SARS tax refund calculator

How the estimate is worked out

1. Income — salary (IRP5 code 3699), plus freelance and other taxable income.
2. Business expenses come off freelance income only — SARS does not let most expenses reduce a salary.
3. Retirement contributions (pension, provident and RA) are deducted up to 27.5% of the greater of your salary or taxable income, capped at R350 000 for 2025/26 and R430 000 for 2026/27 (section 11F).
4. Income tax comes from the SARS brackets for the year, less the age rebates.
5. Medical tax credits reduce the tax: the monthly medical scheme fees credit, plus the additional credit on out-of-pocket costs (sections 6A and 6B).
6. What you have already paid — PAYE (IRP5 code 4102) and provisional tax — is compared with the tax for the year: more paid than due is an estimated refund.

It is deliberately simpler than a full return: it leaves out the interest exemption, capital gains, travel allowances and the wear-and-tear schedule for equipment. Treat the result as a guide, not an assessment.

Filing season 2026 — the dates

• 23 October 2026 — last day for non-provisional taxpayers who were not auto-assessed.
• 22 January 2027 — last day for provisional taxpayers.

The return filed in 2026 covers the 2025/26 tax year (1 March 2025 – 28 February 2026). Dates follow SARS's published schedule — always confirm on eFiling.

Questions people ask

Do I need to file if I was auto-assessed?

If you accept SARS's auto-assessment you generally do not need to file. If it is missing something — an RA certificate, medical expenses, a second income — you can file a return instead. Check the details on eFiling.

Why would SARS owe me a refund?

PAYE is worked out by your employer without knowing about your retirement annuity, your medical costs or your other deductions. When those are added on your return, the tax for the year can come out lower than the PAYE already paid.

How accurate is this?

It uses the SARS tax tables and the same calculations as the Taxly app, which are checked against SARS's own worked examples. But it only knows what you type in, and leaves out the less common items listed above.