AS branch submissions for this year’s tax season closed last week, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) said they processed some 5.665 million returns, despite a shorter filing season.
The 2018/19 financial year submissions closed on Wednesday, 31 October 2018.
“The number of submissions received this year marks a 2.1 per cent increase from the previous year’s submissions which totalled at 5.665 million returns. This is despite a shorter filing season,” said SARS in a statement.
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A total 96.1 percent of expected returns from individuals were submitted on time, exceeding last year’s rate of 94 per cent. The returns expected are informed by last year’s submissions and IRP5 information from employers, excluding provisional taxpayers.
Preliminary results for Tax Season 2018:
- R17.9-billion was paid to more than two million individual taxpayers.
- A total of 96.88 per cent of taxpayers due for a refund that was not routed for audit or risk verification received their refund within the seven day turnaround.
- A total of 87.02 per cent of tax returns were assessed within three seconds, and 91.18 per cent within 24 hours.
- 52.07 per cent of returns filed was done through SARS eFiling compared to 47.93 per cent filed at a branch.
- 241 583 taxpayers used Help-You-eFile service. This shows a 14 per cent increase in the uptake of this service compared to last year.
- 73 663 taxpayers used the SARS Mobi App to file returns. This shows a 54.74 per cent increase in the uptake of this channel
“We want to thank taxpayers who filed, for doing the right thing and making their contribution to our country. Our data shows that taxpayers adapted to the shorter filing season and that filing patterns remained steady and on par.” said Acting Commissioner, Mark Kingon.
Tax payers who were not able to submit their returns can still do so via the eFiling service available on www.sars.gov.za
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