Trusts remain a valuable estate planning and asset protection tool, but they also carry ongoing compliance obligations. Many trustees assume that a dormant trust with no income, assets, or activity can simply be left alone. SARS has made it clear that inactivity does not remove a trust’s compliance obligations. With penalties now being imposed for outstanding trust returns, dormant trusts may be attracting more attention than their trustees realise.
Article Category:
Estate Planning: The Ambush Tax Lurking in the Wings
“I can't afford to die; I'd lose too much money.” (George Burns, comedian) At the heart of any estate plan lies your will. Pair it with a file containing all the information and documents that your executor and heirs will need to wind up your estate, and you’ve laid a...
Budget 2026: How Much Will the Increased CGT Primary Residence Exclusion Save You?
Phew! No major tax increases are planned, and taxpayers will benefit from zero “bracket creep” across a range of taxes. While property sellers and buyers will be disappointed that transfer duty thresholds have not increased, there’s reason to get very excited about the 50% increase in the primary residence CGT exclusion from R2m to R3m.
Read on for an illustrative calculation of CGT savings, some of the more important tax tables, and a calculator to show you how much more or less you will be paying in taxes.
Budget 2.0: A Mixed Bag, With Good News for Property
“Good in parts” (Like the curate’s egg) Transfer duty threshold increased by 10% You pay no transfer duty if the property you are buying sells for less than the set threshold. The threshold wasn’t increased last year, so this year’s proposed 10% increase from...
Budget 2024: Your Tax Tables and Tax Calculator
How much will you be paying in income tax, petrol and sin taxes? Use Fin 24’s four-step Budget Calculator here to find out. The unchanged transfer duty and tax tables, with a note on fiscal drag Unchanged from last year, so taxpayers can breathe a sigh of relief that...
Budget 2023: Your Tax Tables and Tax Calculator
How much will you be paying in income tax, petrol and sin taxes? Use Fin 24’s four-step Budget Calculator here to find out. Have a look at the tax tables below for the new tax rates and comparisons with last year’s rates - View Source Here
Budget 2023: The Minister of Finance Wants to Hear from You!
“Finally, we pay tribute to the millions of South Africans, whose resilience and courage during these times of pandemic and economic hardship, is an inspiration to all of us who have the privilege to serve in the public sector.” (From the 2022 Budget Speech) Finance...
New Year, New Business – How to Pick the Right Legal Entity for It
“Owning one's own business is an adventure – enjoy it every step of the way.” (From the SME Toolkit article referenced below) First, three questions to ask yourself… If you dream of going into business for your own account in 2023, ask yourself these...
“Double Jeopardy” for Tax Evasion – Penalties plus Prosecution
“Administrative penalties and criminal proceedings do not serve the same purpose. The [one] is aimed at strengthening internal controls of the administrative authority and to promote compliance while the other is aimed at correcting a behaviour that caused harm to the...
Selling Property this Festive Season: The Tax Angle
December and January have always been prime months for selling residential property in South Africa, and if you are a “Festive Season Seller”, here are two really important tips for you. Plan your financesUnderstand and plan for all the financial implications, not...









