{"id":864889,"date":"2026-06-29T11:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T09:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=864889"},"modified":"2026-06-29T10:59:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T08:59:14","slug":"sars-auto-assessments-for-2026-changes-dates-and-what-will-be-missing-from-your-filing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/finance\/864889\/sars-auto-assessments-for-2026-changes-dates-and-what-will-be-missing-from-your-filing\/","title":{"rendered":"SARS auto assessments for 2026 – changes, dates and what will be missing from your filing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
While the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has improved its taxpayer auto-assessments since launching in 2021, there are a host of items that could be missing from your filing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is because the revenue service can only add what it can ‘see’ to the assessment, with taxpayers required to fill in the blanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to tax experts at TaxTim, SARS has introduced several enhancements for auto-assessments in 2026, including bringing in more third-party data, such as investment income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, while “SARS auto-assessments should be genuinely better this year,” the group warned that it is still up to taxpayers to ensure the data is full and correct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Auto-assessments are automatic tax filings for taxpayers with simpler tax affairs, with data populated from third-party sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This includes your employer, banks, medical schemes, retirement funds, and insurers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, there are common items that are not automatically pulled in because SARS simply does not have access to that information from a third party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“If you received rental income or other income, or have deductions in addition to what is reflected in your assessment, you must file a tax return,” TaxTim said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Common items that may be missing include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Freelance, side-hustle or other self-employment income<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Rental income<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Foreign income<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Section 18A donations to approved organisations<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Qualifying out-of-pocket medical expenses<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Home-office expenses<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Business travel claims against a travel allowance<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Direct retirement annuity contributions not reported by a fund.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
TaxTim said that “missing income and missing deductions are two different problems.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the case of missing income, this could lead to an under-declaration and problems with SARS queries and audits down the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Missing deductions, meanwhile, is leaving money on the table. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Before accepting, taxpayers should confirm that the income, deductions and personal details in the assessment match their actual position for the tax year,” TaxTim said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the group flagged another issue: where the third-party data itself is wrong\u2014for example, a medical-aid or IRP5 figure is not correct\u2014taxpayers cannot simply edit it on the return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SARS requires the original provider\u2014the employer, medical scheme or fund\u2014to correct the information and resubmit it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Only deductions and income that SARS didn’t have can be added by the taxpayer when they file,” the group noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Auto assessments rolling out this week<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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