Taxpayers to begin filing their returns next month

The South African Revenue Service (Sars) has confirmed that the 2025 tax season will open on 7 July and close on 20 October.

Taxpayers are being advised to get their documentation in order ahead of the official opening date.

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According to Sars, this tax season will again include automatic assessments for a large portion of taxpayers.

Notifications for those selected for auto-assessment will be sent between 7 and 20 July.

“Taxpayers who do not receive notifications that they are automatically assessed are encouraged to submit their tax returns in a timely and accurate manner from 21 July,” said the revenue authority in a statement this week.

Sars is encouraging all taxpayers to start preparing early by gathering the necessary documentation and updating their personal information to avoid delays.

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This includes checking that banking details are correct to allow for the smooth processing of any potential refunds.

“If you need to change your bank details, you must first ensure your security contact details – email and cellphone number – on Sars eFiling are up to date,” said the revenue service.

“There is no need to take action if your banking and contact details have not changed.”

The auto-assessment process is based on third-party data submitted to Sars by employers, pension fund administrators, medical aid schemes and other institutions.

Sars also clarified that taxpayers can make changes if the automatically captured information is incomplete.

“If the taxpayer believes necessary information is missing, they may amend their tax return and submit it via eFiling by 20 October.”

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