Capital Gains Tax Considerations for Retiring Small Business Owners
Retirement for small business owners is not simply a case of handing in your resignation letter and having a big party at which the company presents you with a gold watch. It often involves the not inconsiderable task of selling your business—particularly if there is no ‘heir apparent’ to take over the reins. And then […]
Tax compliance lives beyond death
A deceased estate takes on a (tax) life of its own while being wound up I started my first job back in September 1987 at the tender age of 18, and approximately nine months later I received my very first income tax return from the Receiver of Revenue (as SARS was known in those days), […]
Travel claims, but no allowance?
For commission-earners and the self-employed, the rules are slightly different—but travel costs can be claimed. The common mistake that I make when writing articles about travel allowances is that I tend to forget that not all of us are ‘wage slaves’. Indeed, there are many taxpayers for whom the saying, “If a man will not […]
Tax neutral asset for share transactions
The Income Tax Act contains various provisions in terms of which transactions can occur between specified parties without adverse tax consequences being incurred in respect of those transactions. These provisions are contained in sections 41 to 47 of the Income Tax Act and are generally known as the “group relief provisions”. Apart from certain value-shifting and general […]
SPECIAL TRUSTS
The Income Tax Act[1] includes specific provisions for “special trusts”. These trusts are taxed on the same sliding scale applicable to natural persons, which could be lower than the current 45% flat rate applicable to conventional trusts. Capital gains tax (“CGT”) is also lower within a special trust, at a maximum rate of 18% compared to […]
“BOOKING” CAPITAL LOSSES ON SHARES IS NOT THAT EASY
There is a number of techniques that taxpayers use to reduce their capital gains tax (CGT) exposure on long-term share investments. A common practice is to utilise the annual exclusion of R40 000 provided for in paragraph 5 of the Eighth Schedule of the Income Tax Act[1] by selling shares that have been bought at a […]
CAPITAL GAINS AND CANCELLED SALES
Many transactions in terms in which assets are sold are subject to suspensive conditions. In terms of such agreements, the sales transaction will only take place once all the suspensive conditions have been met.[1] Many other agreements may however be subject to a resolutive condition. A resolutive condition involves one whereby an agreement is cancelled […]