We are now fully into tax season, with November 25 being the deadline for non-provisional taxpayers who are submitting their tax returns via eFiling or at an SA Revenue Service (Sars) branch. For provisional taxpayers, those who receive income from more than one source such as property investments or as a freelancer, the deadline is January 31.

To make sure that any tax payable is allocated correctly and any refunds are paid timeously, make sure your details with Sars are up to date, including your address, contact details and bank account details. Also provide Sars with all information and supporting documents on time. If you are not happy with your assessment, make sure you lodge your objection with Sars within 30 days of the assessment date.

Beware of scams

Tax season is also the time we see an escalation in tax refund scams, where individuals receive SMSes or emails claiming to be from Sars and asking you to verify your banking details. Remember that Sars will not ask for your banking details via post, email or SMS.

However, for the purpose of telephonic engagement and authentication purposes, Sars will verify your personal details. It’s important to not that Sars will not send you any hyperlinks to other websites – even those of banks. If you are in doubt, rather than clicking on the link, give Sars a call on 080 000 7277.