Insights

Tax insights & articles

Guidance on provisional tax mechanics, deductions, and SARS compliance.

Compliance

The Final Stretch: Your 31 August IRP6 Checklist

The first 2026/27 provisional payment is due Monday 31 August. A step-by-step run-through for the final days — estimate, submission, payment clearance, and the proof you keep — so nothing slips on deadline day.

6 min read
Compliance

Seven IRP6 Mistakes That Cost Provisional Taxpayers Money

With the 31 August deadline approaching, these are the recurring IRP6 errors we see — from ignoring the pre-populated basic amount's staleness to forgetting PAYE credits — and what each one costs in penalties, interest, or overpaid tax.

7 min read
Compliance

How to Estimate Irregular Freelance Income for Your August IRP6

Your first provisional payment for 2026/27 is due 31 August — six months into a year you can't fully see. A practical method for estimating irregular income: annualising the half-year, adjusting for known changes, and documenting the logic.

8 min read
Compliance

How to Submit Your IRP6 in South Africa: A Step-by-Step Guide for the August Deadline

A complete step-by-step guide to submitting your IRP6 provisional tax return on SARS eFiling before the August deadline — including how to calculate your estimate and avoid penalties.

10 min read
Compliance

Filing Season 2026: What Provisional Taxpayers Need to Know Before Touching Their ITR12

Filing season is open — but if you're a provisional taxpayer, the rules, deadlines, and risks are different. What to gather, why auto-assessments don't apply to you, and how your ITR12 reconciles with the IRP6 payments you've already made.

8 min read
Deductions

Vehicle and Travel Expenses: What South African Freelancers Can Actually Claim

Independent contractors can deduct business travel costs under s11(a) — but the deduction lives or dies on a compliant logbook. Two calculation methods, apportionment rules, and common audit triggers explained.

9 min read
Compliance

Provisional Tax Calculator South Africa 2026/27: How to Calculate What You Owe SARS

Use South Africa's provisional tax calculator for 2026/27 to estimate your IRP6 payments, apply deductions, and avoid SARS penalties — built for freelancers earning R400k to R1.5m.

11 min read
Deductions

Tax Deductions for Freelancers in South Africa: The Complete 2026/27 Guide

Every tax deduction South African freelancers and independent contractors can legally claim — home office, travel, retirement, equipment, and more — with SARS requirements explained.

12 min read
Tax Planning

How to Reduce Your Tax Bill in South Africa: A Practical Guide for Freelancers

Legal, SARS-compliant strategies to reduce your tax liability in South Africa — from retirement contributions to home office deductions for independent professionals.

10 min read
Compliance

How to Calculate Your First Provisional Tax Payment

A plain-English guide to your first IRP6 submission — what to include, how to estimate, and how to avoid penalties.

6 min read
Deductions

Maximising Retirement Contributions as a Contractor

How independent contractors should calculate their 27.5% limit when taxable income exceeds standard remuneration.

8 min read
Deductions

Tax Deductions Salaried Employees Can Actually Claim in South Africa

PAYE does not mean there is nothing to claim. The deductions and credits ordinary South African employees most often qualify for, and the documents SARS expects behind each one.

7 min read
Compliance

The R1.8m Threshold: What Changes in 2026/27?

An analysis of the new underestimation penalty brackets and how they impact provisional taxpayers earning above the threshold.

10 min read
Technology

Why Offline-First Matters for Financial Data

Understanding local AES-GCM-256 encryption and why keeping your tax data off cloud servers mitigates risk.

7 min read