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Tax returns via the internet

Brand South Africa
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May 10th, 2006

6 June 2006

The South African Revenue Service (Sars) is giving 2.7-million taxpayers the opportunity to file their tax returns over the internet from this year.

Sars has made an electronic submission facility available to 2.7-million individuals who earn a basic salary and allowances such as medical aid and travel.

The facility offers a range of benefits to taxpayers, including convenience and accuracy with the submission and capturing of personal information.

Initially open to some 2.7-million individual taxpayers, the facility is the first phase of eventually extending electronic submission to all individuals and businesses.

The initiative improves on the free “e-filing” service Sars already offers, which is used by increasing numbers of businesses to submit their value-added tax, pay-as-you-earn, unemployment insurance fund and provisional tax returns and payments.

Taxpayers who want to make use of the electronic submission facility must:

Have access to the internet (employers are encouraged to make internet facilities available to employees for the purpose).
Register for the service on the website www.sarsefiling.co.za.
Agree to the terms and conditions of use.
Be in receipt of an IT 12S or IT 12SS income tax return.
Receive an income that consists of a basic salary plus allowances.

Sars is supporting the service with online instructions and a dedicated call centre at 0860 709 709.

In 2005, Sars recorded 4.5-million returns, and exceeded all expectations by collecting R418-billion in tax revenue – beating the revised estimate by R1-billion. The overrun has given South Africa its smallest deficit in over 25 years.

SouthAfrica.info reporter