Start filing tax returns says SARS

"By 6.30am on Monday‚ 260 SARS officials were already on the streets raising awareness about the start of the tax season‚" spokesman Adrian Lackay said.

"By the start of business this morning‚ more than 11‚238 income tax returns have already been submitted via eFiling on the Internet‚" Lackay said.

Lackay said that by the deadline of the end of November 2012‚ 5.66m tax returns had been submitted‚ a 16.4% increase from 2011.

Refunds of R14.55bn were paid to taxpayers‚ which was 14.8% more than the previous year.

Lackay said the annual tax season represented one of the biggest‚ direct engagements between a public institution of the South African government and taxpayers.

"It also serves as a key determinant of the levels of compliance with the laws of the country among ordinary citizens ‚" he said.

The key focus for this year was to encourage taxpayers to use electronic channels to file their tax returns‚ and avoid queues at SARS offices.

If the taxpayer was not able to complete and submit the tax return themselves using eFiling‚ it could be done by a SARS consultant at any branch.

The deadline to submit returns by post‚ or drop them off at a SARS drop box‚ was 27 September.

Non-provisional taxpayers had until 22 November‚ and provisional taxpayers until 31 January next year. Provisional taxpayers generally earn income from investments‚ business activities‚ rent‚ and royalties.

Lackay said from this year any taxpayer whose gross income was below R250 000 need not file a tax return if they met the following requirements:

• Only earned one salary from one employer;
• Did not have any other form of income such as interest or rental income;

• Did not need to claim deductions such as medical expenses‚ retirement annuities‚ or travel expenses.