South Africans can now check tax refunds and audits on WhatsApp
Struggling to get tax information online is finally a thing of the past…
Tax season is upon us and many people are scrambling to get their affairs in order to avoid possible tax issues or, even better, get some money back into their bank accounts.
Possibly, the biggest downside of submitting taxes is all the effort and stress involved in submitting taxes and finding relevant information.
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If you don't have a specialised tax practitioner or know exactly what you're doing, it is fair to say that the process will be almost impossible.
Luckily, SARS has now made it a little easier for South Africans to access information on their tax refunds and other tax-related queries.
The South African Revenue Service introduced its new WhatsApp channel, specifically for tax queries related to personal income tax. The channel is available on both the mobile and desktop versions of WhatsApp.
Here's how it works:
- Save the SARS WhatsApp number 0800 11 7277 on your contact list or access it on your desktop here.
- Initiate a conversation by sending "Hi" or "Hello".
- Select “Accept” to opt into the service.
- Select which service you would like to access from the list of options:
- Request your Tax Reference Number;
- Request your Statement of Account;
- Request your Return Refund Status;
- Request your Audit Status and
- Request your Notice of Assessment.
It is important to note that you can only WhatsApp SARS from a mobile device number registered on the SARS systems.
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According to BusinessTech, the SARS WhatsApp channel is part of the service's promise to lean into newer technologies to make tax compliance easier for taxpayers.
Look here:
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Image: SARS