3 reasons you might not qualify for a SARS refund
Many South Africans are hoping for a tax refund this season, but SARS won’t be paying out to everyone.
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has kicked off tax filing season, with auto-assessments already underway.
Many South Africans expect a sizeable refund from their non-provisional earnings over the past year, but that’s not always guaranteed.
SARS RETURNS: WHY YOU MAY NOT GET A REFUND
Many South Africans have taken to social media to celebrate the start of the SARS filing season. The tax authority began processing auto-assessments between 7 and 20 July.
For some taxpayers, this brings a welcome refund, extra cash from overpaid personal income taxes for the assessment year running from 1 March 2024 to 28 February 2025.
But not everybody will receive a refund. Here is why….
Your employer has correctly calculated your tax deductions, or Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax. Overcalculating or overtaxing equates to SARS paying you a refund. On the flip side, if your employer underpaid your PAYE, you are liable to pay a tax penalty directly to SARS.
You do not have allowable deductions like medical expenses, retirement funds, charitable contributions, and unreimbursed job expenses.
You did not work a whole year, and your PAYE calculations by your employer are accurate.
IMPORTANT DATES TO DIARISE
Here’s what to expect from the 2025 SARS tax filing season…
- Auto-assessments: 7 – 20 July 2025
- Filing season opens for non-provisional taxpayers who were not auto-assessed: 21 July – 20 October 2025
- Provisional taxpayers (people with multiple income streams): 21 July – 19 January 2026