SARS auto-assessment alert

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has urged taxpayers to be patient with the auto-assessment process, saying notices will be sent out over two weeks.
Auto-assessments started rolling out this week (1 July), ahead of the full opening of tax season 2024 on 15 July.
However, taxpayers have been stressing about not receiving their notices or expressing concern that the notices are incorrect, subsequently clogging up the call centre with queries.
SARS said that auto-assessments are rolling out over the full two-week period (1-14 July) and that not all taxpayers will be notified at once.
Taxpayers can check to see if they are in the auto-assessment population this year by checking their status on the SARS Online Query System (SOQS).
“Even though SOQS may indicate that you are part of the auto-assessment population, the auto-assessment (ITA34) will only be available on eFiling when it’s rolled out according to the schedule,” SARS said.
“Please wait for your auto-assessment notice before you log in to eFiling or call the Contact Centre, as it will not be available on eFiling before the notice is sent.”
What to do if your auto-assessment isn’t correct
Taxpayers who agree with the auto-assessment will not have to do anything – and if there is a refund due, it will be paid within 72 hours.
If a tax is due to SARS, the taxpayers must make the payment by the due date indicated on the notice.
Taxpayers who do not agree with their auto-assessments will have to submit a tax return. There is no need to file an objection to the assessment.
Taxpayers who do not accept the auto-assessment will be able to access their tax return via eFiling or SARS MobiApp, complete the return, and then file it on or before the normal due date for non-provisional taxpayers of 21 October 2024.
Filing a return after the normal due date of 21 October 2024 will attract penalties.
If an auto-assessment is issued after 21 October 2024, taxpayers must file a return within 40 business days of receiving the notice of assessment.
SARS noted that its auto-assessments are populated with third-party data from service providers (such as medical schemes and retirements funds).
If the data in the assessments does not match, taxpayers can request their third-party data providers to correct data errors and file the corrections with SARS.
“Your third-party data provider knows how to do this. If you alter the data on your return and SARS cannot match the information with the data given by your third-party data provider, then your return will likely be selected for verification or audit,” it said.
The Revenue Service added that it’s the responsibility of taxpayers to make sure that their assessment is complete.
If information is missing—for example, if a taxpayer received rental income or other income or has deductions in addition to what is reflected in the assessment—the taxpayers must file a tax return on or before the normal due date for non-provisional taxpayers of 21 October 2024.
“Your updated tax return must have the new information in addition to what SARS has pre-populated on your tax return. Keep any supporting documents for changes you want us to make to your auto-assessment, because SARS may ask for it,” it said.
Taxpayers who wish to contact SARS can do so via an Online Query System on the SARS website, through the Lwazi Chatbot or the Live Agent function on eFiling and the SARS MobiApp, by calling SARS, or by going into a SARS branch.
Key filing dates
Tax Season 2024 | Start date | End date |
Auto-assessments | 1 July 2024 | 14 July 2024 |
Individual Taxpayers (Non-Provisional) | 15 July 2024 | 21 October 2024 |
Provisional Taxpayers | 15 July 2024 | 20 January 2025 |
Trusts | 16 September 2024 | 20 January 2025 |
Read: SARS warns taxpayers to be on high alert – and double-check emails