Eva Rosenberg, Tax Connections

The good news. President Trump Congress keeps telling you that taxpayers will be able to file on a postcard.

The bad news? Look at lines 3, 10, 11, and 12.
Your government is naïve. While this may be wish-fulfillment, it has no basis in practical reality.

It should be a required pre-requisite for all lawmakers to prepare their own income tax returns before they are permitted to write, vote on, or pass legislation. I loved that episode of the short-lived TV series Mr. Sterling, where Senator Bill Sterling (Josh Brolin)  is grumbling, trying to prepare his own tax return. Better yet, they should spent two weeks volunteering, or observing, at a VITA site to see how their tax laws truly affect low-income people’s tax filings. Read More

TaxConnections Picture - Africa Money and Flag XSmallTax year-end in South Africa, for smaller companies and all individuals, is on the last day of February 2013.

In terms of the collection process, South African Revenue Services (SARS or the equivalent of IRS and HMRC, the competent taxing authority in SA)  expects all provisional taxpayers to be either 80% or 90% correct in the end February provisional tax estimate, compared to the final assessment or IT34.

Irrelevant I hear the expats shout, as non-resident taxpayers face withholding taxes and are not required to pay provisional tax. True, I agree but non-resident for purpose of the provisional tax exemption, refers to a person that is either actually tax non-resident or was never tax resident and to a person exclusively tax resident of another country in terms of an applicable double tax treaty.

SA expats residing in the USA relying on anything less than a green card is probably exclusively tax resident in South Africa, as the SA Expats in Australia are exclusively SA tax resident (normally) until they receive a Permanent Residence (PR) Permit. The USA PR obviously is the green card and most others are not adequate to change the tax treaty tie breaker outcome. Read More