Tax Season 2026: Don’t Just Accept — Check First

PJ Botha • July 3, 2026

Dear Client,


Tax season is here again, and many South Africans will receive an auto-assessment from SARS.


Auto-assessments can be very convenient. SARS uses information from employers, medical schemes, retirement funds, banks and investment providers to pre-populate your tax return. In many cases, this makes the process quicker and easier.


However, easier does not always mean correct.


We have already seen cases where auto-assessments were not fully accurate or where important information still needed to be checked. That is why our message this tax season is simple: don’t just accept your SARS assessment without reviewing it properly first.


Between 1 July and 12 July 2026, SARS will notify selected taxpayers by SMS or email if they have been auto-assessed. The notice will show whether you are due a refund, whether you need to pay SARS, or whether there is no amount payable or refundable.


If you receive an auto-assessment and everything is correct, you do not need to submit a separate return. But before accepting it, you should still log in to SARS eFiling and check the details carefully.


If something is incorrect or missing, you should update and submit your tax return through eFiling.


A few practical tips for tax season

Before accepting or submitting anything, make sure you have the correct supporting documents on hand. These may include your IRP5, medical aid tax certificate, retirement annuity contribution certificate, investment tax certificates, tax-free investment certificate, donation certificates, rental income records and any other relevant supporting documents.


Do not only look at the refund or amount payable. It is tempting to focus only on whether SARS says you are getting money back, but the more important question is whether the information behind the assessment is correct.


Check that your personal details and banking details are up to date. Incorrect banking details can delay refunds, while outdated contact details may mean you miss important communication from SARS.


Keep your supporting documents for at least five years from the date of submission, as SARS may request them later to verify your return.


What to look out for on your investments

Investment income is an area where clients should be especially careful. SARS may receive information directly from financial institutions, but you should still compare the information on your return with your tax certificates.


Here are a few important items to check:


Interest income
Check whether all local and foreign interest has been included correctly. Even small interest amounts from bank accounts or money market investments can form part of your taxable income.


Dividends and foreign dividends
Local dividends are generally subject to dividends tax, but they may still appear on your tax certificate. Foreign dividends can have different tax treatment and should be reviewed carefully.


Capital gains and losses
If you sold or switched investments during the tax year, there may be a capital gain or loss. This can happen even if you did not withdraw the money into your bank account. For example, switching between funds can sometimes trigger a disposal for capital gains tax purposes.


Retirement annuity contributions
Make sure your retirement contributions are correctly reflected. If your contributions were more than the amount allowed as a deduction for the year, the excess amount may be carried forward and used in future years. Your notice of assessment, known as the ITA34, should reflect this.


Tax-free investments
Although growth and income in a tax-free investment are not taxed, your contributions still need to be monitored. Make sure your tax-free investment certificate is correct and that you have not exceeded the annual or lifetime contribution limits.


Living annuity income
If you receive income from a living annuity, check that the income and PAYE deducted are correctly reflected. It is also important to keep your tax affairs up to date, as SARS can recover outstanding tax debts directly from certain third parties, including income providers.


Two-pot retirement withdrawals
If you made a withdrawal from the savings component of your retirement fund, this amount is taxed at your marginal income tax rate. Your fund administrator should issue an IRP5 or IT3(a) certificate showing the withdrawal and any tax withheld.


Be careful not to assume that the tax deducted at the time of withdrawal fully settles your final tax position. If you also earned other income during the year, such as a bonus, rental income or investment income, you may still have additional tax to pay when your return is assessed.


A simple checklist before you accept or submit


Before finalising your tax return, ask yourself:


Have I checked my SARS auto-assessment in detail?
Have I compared the SARS information to my actual tax certificates?
Are all my sources of income included?
Are my investment certificates reflected correctly?
Are my retirement contributions correct?
Have I checked whether any capital gains or losses apply?
Have I included medical aid, donation or other allowable deductions where relevant?
Are my banking and contact details correct?
Have I saved my supporting documents?


Tax season does not need to be stressful, but it does require care. SARS has made the process more automated, but the responsibility to ensure your return is complete and accurate still remains with you.


Taking a few extra minutes to check your assessment properly can help you avoid delays, unexpected tax bills or corrections later.


PJ Botha CFP ® CA(SA)

GESPREK OOR WELVAARTSKEPPING IN SUID AFRIKA

By Agulhas Besprekingsforum: Dr. Riaan Botha • October 1, 2026
Die gesprek het plaasgevind in Struisbaai se rolbal klubhuis en is bygewoon deur 35 persone. Die aanbieding wat ek gedoen het, het die persoonlike uitdagings van ’n welvaartskepper beskryf. Punte wat uitgelig is: Wat is jou passie? Kies ’n strategie om jou passie uit te leef. Kennis is die sleutel tot suksesvolle welvaartskepping. Leer goeie geld gewoontes aan. Positiewe uitkyk op die lewe - Beheer wat binne jou vermoë is. Bou ’n netwerk van goeie mense wat jy vertrou. Bou jou persoonlike handelsnaam. Welvaartskepping is ’n lang reis. Geen kitsrykdom nie. Bovest sal jou help met finansiële advies: Om persoonlike finansiële doelwitte te stel. Om ‘n monitor program op te stel vir beplande finansiële doelwitte. Daar het ’n goeie gesprek na die aanbieding gevolg. Die huidige werkloosheid situasie in SA is bespreek en dat veral jong mense hul eie besighede moet begin om persoonlike welvaart te skep. Aangesien die ’n ouer gehoor was in welvaart bewaring ook bespreek. Die voorsitter, Danie Schutte, het ten slotte sy dank uitgespreek dat daar ’n positiewe situasie vir welvaartskepping in SA uitgebeeld is. Dit is veral vir jong mense bemoedigend om nie oorsee te gaan werk soek nie maar hier plaaslik ’n inkomste te skep.

OUDERDOM = AANPASSINGS

By Dr. Riaan Botha • September 30, 2026
Een van die kenmerke van ouderdom is dat persone aanpassings moet maak aan jou lewenstyl om tred te hou met die verouderingsproses. Persoonlike finansiële begrotings word geraak deur veranderende omstandighede. Wanneer inkomste verdien word, word persoonlike welvaart geskep en wanneer afgetree word, word die aanpassing gemaak om die verworwe welvaart te bewaar en te geniet. Veranderinge in jou lewe word soos volg deur Andy Warhol in “Change your World” beskryf: “They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.” (J.C.Maxwell, R.Hoskins. Change your World. 2021.) Hoe word suksesvolle aanpassings gemaak? Daar bestaan verskillende teorië oor wat gedoen moet word om suksesvol aan te pas by omstandighede. Die konsensus is dat daar eerstens ’n verandering in die manier van denke moet wees. Jy moet anders dink om aan te pas by jou nuwe omstandighede. Die pas afgetredene moet besef dat waar hy/sy as ’n werkende ’n inkomste verdien het, ’n aanpassing in denke moet plaasvind om die bestaande aftree kapitaal te bewaar en te geniet. Tweedens moet persone wat aftrede aanpassings maak , indien nodig, aan byvoorbeeld hul lewensstyl. Afhangend van hoeveel aftree kapitaal beskikbaar is moet seker gemaak word dat onttrekkings wat hul lewensstyl befonds nie die aftree kapitaal erodeer nie. Die belangrike beginsel geld dat jy nie jou aftree kapitaal moet oorleef nie. Die jaarlikse hersiening saam met jou Bovest finansiële adviseur oor die stand van aftree kapitaal, is daarom noodsaaklik. Dit is derdens belangrik om die aangepaste omstandighede te benut om jou nalatingskap te finaliseer. Opdateer jou testament en maak seker dat daar genoeg fondse beskikbaar gaan wees om die verwagte boedelbelasting te betaal. Ten slotte is dit belangrik dat die aksies wat geneem word met die aanpassing van jou lewe as ’n afgetredene, ’n verskil maak oor hoe jy verouder. Jou nalatingskap en oor hoe mense om jou gaan beleef, sal getuig of dit die moeite werd was.