Tax Filing Season for individuals opens in July 2026 — and for many South Africans it now starts with an SMS or email from SARS saying they have already been auto-assessed. Here is what that means, and what you should (and should not) do.
Each year SARS receives data directly from employers, banks, medical aid schemes, retirement funds and other third parties. Using that information, SARS now automatically calculates a tax assessment for a large number of individual taxpayers — before the normal filing season even opens — and sends it to you to review.
Auto-assessments generally go to taxpayers with relatively straightforward affairs — typically salaried individuals whose income and deductions are already reported to SARS by third parties. If your tax affairs are more complex (for example, you run a business, are a provisional taxpayer, or have rental or foreign income), you may not be auto-assessed and will need to file a normal return.
If you have reviewed it and everything is correct, you generally do not need to do anything further. If a refund is due, SARS usually pays it into your bank account within a few business days. If you owe SARS, pay the amount by the due date shown to avoid interest.
This is the part people get wrong. If your auto-assessment is missing something — additional income, medical expenses, retirement annuity contributions, a home office or travel claim — you should not simply accept it. You must file a normal, corrected tax return by the deadline. Once you submit the corrected return, SARS re-assesses you on the right figures.
Filing season is peak season for fraudsters. SARS will not ask for your eFiling password or banking PIN by SMS or email, and will not send you a link to "claim your refund". When in doubt, log in directly at sars.gov.za or through SARS eFiling — never through a link in a message.
We review your auto-assessment for you, check that every deduction and income source is correct, and file a corrected return where it benefits you — making sure you claim everything you are entitled to and stay fully compliant. No stress, no missed deadlines.
This article is general information, not specific tax advice. Deadlines and SARS processes can change — please contact us for advice tailored to your situation.