Trusts with outstanding tax returns can face SARS penalties sooner than later - CPD Consortium

Trusts with outstanding tax returns can face SARS penalties sooner than later

After years of threatening non-compliant trusts with administrative penalties for non- or late submission of annual income tax returns as required by law, the South Africa Revenue Service’s (SARS) leniency in imposing these penalties, seems to be coming to an end.

Sidney Fletcher, Senior Manager for Trust Tax Compliance at Tax Consulting SA, said the industry expects that from April 2025, SARS will start introducing administrative penalties for trusts for non-submission of trust income tax returns retrospectively, and going forward, for non-submission of trust IT3(t) third party data returns.

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Presenting at a webinar about preparations for the looming trust tax filing deadline, Fletcher said the expected penalties for non-submission underscores the urgency for trusts to ensure their systems and information align with SARS’ requirements.

SARS will have discussions with Recognised Controlling Bodies about administrative penalties, but it is difficult to see why the Revenue Service will be graceful and put off imposing penalties for much longer, Fletcher said.

Roxshanna du Toit from CPD Consortium, who hosted the webinar, said SARS lays the tax compliance responsibility fully at the feet of trustees. With the deadline for trust tax submissions only days away, on Monday 20 January 2025, trustees should get their ducks in a row.

SARS Executive Advocate Sam Murugan stated in a SARS presentation last November on trust compliance that the tax authority sees a concerningly high level of non-compliance among trusts regarding registration, filing, declarations and payment.

All trusts, operational or not, must submit an annual tax return. This has been a requirement for more than two decades. If you have fallen behind, make sure you catch up with your filing, a SARS official said during this presentation.

All trusts must be registered with SARS, and not just with the Master of the High Court. Data analysis however show it takes trusts on average two and a half years after registering with the Master, before registering with SARS.

Further to this, Murugan warned trusts to file accurate tax returns on time as delays or inaccuracies can lead to punitive measures which can be costly for trust taxpayers. 

Fletcher said SARS will not impose penalties for the current year of assessment for non-submission of required trust IT3(t) returns, but submission is strongly encouraged to establish a compliant track record.

According to Du Toit the topic of administrative penalties for non-compliant trusts is often “given little attention”.

“Many have not taken trust compliance as seriously as they should. For years, SARS has warned trusts about administrative penalties but has refrained from enforcing them. This inaction may have led trusts to underestimate the seriousness of these warnings.  However, this is now expected to change.”

Even if April 2025 is not “D-day” for trusts who fail to submit annual tax returns, we are nearing the end of SARS’ grace pertaining to administrative penalties. The massive trust reform over the past two years should tell us that SARS means business, she said.  

“Trustees should have recognised the growing focus of SARS on the tax compliance of the trusts under their care. The formal implementation of administrative penalties is now a key step in SARS’ strategy to enforce trust taxpayer compliance.”

Fletcher also had important advice for trusts who see themselves as dormant or passive and therefore did not bother to submit trust tax returns for many years. In SARS’ view there is actually no such thing as a dormant trust because it has assets (e.g. lifestyle assets such as plots, flats or exotic cars), and liabilities including interest-free loans and other funding methods (e.g. donations.) “A nil return does not equate to dormancy if any income, expenses or liabilities exist.”

A passive trust must be passive for the entire tax year to be viewed as such, but even passive trusts must submit beneficial ownership details.

SARS aims to record all beneficial owners of registered trusts to ensure compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) requirements. FATF identified several action items to be addressed before South Africa can exit the grey list. Countries on the grey list are subject to stricter monitoring of financial institutions to prevent terrorism financing and money laundering. The stricter monitoring brings additional costs for financial institutions.

Du Toit reiterated SARS’ stringent requirements for trusts when submitting tax returns as part of expanded trust reporting. SARS now requires the submission of minimum compulsory supporting documents as part of a trust tax return.

SARS does not consider the tax return as filed if any of the following documents are not submitted as well:

  • Trust Annual Financial Statements or Trust Administration Statements;
  • Minutes of Trustee Meetings and Resolutions passed by Trustees;
  • Trust Instrument (Will or Trust deed);
  • Beneficial Ownership Document; and
  • Letter of Authority.

SARS may also require additional supporting documentation over and above the abovementioned documents as part of a SARS verification of the trust return. The scope of the verification requests as per SARS communication, comes down to unprecedented scrutiny with up to 15 separate points to address in each verification letter, Du Toit said.

The questions can relate to foreign investments and foreign tax credits (with seeking the precise name of the tax and foreign country and name of the law under which the tax was imposed); beneficiary information such as income tax numbers, ID numbers or residency status; requests for trust bank account information and comprehensive detail on the funding of the trust (loan agreements and trustee resolutions authorising the funding structures of the trust).

Considering this, SARS reiterated the office of trustee should not be taken up lightly. It is an office of importance and trustees should not look to abdicate their authority, responsibilities and other requirements laid down by the law. 

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Professor Deborah Tickle

FROM THE DAVIS TAX COMMITEE

Keitumetse Sesana

TAX TECHNICAL SPECIALIST AT SAIT

Keitumetse Sesana is a registered SARS practitioner who also holds the designation of Master Tax Practitioner from the South African Institute of Taxation. With a solid background in international corporate tax matters from her previous roles at KPMG South Africa, she contributes important insights to the development of tax policy across various areas.  

As a Tax Technical Specialist, Keitumetse currently specialises in tax legislative policy engagement across the various areas of taxation and also manages stakeholder relations and facilitates engagement with key government departments. She leads and is responsible for the strategic oversight and positioning of the SAIT Tax Technical workgroups, as well as other strategic engagements related to legislation. Her collaborative efforts and strategic engagement with the various industry tax specialists that are members of the SAIT Tax Technical workgroups is vital for drafting and submitting proposals to entities such as the Parliament of South Africa, National Treasury, SARS, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and the Office of the Tax Ombud with the aim of influencing and shaping the tax legislative framework. 

In addition to her legislative work, Keitumetse curates and manages content for tax practitioners as part of their Continuous Professional Development requirements. This includes hosting webinars and drafting content for various SAIT publications, helping professionals stay informed in the evolving tax landscape. 

Keitumetse holds a Master of Laws (LLM) specialising in Tax Law, a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), and a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) Law degree. Keitumetse is passionate about contributing to and transforming the tax legislative landscape. 

Micaela Paschini

Admitted Attorney, BA (Law), LLB, LLM at Tax Consulting SA

Micaela is a skilled attorney specializing in tax law, and a member of the legal team at Tax Consulting SA. She holds an LLB Degree from the University of Pretoria, is an admitted attorney and has 4 years of experience in various fields of law, including estate planning and trust administration. In her role at Tax Consulting SA, Micaela focuses on complex tax matters, ensuring optimal tax efficiency and compliance. She is dedicated to providing tailored solutions that meet her clients’ unique needs and objectives, navigating them through the intricate landscape of tax law with precision and care.

Delano Abdoll

Admitted Attorney, BA (Law), LLB, LLM at Tax Consulting SA

Delano is a highly skilled attorney admitted to the High Court of South Africa, with extensive knowledge and expertise in tax law. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Law, a Bachelor of Laws, and a Master of Laws degree in Procedural Law, all obtained from the University of Pretoria. Delano has a strong focus on expatriate tax and individual cross-border taxation, making him an expert in dealing with complex tax issues faced by individuals who work or reside across international borders. With his comprehensive understanding of tax laws and regulations, he is able to provide exceptional advice and support to clients in need of expert tax planning and management.

Tertius du Plessis

Professional Accountant and Crypto Taxpert

Tertius is a seasoned expert in the fields of finance and taxation, with a specialised focus on the realm of cryptocurrencies. His portfolio includes accounting services for a diverse range of clients, including individuals, private companies (Pty) Ltd’s, trusts, and deceased estates. He boasts a Bachelor of Accounting (BAcc) degree and has spent eight enriching years in the blockchain/cryptocurrency sector. In his role as a CryptoTaxpert, Tertius skillfully navigates clients through the intricacies of transitioning between fiat currency and cryptocurrency. His extensive knowledge of cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, trading, and HODLing, positions him as a reliable interpreter and manager of crypto data. Tertius’ profound understanding of South African cryptocurrency tax regulations equips him to deliver SARS-compliant, optimised crypto tax reports. He is dedicated to helping clients manage their crypto assets and ensuring a seamless flow of funds. He lives by the philosophy, “My compensation is not for the hours I put in, but for the value I deliver in those hours.” He believes that “What you pay is the price, what you gain is the value.” As a #CryptoTaxpert, his mission is to deliver unparalleled value to his clients.

Piet Nel

CA (SA) Specialising in taxation

Piet Nel is a CA (SA) who specializes in taxation. He was previously the Project Director of professional development (tax) at SAICA, and the project director for tax at SAICA.  Before joining SAICA again, he was involved in tax consulting and tax dispute resolution. 

He is an accounting member of the Tax Court, second term. He is a visiting adjunct professor at Wits and was previously a lecturer in tax at the University of Pretoria to students doing a Master’s degree and at UNISA at postgraduate level.

He was a member of SAICA’s national tax committee and is still quite active in the development of tax legislation in South Africa by commenting on proposed legislation. Over a period of more than three decades, he presented numerous tax seminars and workshops to tax practitioners.

He regularly speaks on radio and TV and publishes tax related articles.He is involved, as a member of the SAICA’s Examination Committee, in setting the examination to test initial competence for prospective CA (SAs).

Sophia Steyn

Admitted Attorney and legal advisor

Sophia Steyn is an experienced attorney with a strong background in will drafting, trust administration, and estate administration. With ten years of legal practice experience, including owning and managing her own practice, Sophia brings valuable management skills and a client-focused approach to her work. Currently employed at Rauch Gertenbach Inc., she specialises in drafting wills, establishing trusts, administering estates. Sophia’s expertise, professionalism, and commitment to exceptional client service make her a trusted legal practitioner in her field.

Jerry Botha

Managing Partner
at Tax Consulting SA

Jerry Botha commenced his tax career in United Kingdom / United States Tax and served articles at McCorkindale & Holton’s London office. After being with the Big-4 accounting firms, in 2005 he started his own niche tax practice.

Tax Consulting South Africa has grown over the years to the largest independent tax practice in South Africa, which specialises in the most complex areas of tax planning and compliance. The firm is SARS recognised as a top 6 tax practice and a leading advisor to large multinational corporates, globally mobile individuals, high net worth professionals and families; but also fellow professionals on complex areas of South African and international tax.

Tax Consulting South Africa authored LexisNexis’ “Expatriate Tax” textbook, as critically acclaimed by the esteemed Judge Dennis Davis. The textbook is now in its 2nd edition.

Jerry enjoys a collaborative approach with fellow professionals, continuous professional development, commenting on legal development and growing the next generation of professionals.

 

Darren Britz

Partner and Head of Tax Legal
at Tax Consulting SA

Darren Britz is a Partner and the Head of Tax Legal at Tax Consulting SA. He is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa, specializing in South African tax with a focus on cross-border tax advisory and implementation for multi-national companies and high-net worth individuals.

Catherine Fourie

HEAD OF CPD CONSORTIUM

Catherine is a Chartered Accountant (CA(SA)) and tax practitioner who completed her articles at Deloitte in 2003. After three secondments to the United States of America and Canada, she rejoined Deloitte as audit manager for four years, whereafter she has been a lecturer on the BCom Accounting programme with the Nelson Mandela University for 15 years until early 2024. Her main subjects were Taxation, Auditing and Ethics and Corporate Governance, as well as lecturing on the MCom (Taxation) program. She has a deep passion for teaching to which she has dedicated most of her professional career, especially fundamental principles. She implemented innovative learning and teaching practices, both online and hybrid/flexible; always ensuring impactful learning. As a member of the SAICA Digital Acumen Working Group she has always been passionate about innovation and resilience, which are both essential for the sustainability and growth of the modern professional. With the many students which have been through her lectures, she is excited to now bring digital innovation to the upskilling of professionals who work in the ever-changing landscape of tax and accounting. Her approach and style is one of ensuring a sound technical base, from where she quickly makes tax and accounting highly practical and relevant; delivering immediate value for anyone attending her training sessions.

Sidney Fletcher

Senior Manager of Trust and Deceased Estate Compliance at Tax Consulting SA

Sidney is a versatile and results-driven qualified Senior Tax Practitioner. He has more than 20 years of experience working for SARS and was responsible for Taxpayer Education for a big part of that period. He is a dedicated professional with extensive knowledge and his affinity for Individual Taxes makes him an excellent tax planner and skilled at tax optimisation. Committed to the best care for clients through transparent communication. Skilled in negotiation with a strong ability to problem solve to assist clients with tax problems.

Roxshanna du Toit

Independent Trust and Fiduciary Services Expert & CPD Project Coordinator

Roxshanna is a seasoned tax professional and was until February 2024 the Head of Tax, Standard Trust Limited. As one of the market’s largest leading fiduciary services providers, she worked daily on complex matters pertaining to tax and accounting for trusts, deceased estates and the commercial and family interests which necessarily comes therewith. She has a BCom (Taxation Honours) and also served as a lead representative for the Banking Association of South Africa (BASA) in providing input to SARS directly as impacts the fiduciary arena. Her interest sphere is streamlined solutions to overcome the administrative and operational challenges of trustees, accountants, tax practitioners and executors. She considers herself as a practical generalist who excels in getting the job done, and she has been involved in untangling, resolving and ensuring compliance of some of the largest and most complex South African and international trusts, estates and family structures. Her decision to start her own practice allows her to expand her professional horizon as well as spend more quality time with her son.