of remote working since the start of the national lockdown in March has brought to the fore the need to distinguish between an employee and an independent contractor. This topic has both labour and tax law implications. Anli Bezuidenhout, a Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr employment lawyer, said during an interview that a situation could…
“The avoidance of taxes is the only intellectual pursuit that carries any reward”: John Maynard Keynes While there are diverse reasons why SMMEs ultimately fail, financial mismanagement and poor performance are two of the most often-cited explanations. A financial forecast as a tool, allows businesses to plan their finances for the future – with the…
“He said that there was death and taxes, and taxes was worse, because at least death didn’t happen to you every year.” (Terry Pratchett, Reaper Man) Tax-free savings accounts (TFSAs) have been around for just over five years, and yet many people still do not know about them, are unfamiliar with the benefits or don’t…
“Every advantage has its tax.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson) The purpose of the foreign remuneration exemption, which was introduced in 2000, is to provide relief from any possible double tax that may arise where both South Africa and the foreign country taxes the same income derived from employment, according to a SAICA article on the topic,…
7 December – Monthly PAYE submissions and payments 24 December – VAT manual submissions and payments 30 December – Excise Duty payments 31 December – VAT electronic submissions and payments 31 December – CIT Provisional Tax Payments where applicable. Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be used or relied on as professional advice.…
“A leader’s lasting value is measured by succession.” (John C. Maxwell) Succession planning is preparing for the future of your business, ensuring the people and resources are available for its ongoing success beyond the lifetime of the current key players. It is especially critical in small businesses where the loss of a key person can…
“Meetings should be like salt – a spice sprinkled carefully to enhance a dish, not poured recklessly over every forkful. Too much salt destroys a dish. Too many meetings destroy morale and motivation” (Entrepreneur and author of “Rework”, Jason Fried) While the capacity for digital meetings and interviews has been around for some time, they…
“Forewarned is forearmed” (Samuel Shellabarger, Prince of Foxes) The daily Covid-19 infection rate has decreased considerably over the last month or so. South Africans have found a way to live with the risk of infections and have in the recent past become generally more active. This has increased the fear that there might be a…
There are five common tax pitfalls that owners of small businesses should look out for and avoid. These hazards include three value added tax (VAT) issues, one provisional tax matter, and the fifth item deals with the tax implications for owners of small businesses when they draw money from their company. Failing to avoid these…
6 November – Monthly PAYE submissions and payments 16 November – D-date for taxpayers filing online 25 November – VAT manual submissions and payments 27 November – Excise Duty payments 30 November – VAT electronic submissions and payments 30 November – Company Provisional Tax Payments where applicable. Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be…
“It goes without saying that no company, small or large, can win over the long run without energized employees who believe in the mission and understand how to achieve it.” (Jack Welch, former CEO of GE) The health and wellbeing (HWB) of employees has a substantial impact on business success and sustainability, and this has never been more…
The South African economy could take as long as seven years to get back to the size of R5.1 trillion it was at the end of 2019 before Covid-19 and the national lockdown. This forecast is according to Citadel chief economist Maarten Ackerman, who expressed this view during an interview. Long way back Christopher Loewald,…
“Cyber-Security is much more than a matter of IT.” (Stéphane Nappo, 2018 Global Chief Information Security Officer of the year) According to official communications from Experian, a consumer, business and credit information services agency, an individual in South Africa claiming to represent a legitimate client fraudulently requested services from it and was simply given the …
Business start-up planning has been extensively covered over the past twenty years and longer, and without understating its importance or re-inventing the wheel, perhaps it has been overplayed. Much training is available on the Internet, including templates and guidelines provided by banks and the SA Department of Trade and Industry. To start a freelancing business…
7 October – Monthly PAYE submissions and payments 22 October – D-day for Branch filing – Taxpayers who cannot file electronically 23 October – VAT manual submissions and payments 29 October – Excise Duty payments 30 October – VAT electronic submissions and payments 30 October – Company Provisional Tax Payments where applicable Disclaimer: The information…