Tax Tables

What you need to know about tax rates


Q

What are the current income tax rates?

A

These are the rates for individuals and special trusts

2023 tax year (Mar 1 2022 - Feb 28 2023) 2024 tax year (Mar 1 2023 - Feb 28 2024)
Taxable Income (R) Rate of Tax (R) Taxable Income (R) Rate of Tax (R)
1 - 226 000 18% of taxable income 1 - 237 000 18% of taxable income
226 001 - 353 100 40 680 + 26% of taxable income above 226 000 237 101 - 370 500 42 678 + 26% of taxable income above 237 100
353 101 - 448 700 73 726 + 31% of taxable income above 353 100 370 501 - 512 800 77 362 + 31% of taxable income above 370 500
448 701 - 641 400 115 762 + 36% of taxable income above 488 700 512 801 - 673 000 121 475 + 36% of taxable income above 512 800
641 401 - 817 600 170 734 + 39% of taxable income above 641 400 673 001 - 857 900 179 147 + 39% of taxable income above 673 000
817 601 - 1 731 600 239 452 + 41% of taxable income above 817 600 857 901 - 1 817 000 251 258 + 41% of taxable income above 857 900
1 731 601 and above 614 192 + 45% of taxable income above 1 731 600 1 817 001 and above 644 489 + 45% of taxable income above 1 17 000

 

REMEMBER: Apply the relevant income tax rebate to the amount you calculate from these tables. The tax you owe may also be reduced by any rebate for medical scheme contributions and unrecouped medical expenses you have paid. 

 

Q

How much income can I earn before I need to pay income tax?

A

You only start paying income tax when your income is above the tax threshold. The threshold is increased each year and depends on your age. The threshold is taken into account when the tax rebate is applied and reduces the amount of tax calculated from the tax tables.

 

2023 tax year (Mar 1 2022 - Feb 28 2023) 2024 tax year (Mar 1 2023 - Feb 28 2024)
Age Tax Threshold Age Tax Threshold
Below age 65 R91 250 Below age 65 R95 750
Age 65 to below 75 R141 250 Age 65 to below 75 R148 217
Age 75 and over R157 900 Age 75 and over R165 689

Q

What are the current tax rebates?

A

The tax rebates reduce the tax calculated by applying the tax tables to take into account the tax threshold - the level of income you can earn before you start paying tax.

2023 tax year (Mar 1 2022 - Feb 28 2023) 2024 tax year (Mar 1 2023 - Feb 28 2024)
Primary R16 425 Primary R17 235
Secondary (Persons 65 and older) R9 000 Secondary (Persons 65 and older) R9 444
Tertiary (Persons 75 and older) R2 997 Tertiary (Persons 75 and older) R3 145
All rates quoted for individuals (natural persons)

Q

What are the tax credits for medical scheme contributions?

A

If you are a taxpayer who pays medical scheme contributions you can calculate your medical tax credit and subtract it from the tax you owe.

2023 tax year (Mar 1 2022 - Feb 28 2023) 2024 tax year (Mar 1 2023 - Feb 28 2024)
R347 a month for the main member R364 a month for the main member
R347 a month for the first dependant registered R364 a month for the first dependant registered
R234 a month for each additional dependant registered R246 a month for each additional dependant registered

Q

Do I need to register for provisional tax?

A

You may need to register for provisional tax if you earn:

income from an employer that is not registered for tax;

business income;

professional, consulting fees; rental income or investment income. You do not have to register if:

  • Your income from these sources will be less than R30 000; or
  • Your income will not exceed the tax threshold for the tax year.

Q

How much interest can you earn on investments before you pay tax?

A

Every taxpayer enjoys a tax exemption for this level of interest earned from a South African source (bank deposit or investment).
  • Under age 65:  R23 800 a year
  • 65 years and older:  up to R34 500 a year

Q

How much tax do I pay on dividends I earn from my investments?

A

If a South African company pays you dividends, dividends tax, at a rate of 20%, must be withheld and paid to SARS on your behalf.
Investments held in a tax-free savings account or retirement fund are exempt from dividends tax.

Q

How much tax will I pay on a lump sum taken from my retirement savings at retirement?

A

 
2023 tax year (Mar 1 2022 - Feb 28 2023) 2024 tax year (Mar 1 2023 - Feb 28 2024)
Lump sum (R) Rate of Tax (R) Lump sum (R) Rate of Tax (R)
R1 - R500 000 0%  R1 - R550 000 0% 
R500 001 - R700 000 18% of lump sum above
R500 000
R550 001 -
R700 000
18% of lump sum above
R550 000
R700 001 - R1 050 000 R56 700 + 27% of lump sum above 700 000 R770 001 -
R1 155 000
R39 600 + 27% of lump sum above R770 000
R1 050 001 and above R141 750 + 36% of lump sum above
R1 050 001
R1 155 001 and above R143 550 + 36% of lump sum above R1 155 000

Q

How much tax will I pay if I withdraw money from my retirement savings before retirement?

A

 
2023 tax year (Mar 1 2022 - Feb 28 2023) 2024 tax year (Mar 1 2023 - Feb 28 2024)
Sum withdrawn (R) Rate of Tax (R) Sum withdrawn (R) Rate of Tax (R)
R1 - R25 000 0%  R1 - R27 500 0% 
R25 001 - R660 000 18% of lump sum above
R25 000
R27 500 -
R726 000
18% of lump sum above
R27 500
R660 001 -
R990 000
R114 300 + 27% of lump sum above
R660 000
R726 001 -
R1 089 000
R125 730 + 27% of lump sum above R726 000
R990 001 and above R203 400 + 36% of lump sum above
R990 000
R1 089 001 and above R223 740 + 36% of lump sum above R1 089 000

Q

What is the income tax rate for trusts other than special trusts?

A

Flat rate of tax: 45%

No rebates

Q

What tax rates do small business corporations pay?

A

For businesses with:

An annual gross income of R20 million or less;

Natural persons as shareholders;

Shareholders who are not shareholders in other unlisted companies; and

Not earning more than 20% of its income from investments or by rendering a personal service (with some exceptions).

Small business corporation tax rates for 2023
(For the years of assessment April 1 2022 – March 31 2023)
Taxable income Rate of tax
R1 – R91 250 0%
R91 250 – R365 000 7% of taxable income above R91 250
R365 001 - R550 000 R19 163 plus 21% of the amount by which taxable income exceeds R365 000
R550 001 and above R58 103 plus 28% of the amount by which taxable income exceeds R550 000

 

Small business corporation tax rates for 2024
(For the years of assessment April 1 2023 – March 31 2024)
Taxable income Rate of tax
R1 – R95 750 0%
R95 751 – R365 000 7% of taxable income above R95 750
R365 001 - R550 000 R18 848 plus 21% of the amount by which taxable income exceeds R365 000
R550 001 and above R57 698 plus 27% of the amount by which taxable income exceeds R550 000

 

Q

What tax rates do companies pay?

A

Company tax rates
Years of assessment ending on any date between 1 April 2022 and 30 March 2023
Companies Rate of Tax 28% of taxable income

 

Company tax rates
Years of assessment ending on any date between 31 March 2023 and 31 March 2024
Companies Rate of Tax 27% of taxable income

Q

What are the turnover tax rates for small businesses?

A

For businesses with a turnover of less than R1 million a year.

Turnover tax rates for the 2023 tax year (March 1 2022 – February 28 2023)
Taxable turnover Rate of tax
R1 – R335 000 0% of taxable turnover
R335 001 – R500 000 1% of taxable turnover above R335 000
R500 001 – R750 000 R1 650 + 2% of taxable turnover above 500 000
R750 001 and above R6 650 + 3% of taxable turnover above R750 000

 

Turnover tax rates for the 2024 tax year (March 1 2023 – February 29 2024)
Taxable turnover Rate of tax
R1 – R335 000 0% of taxable turnover
R335 001 – R500 000 1% of taxable turnover above R335 000
R500 001 – R750 000 R1 650 + 2% of taxable turnover above 500 000
R750 001 and above R6 650 + 3% of taxable turnover above R750 000

 

Q

What is the donations tax rate?

A

Donations tax exemption
R100 000 can be donated each year without donations tax.
Donations between spouses and to certain public benefit organisations are free of donations tax.

Donations tax rate
Donations tax at a rate of 20% is payable on the cumulative value of donations above the annual exemption and not exceeding R30 million since 2018.
Donations tax at a rate of 25% is payable on the cumulative value of donations above the annual exemption and exceeding R30 million since 2018.

Tax deductions for donations made
Donations to public benefit organisations up to 10% of taxable income can be deducted each year and 10% can be carried over to the next tax year.

Q

What is the estate duty rate?

A

Duty rate
Where the dutiable value of an estate is less than R30 million: 20% 
Where the dutiable value of an estate is more than R30 million: 25%

Duty exemption or abatement
R3.5 million; or
Up to R7 million for a surviving spouse using the unused portion of the exemption of the first-dying spouse

Q

How much transfer duty will I pay if I buy property?

A

Transfer duty depends on the value of the property. Find the appropriate value of the property and apply the rate. These rates apply from March 1 2023.

Value of property (R) Rate

1 - 1 100 000 

0%
1 100 001 – 1 512 500 3% of the value above R1 100 000
1 512 501 – 1 2 117 500 R12 375+ 6% of the value above R 1 512 500
2 117 501 - 2 722 500 R48 675 + 8% of the value above R2 117 500
2 722 501 - 12 100 000 R97 075 +11% of the value above R2 722 500
12 100 001 and above R1 128 600 + 13% of the value exceeding R12 100 000

Q

How much capital gains tax will I pay if I make a taxable capital gain?

A

Exclusions
  • R2 million gain or loss on the disposal of a primary residence
  • Annual exclusion of R40 000 of capital gains, or capital losses for individuals and special trusts
  • Exclusion on capital gains made in the year of your death when you are deemed to have disposed of all your assets: R300 000
  • Exclusion on capital gains made on the disposal of a small business with a market value not more than R10 million when the taxpayer is at least 55 years old: up to R1.8 million 
Inclusion rate
40% of the taxable capital gain on assets must be included in your taxable income

Tax rate
The taxable capital gains included in your taxable income is taxed at your marginal tax rate

As a result of the inclusion rate, the maximum effective rate for individuals on the highest marginal tax rate (45%) is: 18%

For trusts, capital gains tax is applied at flat rate of 36% and the exemptions do not apply