Personal Tax
Guides to South African personal income tax returns: ITR12, deductions, medical aid, retirement funds and refunds.
- ITR-DD Form: Disability Expenses on Your ITR12. The ITR-DD form confirms a disability so medical costs earn the 33.3% credit with no 7.5% floor. Who signs it, how long it lasts. Ask us to check yours.
- Section 18A Certificate: Donations on Your ITR12. A section 18A certificate turns a donation into a tax deduction. What it must show, the 10% limit and code 4011 on your ITR12. Ask us to check yours.
- IT3(f) Certificate: Retirement Annuity on Your ITR12. The IT3(f) is your RA fund's tax certificate. Where to get it, how SARS prepopulates it and how it feeds code 4006 on your ITR12. Ask us to check it.
- SARS Code 3828: Employer-Paid RA on Your IRP5. Code 3828 on your IRP5 is the retirement annuity premium your employer paid for you. How it flows into 4006 and your deduction. Ask us to check it.
- SARS Code 4005: Medical Aid Contributions on IRP5. Code 4005 on your IRP5 is your total medical aid contributions, including your employer's share. How it sets your medical tax credit. Ask us.
- IT3(c) Certificate: Capital Gains on Your ITR12. An IT3(c) reports gains and losses when you sell or switch unit trusts or shares. What codes 4250 to 4253 mean and how to check your ITR12. Ask us.
- SARS Code 3701: Travel Allowance on Your IRP5. SARS code 3701 is the travel allowance on your IRP5. How PAYE works on it, how a logbook supports your ITR12 claim, and when to ask us for help.
- SARS Code 3802: Company Car Fringe Benefit on IRP5. SARS code 3802 is the taxable benefit of your employer's car. How it is valued, how a logbook reduces it on your ITR12, and when to ask us for help.
- SARS Code 3813: Medical Costs Paid by Your Employer. Code 3813 on your IRP5 is medical costs your employer paid for you. How SARS taxes it, how it links to code 4024 and your medical credit. Read the guide.
- SARS Certificate of Residence: How to Apply (RC01). A SARS certificate of residence proves SA tax residence to a foreign employer or tax authority. How to apply on the RC01 and avoid a rejection. Read more.
- Section 9H Exit Tax: Ceasing SA Tax Residence. Section 9H taxes your assets as if sold the day before you cease SA tax residence. What it covers, what is excluded and how to file. Read our guide.
- SARS Code 4472: Employer Pension Fund Contributions. SARS code 4472 is your employer's pension fund contribution on your IRP5. How it links to codes 3817 and 4001, and what it means for your tax. Read more.
- IT3(s) Certificate: Tax Free Investments on Your ITR12. An IT3(s) is the certificate for your tax free savings account that SARS prefills on your ITR12. Learn the codes and limits, and see how to check it.
- IT3(b) Certificate: Interest on Your ITR12 Explained. An IT3(b) is the bank certificate for interest and investment income SARS prefills on your ITR12. See what it shows, how to check it and fix it on eFiling.
- SARS Code 3810: Medical Aid Fringe Benefit on IRP5. SARS code 3810 is employer-paid medical aid, taxed as a fringe benefit and counted as your contribution for medical credits. See how to check it. Ask us.
- SARS Code 3825: Employer Provident Fund Benefit. SARS code 3825 is your employer's provident fund contribution, taxed as a fringe benefit and deemed your own under 4003. See how to check it. Ask us.
- SARS Code 4216 and 4218: Foreign Dividends and Interest. SARS code 4216 is your foreign dividends and 4218 your foreign interest. How each is taxed, the foreign tax credit and how to file them. Read the guide.
- SARS Code 4001, 4003 and 3817 on Your ITA34. Your ITA34 is your SARS notice of assessment. What codes 4001, 4003, 4005 and 3817 on it mean, and how to check them on eFiling against your IRP5.
- Tax Practitioner for Your ITR12: How to Appoint One. Who may file your ITR12, how to check a tax practitioner is registered, and how to approve their eFiling access with a one-time PIN. Ask us for help.
- Section 10(1)(h) ITR12 2026: How to Claim Per Account. Section 10(1)(h) ITR12 2026: SARS now wants the exemption and DTA relief claimed per account. Line-by-line steps for emigrants and non-residents. Ask us.
- IT3(t) Trust Vesting on Your ITR12: Fix It by 23 Oct. IT3(t) trust vesting on my ITR12 differs from what I declared. What beneficiaries must check and fix before 23 October 2026. Read the practical steps.
- ROT Validation: Why SARS Rejects 2026 ITR12s. An outstanding Recognition of Transfer means SARS has not received the ROT01 or ROT02 from your fund, so your ITR12 is rejected. How to fix it and refile.
- Two-Pot Tax Owed on Your 2026 SARS Assessment. Two-pot tax owed on your 2026 SARS assessment? Why the directive was not final tax, how to read your ITA34, and what to do before 23 October.
- SARS Refund Delayed 2026: Why and How to Get Paid. SARS refund delayed? Learn how long a SARS refund takes in 2026, why refunds get held, and the practical steps to release your stuck payment. Read on.
- How to Declare Side Hustle Income to SARS. Learn how to declare side hustle income to SARS, when you become a provisional taxpayer, and what expenses you can claim. Book a call for guidance.
- Documents Needed to File Tax Return South Africa 2026. The documents needed to file your tax return in South Africa 2026: IRP5, IT3s, medical, RA and crypto records. Gather these before filing season opens.
- Breaking Down Tax for South African Entrepreneurs. A tax guide for South African salaried earners, freelancers, sole proprietors and crypto traders: key deadlines, crypto income and common pitfalls.
- The Tax Benefits of Retirement Annuities. An RA cuts your tax: contributions are deductible up to 27.5% of income, capped at R350,000 a year (R430,000 from the 2027 tax year), and grow tax-free.
- Tax Deductions You Might Be Missing Out On. Tax deductions you can claim in South Africa: medical credits, retirement funds, home office, travel and donations, and the records SARS expects.
- SARS eFiling Simplified: A Step-by-Step Guide for South African Taxpayers. A step-by-step guide to SARS eFiling for salaried employees, freelancers, sole proprietors and crypto traders, with key deadlines and common mistakes.
- Tax Tips for Sole Proprietors in South Africa. A sole proprietor pays income tax on business profit as personal income, via two IRP6 payments and the ITR12. Registration, records and mistakes to avoid.
- Maximising Your Tax Refund: 7 Common Mistakes South Africans Should Avoid. Seven filing mistakes that shrink or delay a SARS tax refund, from wrong banking details and missed deductions to undeclared crypto and late returns.
- Common Issues You May Face When Submitting Your Tax Returns. Common issues South Africans face when submitting tax returns, from changing tax laws and eFiling challenges to deadlines, residency and documentation.
- Taxes can be painful - your consultant should not be!. The most common complaints about tax consultants, from poor communication to missed deadlines, and what to look for in a tax professional instead.
- Retirement Annuity Tax Benefit. Retirement fund contributions are deductible up to 27.5% of the greater of remuneration or taxable income, capped at R350,000. See worked examples.
- Tax deductions for Pension, Retirement and Provident funds simplified. Codes 4003 (provident fund) and 4006 (retirement annuity) are deductible up to 27.5% of the greater of remuneration or taxable income.
- Medical tax deductions explained in simple language. Medical tax deductions explained in simple language: how the section 6A medical scheme fees credit and the section 6B additional medical credit work.
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