8 November 2021 – New Penalty Rule and Auto-Assessment process: With effect from 1 December 2021, SARS has been empowered to levy a late submission of return penalty where one or more personal income tax returns are outstanding. As a transitional measure for the first year, the one tax return or more rule will only apply to the 2021 tax return.
The deadline for individual non-provisional taxpayers is 23 November 2021. Taxpayers in the auto-assessment population, who neither accepted nor edited and submitted their simulated assessments by this date, will receive an original assessment based on an estimate in accordance with section 95 of the Tax Administration Act, 2011. This assessment is not subject to objection and appeal. However, a taxpayer who is not in agreement with his or her assessment may file a complete and accurate tax return within 40 business days of the assessment date. Such a return will be late, which means that normal late submission penalties and interest (where applicable) will apply. See the letter to stakeholders for more information.
To see an example of the reminder SMSs currently being sent, click here.
