Tax season now open: Sars pays out R10bn in refunds after auto-assessments, you could be owed

Taxpayers who weren’t auto-assessed by the South African Revenue Services (Sars) can begin submitting for his or her tax return from Monday, 21 July.

The taxman accomplished auto-assessing taxpayers on 20 July, paying out greater than R10 billion in tax refunds.

Tax season 2025 is scheduled to run till 20 October for non-provisional taxpayers and till 19 January 2026 for provisional taxpayers.

The taxman mentioned it has already auto-assessed 5.8 million taxpayers for this tax season, which is a rise from the 5 million auto-assessed in 2024.

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Tax refunds paid inside 72 hours

Taxpayers are inspired to file for his or her tax returns to verify whether or not Sars owes them, is that they owe Sars, or in the event that they broke even (nobody owes the opposite).

For tax season 2025, Sars has already paid out R10.6 billion in tax refunds inside 72 hours after auto-assessments of taxpayers.

“With Auto Assessment, Sars makes use of knowledge sourced from third-party knowledge suppliers to evaluate taxpayers. In retaining with our aspiration to ‘make tax simply occur’, taxpayers don’t must take any motion once they obtain an auto-assessment.

“For the few taxpayers that will must replace their tax returns with adjustments in case of excellent data which Sars doesn’t have, this may be completed by way of eFiling or the Sars Mobi App.”

Tax refund standing

The taxman mentioned for individuals who submit their tax return on-line, an evaluation final result is issued in underneath 5 seconds if all is so as.

However, solely tax refunds of greater than R100 will likely be paid into taxpayers’ financial institution accounts inside 72 hours as soon as the evaluation is accomplished.

If taxpayers discover out they owe Sars, they’re urged to make funds as quickly as doable or make fee preparations.

ALSO READ: Sars data enhance in taxpayers who filed returns

Sars Commissioner Edward Kieswetter famous that the advance of their digital platforms is saving taxpayers’ time and eliminating the necessity to journey to Sars centres.

“As we begin with Filing Season for these not auto-assessed, I encourage taxpayers to make use of our digital channels quite than queue at our Service Centres.”

Who should file tax return?

People who should file an revenue tax return are South African residents and non-residents who earned revenue in South Africa throughout the tax yr, in addition to individuals who:

• Have capital features, international revenue, or obtain dividends not topic to computerized withholding tax;
• Have a number of sources of revenue, comparable to a wage and rental revenue;
• earn greater than the tax threshold for the yr, comparable to over R95 750 for under-65s within the 2025 tax yr;
• Want to assert deductions, comparable to medical bills, retirement annuities and journey allowances;
• Are provisional taxpayers – often individuals who earn revenue not topic to pay as you earn (PAYE), comparable to freelancers, sole proprietors, or rental revenue earners.

Beware of scams

“Sars urges taxpayers to stay extraordinarily vigilant and preserve their particulars confidential. There have been many makes an attempt by scammers to defraud taxpayers.

“Taxpayers are reminded that sars won’t ever ask taxpayers to make use of any hyperlink to interact with it. Taxpayers should defend their eFiling login particulars and use solely registered tax practitioners.”

Information on the newest scams will be discovered on the Sars web site: www.sars.gov.za. To report or request data on phishing, taxpayers can ship an electronic mail to [email protected].

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