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SARS refunds eFiling users R3.5bn

Staff Writer
By Staff Writer, ITWeb
Johannesburg, 23 Jul 2019

Revenue authority SARS on Monday announced it had paid out R3.5 billion worth in refunds during tax season to taxpayers using the SARS MobiApp from 1 July to date.

SARS has been encouraging taxpayers to submit their income tax returns via eFiling on the SARS MobiApp since the beginning of the tax season.

The 2019 tax season kicked off on 1 July, and closes on 4 December. The SARS mobi app is available for download from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Through the app, users can register for eFiling, submit a return, upload supporting documents, retrieve their username or reset their password and view their ITA34 form, among other services.

In statement, SARS said: “Tax filing season opened earlier for users of eFiling and the MobiApp, allowing a speedier and convenient filing experience without the need to queue at a branch, offering digital support and services such as Help-You-eFilers, which connects the taxpayer to a SARS tax agent for further guidance on eFiling.”

It added: “The call-back functionality on MobiApp and our Chat-Bot provide real-time answers to income tax-specific questions.”

SARS said once a tax return is assessed and a refund is due, “it will take an average of seven days to be paid out, provided that no debt is due, all obligations have been met, and no verification or audit is required.

“To avoid delays, taxpayers are urged to respond to requests for supporting documents and confirmation of banking details. These are validations that SARS must adhere to.”

The revenue authority added: “Taxpayers are also requested to ensure that third-party data from their service providers is correct and, where such information is incorrect, it be raised with their service provider for re-submission.”

Taxpayers who meet all of the following criteria need not submit a return:

  • Total employment income for the year before tax is not more than R500 000.
  • They only receive employment income from one employer for the full tax year.
  • They have no other form of income, such as car allowance, business income, and rental income, taxable interest or income from another job.
  • They don’t have any additional allowable tax-related deductions to claim, such as medical expenses, retirement annuity contributions and travel expenses.

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