Section 7C of The Income Tax Act

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What is section 7C?
This section of the Income Tax Act is an anti-avoidance measure aimed at transactions between connected persons and trusts, where a trust is funded by low interest or interest-free loans. This is usually done to ensure that assets form part of the trust’s capital, and the funder (who is usually a trustee or founder of the trust) allows for the transfer of ownership of the assets, and the creation of a loan account in said person’s favour.

The sections allow for any loan, advance or credit by a connected person, directly or indirectly to a trust, and this loan, advance or credit incurs no interest, on the loan, advance or credit, or incurs interest at a rate lower than the official rate, an amount equal to the difference between the amount of interest incurred, and the amount it would have incurred had an acceptable interest rate (official rate) been used, will be deemed as a donation in the hands of the lender. For purposes of this section, the same principle applies where a company who is owned by trust loans on terms that are not regarded as commercial or market-related and no interest is charged.

What is the reasoning behind section 7C?
Trusts have traditionally been a very popular estate planning tool. In the past, the practice was to sell growth assets to a trust and to then extend an interest-free loan to the trust for that sale price. That would mean that the estate of the seller would be pegged at that value because the loan would not increase in value as time goes by while the assets would grow in the trust. Section 7C seeks to address this practice, as it is argued such a transaction should be seen as having no commercial sense, as only the trust benefits. The seller earns no interest on the loan and hence derives no value or benefit.

How does section 7C work?
Section 7C deems the interest that is not levied or charged on an interest-free loan, as a deemed donation on the last day of each tax year for a loan that was outstanding for any period during that preceding tax year.

The interest forgone is calculated by using the official interest rate in the 7th Schedule to the Income Tax Act, currently being 7.25%. This would be regarded as a deemed donation on the last day of the tax year and as a consequence donations tax would be levied on that donation.

Where there is a low interest-bearing agreement, the difference of the official interest rate and the lower interest rate will determine the deemed donation.

Trusts and loan accounts

Should I be charging interest on a loan, advance or credit to a Trust?

Making section 7C practical will require the use of a few examples to illustrate its effect.

Example 1

A loan in the amount of R10 million is advanced by an individual to a trust with no interest charged by the lender. The individual will choose to apply his annual donations tax exemption of R100,000.00 to the deemed donation.

The deemed donation will be R725,000 (R10 million x 7.25%). The individual then applies his annual exemption of R100,000.

The donations tax liability will be calculated as follows: R625,000 x 20% = R125,000 which the individual will be required to pay.

Example 2

A loan in the amount of R10 million is advanced by an individual to a trust with an annual interest charge of 5% by the lender. For this example, we will ignore the lenders annual donations tax exemption.

The deemed donation will be calculated as follows: R10 million less x 2.25% (the difference between interest levied and the official rate or 7.25% – 5%). The deemed donation will be R225,000.

The actual donations tax liability is then R225,000 x 20% = R55,000. The lender may now apply his annual R100,000 donations tax exemption.

It is clear that the non-charging of interest, or charging at a lower rate, may result in an increase in personal tax liability for the lender.

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your financial adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)

Valuation of trading stock for tax purposes

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On 27 September 2019, just over a year since delivering judgement in another matter with very similar facts, the Supreme Court of Appeal in CSARS v Atlas Copco South Africa (Pty) Ltd (834/2018) [2019] ZASCA 124 gave a judgement on the valuation of trading stock for income tax purposes.

The general (and oversimplified) principle is that taxpayers are allowed, as a deduction, the value of opening trading stock during a year of assessment, while the value of the closing trading stock is required to be included in taxable income. From a tax perspective, the higher the value attributed to closing stock at the end of a tax year, the lower the cost of sales for that year will be and the greater the taxable income of the taxpayer. Conversely, the lower the value attributed to closing stock, the higher the cost of sales and the lower the taxable income for that year. The value of the trading stock is generally the cost thereof, less an amount which SARS may think is just and reasonable as representing a diminishing in that value due to damage, deterioration, change of fashion, decrease in the market value or for any other reason.

Taxpayers often use accounting (or IFRS) values for the determination of stock values. These valuation methods usually involve a time-based approach. I.e. a write-down of stock if it has not been sold for several months. The more the number of months since the stock was last sold, the higher the write down. This approach is often based on internal policies. The court notes (in the previous judgement) that:

“If taxpayers had a free hand in determining the value of trading stock at year-end it would open the way for them to obtain a timing advantage in regard to the payment of tax, by adjusting the value of closing stock downwards. They could by adjusting these values manipulate their overall liability for tax in the light of their anticipations in regard to future rates of tax, future trading results, the need to incur significant expenses in the future and the like.”

The Court finds that IFRS values, based on “net realisable value” are explicitly forward-looking and that using this value for tax purposes, has the effect that expenses incurred in a future tax year in the production of income accruing to or received by the taxpayer in that future tax year, become deductible in a prior year. Whether IFRS values was a sensible and business-like manner of valuing trading stock from an accounting perspective was neither here nor there for tax purposes. The concern was whether it accurately reflected the diminution in value of trading stock. For income tax purposes, the exercise is thus one of looking back at what happened during the tax year in question.

SARS may only grant a just and reasonable allowance in respect of a diminution in value of trading stock in two circumstances. The first is where some event has occurred in the tax year in question causing the value of the trading stock to diminish. The second is where it is known with reasonable certainty that an event will occur in the following tax year that will cause the value of the trading stock to diminish.

It may, therefore, be necessary that taxpayers keep to sets of trading stock valuations: one for accounting purposes and one for tax purposes.

Although often only a timing issue between opening stock (for which a deduction is allowed) and closing stock (which is taxable), it could happen that the assessment in respect of the year during which the deduction applies, may have prescribed by the time the dispute relating to the closing stock matter has been finalised. In such an instance, any difference becomes permanent, and not merely a timing difference. It is therefore advisable that any disputes relating to trading stock be dealt with by taxpayers as a matter of urgency.

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your financial adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)

The different VAT supplies

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There are a few instances where VAT is not charged at the standard rate of 15%. In the following newsletter, we distinguished between the different supplies that attract VAT but does not necessarily have the impact of a standard rate supply.

  1. Denied Supplies

    The VAT Act provides for certain expenses where input VAT is denied, even if the expense is incurred in the course of conducting an enterprise and if there are no input VAT consequences there will ultimately be no output VAT consequences. The following circumstances are common instances where input VAT will be denied:


    • Acquisitions of a motor vehicle:

      When a motor vehicle is purchased by a vendor, who is not a motor car dealer or car rental enterprise, the input VAT on the purchase will be considered a denied supply.

      The definition of “motor vehicle” includes all vehicles designed primarily for the purposes of carrying passengers. This definition covers ordinary sedans, hatchbacks, multi-purpose vehicles and double cab bakkies. A single cab bakkie or a bus designed to carry more than 16 persons will qualify for input VAT purposes.  Any repairs and maintenance to vehicles, irrespective of the type of vehicle, will also qualify for the claiming of input VAT, as long as the cost is separately identified and invoiced.

    • Fees and Club Subscriptions:

      Input tax in terms of subscriptions/membership fees to sport, social, recreational and private clubs are denied supplies. Input VAT may, however, be deducted on subscriptions to magazines and trade journals which are related in a direct manner to the nature of the enterprise carried on by the vendor.

      However, fees for membership of professional bodies and trade organisations paid on behalf of employees are not denied supplies and SARS allows an input VAT to be claimed. Trade unions are exempt in this regard.

    In the case of denied supplies, no VAT may be claimed, and no output VAT needs to be declared, thus these supplies don’t need to be declared on your VAT return.

  2. Zero-Rated Supplies

    A zero-rated supply is a taxable supply, but VAT is levied at 0%. Vendors who make zero-rated supplies are still able to deduct input tax on goods or services acquired in making of the zero-rated supplies.

    Zero-rated supplies include certain basic foodstuffs such as brown bread and maize meal, certain services supplied to non-residents, international transport services, municipal property rates and more.

    Although a zero-rate supply is levied at 0%, it is still a taxable supply and should be declared separately on the VAT return.

  3. Deemed Supplies

    A vendor may be required to declare an amount of output tax even though they have not actually supplied any goods or services. Deemed supplies will generally attract VAT at either standard rate or zero rate.

    Two common examples of deemed supplies at standard rate are trading stock taken out of the business for private use and certain fringe benefits received provided to employees.

    The deemed supply will be declared on the VAT return under either your standard rate or zero-rate codes.


  4. Notional input VAT

    A VAT vendor may in certain circumstances deduct a notional input VAT credit in respect of secondhand goods acquired from non-vendors where no VAT is actually payable to the supplier.  Second-hand goods exclude animals, certain mineral rights and goods containing gold or consisting solely of gold.

    The following requirements must all be met for a notional input credit to be deductible in respect of secondhand goods:

    • Goods must be previously owned and used (as per the second-hand good definition in section 1 of the Act) and
    • Goods must be used to generate taxable supplies and
    • The seller must be a resident non-vendor and
    • Goods must be located in South Africa and
    • There must be no actual VAT levied on the transaction.

    It is important to keep all the documentation for all types of supplies for VAT purposes and to have it available as SARS may require it to confirm VAT transactions.

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your financial adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)

The 2019 Tax Season is here

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The 2019 tax season officially started on 1 July 2019.

 

Different filing periods apply, depending on the way a taxpayer chooses to submit their return:

 

  • Taxpayers who use e-filing to submit their returns have from 1 July 2019 until 4 December 2019.
  • Provisional taxpayers have until 31 January 2020.
  • Taxpayers who prefer to visit a SARS branch to physically submit their returns may submit between 1 August and 31 October 2019.

 

Companies and close corporations are not subject to the above-mentioned deadlines since the deadline for such entities’ income tax returns is 12 months after year-end.

 

The income threshold for submitting returns was increased from R350 000 to R500 000 for employees who received a single source of income from one employer during the year of assessment.

 

A natural person or estate of a deceased person will therefore not be required to submit a return if their gross income consists solely of any one or more of the following:

 

  • Remuneration not exceeding R500 000 from a single source with no additional benefits or claimable allowances, and employees’ tax has been withheld in respect of that remuneration;
  • Interest income from South Africa (excluding a tax-free savings account) less than
    • R23 800 for a person younger than 65;
    • R34 500 person aged between 65 and 75; or
    • R23 800 for a deceased person’s estate;
  • Dividends where the individual was a non-resident throughout the year of assessment;
  • Amounts received or accrued from a tax-free savings account; and
  • Capital gains or losses of less than R40 000.

 

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied upon as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your financial adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)

The importance of requesting reasons for an assessment by SARS

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Generally, disputes with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) are the result of an assessment which has been issued by SARS to a taxpayer. An assessment is the determination of an amount of a tax liability or refund, by way of self-assessment by the taxpayer (such as in the case of VAT) or assessment by SARS (such as in the case of income tax). If taxpayers are not satisfied with an assessment, the Tax Administration Act provides for dispute resolution mechanisms, in terms of which taxpayers can object to the assessment, and subsequently appeal, if objections are not maintained.

 

Although objection to an assessment is the correct procedure to dispute a tax amount, taxpayers often lodge objections against assessments, without knowing exactly what they are objecting to. This could seriously jeopardise a taxpayer’s case, since taxpayers may not appeal on a ground that constitutes a new objection against a disputed assessment. If a valid ground of objection is therefore not addressed in the objection itself, taxpayers may lose the opportunity to object to a specific ground.

 

For example: when an assessment is raised by SARS because “expenses are not allowed as a deduction” it could be as a result of, among others, the following:

 

  • SARS considers the taxpayer not to carry on a trade;
  • SARS considers the expense not to have been incurred in the production of income;
  • SARS considers the expense not to have been actually incurred; or
  • SARS considers the expense to be of a capital nature.

 

Without having reasons for the assessment, the taxpayer cannot properly formulate its grounds of objection and may, therefore, find itself in a position where the real grounds for the assessment, may not be challenged on appeal.

 

In terms of Rule 6 of the dispute resolution rules, a taxpayer who is aggrieved by an assessment may request that SARS provide reasons for an assessment. The reasons provided by SARS must enable the taxpayer to formulate its grounds of objection. The reasons for any administrative action must include the reasons for the conclusion reached, and it is not enough to merely state the statutory grounds on which the decision is based or repeat the wording of the legislation. The decision-maker should furthermore set out his understanding of the relevant law.

 

A request for reasons for an assessment must be made within 30 business days from the date of assessment. Taxpayers (and their practitioners) are therefore encouraged to consider assessments as soon as they are issued by SARS. If there is any doubt as to why the assessment has been issued, a formal request for reasons should be issued without delay.

 

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied upon as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your financial adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)

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