SARS expands tech options

The SA Revenue Services (SARS) will, over the next few weeks, introduce its new technologies for filing tax returns.

“SARS has undertaken to provide a range of exciting technologies to taxpayers to make filing a tax return more convenient. These products are currently being tested with a sample group of taxpayers, and will be ready for rollout over coming weeks,” says the revenue service.

The service says the technologies include a new eFiling application that allows taxpayers to complete and submit their ITR12 tax returns and receive their assessments on devices such as iPads, smartphones and tablets.

It will also introduce an eFiling mobi site (sarsefiling.mobi) where taxpayers can complete and submit their ITR12 return on their cellphones. The taxpayer can visit www.sarsefiling.co.za and the phone will be routed to the mobisite.

“SARS has utilised cutting-edge technology to develop a service called Help-You-eFile in which taxpayers can get access to a SARS contact centre agent, while they are eFiling their return, who will guide taxpayers through the process.

“With the consent of the taxpayer, the SARS contact centre agent will be able to access the taxpayer's browsing session and view exactly what the taxpayer is doing on their screen, enabling them to guide and help the taxpayer step-by-step in completing and submitting their ITR12 return on eFiling.”

There is also SARS on YouTube, an educational tool that was made available to taxpayers on 2 July. The service says over 13 000 taxpayers have visited the YouTube channel at youtube.com/sarstax to get assistance to register for eFiling, how to complete and submit returns on eFiling, and how to submit supporting documents to SARS.

SARS says, overall, one million tax returns have been submitted in record time. By 7:30am yesterday, it had received 1 001 162 income tax returns for the 2012 tax season.

The one million-mark for returns received was achieved just 22 days after the tax season opened on 1 July. Last year, it took five weeks to reach the same mark.

“This is a phenomenal response by the South African taxpaying public. The levels of early filing have exceeded even SARS's own expectations,” says the service.

For the corresponding period last year, SARS had received 681 497 tax returns. This represents an increase of 62% for returns submitted during the first three weeks of the tax season.

“The higher rate of submissions and much faster turnaround times in processing tax returns has enabled SARS to pay R3.07 billion in refunds to 501 096 taxpayers over the past 22 days. This is a significant, direct injection into the domestic economy and household incomes. This is in comparison to refunding 323 197 taxpayers to the value of almost R2 billion in the previous tax season.”

SARS adds that this year there is again a strong migration to electronic filing via SARS branches, or eFiling, as only 3 796 returns were submitted manually (a decrease of 32% from last year).

“A total of 620 564 returns have been submitted via eFiling, which is 32% higher than for the same period last year. At branch offices, SARS has assisted taxpayers across the country to submit 376 802 returns electronically.”

Returns submitted with assistance from SARS at branch offices are 82% higher than for the same period last year.

Tax season 2012 runs from 1 July 2012 to 31 January 2013. The deadline for taxpayers who submit their tax returns manually by post or by dropping it off in a SARS drop box, is 28 September. The deadline for all taxpayers who submit their returns electronically at a SARS branch and non-provisional taxpayers who submit their returns via eFiling is 23 November. Provisional taxpayers who submit their returns via eFiling have until 31 January.