July 17, 2007
By Emily Visser
Almost four million personal tax return forms will be send out to Johannesburg residents over the month of July in a new revised, simplified format.
Residents will be expected to complete either an IT12S or IT12C form.
A further 380 000 addresses need further database checks to ensure that forms are send to the correct recipients.
The IT12S form is the standard income tax return to be completed by the majority of individual taxpayers who earn a salary with basic allowances.
The IT12C is the comprehensive income tax return to be completed by individual taxpayers who have additional income and deductions such as business or rental income, farming operations, capital gains/losses and foreign income.
"We are hoping to increase the number of people who file, [we] hope to increase our tax payer base," says South African Revenue Service (SARS) media relations manager, Yolisa Pikie, of the simplified process.
Two of the major changes include:
- Personal tax forms have been reduced from five to two.
- Supportive documentation, such as log books and medical aid statements, does not have to be submitted. However, taxpayers must retain the documents for five years in case SARS requests to see them.
The onus of proof, Pikie says, now rests squarely on the shoulders of the tax payer. "We wanted to move away from the situation where we assisted tax payers with their tax returns, which presented a legal conundrum in the event of any dispute arising."
The background processing will also be streamlined as a result of this, with forms being scanned instead of individually captured.
To speed up the process further, return forms are also available in electronic format on the SARS website.
Returns can be completed electronically, or can be printed and completed by hand. Once completed, the form must be signed and submitted to any SARS branch or SARS outreach points.
Alternatively, forms can be filed via the SARS e-filing system.
Tax return forms for all businesses, trusts and companies will be sent out in September.
The deadline for submitting returns is 31 October.
For more information contact the SARS call centre on 0860 121 218.
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