WORK FROM HOME AND PAY LESS TAX

The Beancounter •

How working from home can benefit you in the 2021 tax season

How working from home can benefit you in the 2021 tax season

Amidst the ongoing global pandemic, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has furthermore recently announced that employees who work from home can claim home office costs and tax deductions.

This as a number of major South African corporates have informed their employees that they’ll be working from home until at least July 2021 amidst the global coronavirus pandemic.

Not only does working from home benefit company expenses such as water and electricity, but it has also led to improved employee productivity and satisfaction.

The Beancounter looked at how employees and individuals can claim tax deductions working from home during the lockdown period.

Who will be able to claim tax deductions?

Typically, only people who earn a commission (at least 50% of your gross income) or are independent contractors claim for home-office expenses.

However, this year SARS will allow full-time employees to also claim if they work from home if they have worked there for extended periods of time.

This means that you would have to work from home at least until the end of September, if you left the office at the start of the national lockdown.

When will someone be eligible to claim?

According to the Income Tax Act, an employee can claim tax deductions related to home office expenses when they are:

  • Earning a salary but using their home office exclusively and regularly to perform their duties for their employer.
  • Are spending more than 50% of their total working hours working from the home office. Working from home until September, for the tax year ending 28 February 2021, would make someone eligible in this regard.

 

Additionally, if an employer has already reimbursed an employee for data costs, stationery or other expenses – they may not have to pay tax on these payments.

How will you be able to claim?

Claiming for home office expenses can be completed through an ITR12 tax return form. Through this process, an individual will have to provide proof of the expenses in the form of invoices or statements. The days spent working from home furthermore has to be indicated to prove that more than 50% of total working hours were spent working from home.

Any downsides?

It is important to note that if an individual owns their home, claiming home office expenses could cost them in extra capital gains tax (CGT) when the property is sold.

According to SARS, the first R2 million of primary residences does not have any capital gains tax. However, if an individual indicates to SARS that part of the property is not a residence, but an income-generating office, that part may be excluded from the capital gains tax break.

Therefore, if an individual claims 10% of their home’s floor space as an office, then 10% of the eventual selling price could be liable for CGT. The CGT’s inclusion rate for individuals is 40% (i.e. your capital gain will be included in your income tax calculation at a 40% inclusion rate). However, SARS has indicated that the CGT calculation takes into account the length of time over which an individual has used their home office

The Beancounter clients: Be sure to contact your account manager if you are attempting to claim tax deductions for home offices expenses in respect of 2021. The manager will be able to assist you in completing all the necessary paperwork. Please bear in mind that this is only applicable for the next tax year, i.e. 1 March 2020 – 28 February 2021 and will not affect the current 2020 submissions.

Until next month…

Here at The Beancounter, we continue to be hard at work to complete the 2020 tax year, and ensure that our clients utilize all the tax credits offered to them.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact one of our team members.

Despite the difficulties presented due to the coronavirus pandemic, The Beancounter remains your trusted partner to adjust to the new reality.

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