Smarter Accounting

19/07/2026

🚨 **TAX SEASON 2026 IS OPEN — BUT IS YOUR SARS ASSESSMENT CORRECT?**

Tax season has officially started, and many taxpayers may already be receiving communication or an auto-assessment from SARS.

An auto-assessment can be convenient—but it should never simply be accepted without checking the information carefully.

SARS may already have information from employers, medical aids, retirement funds and financial institutions, but that does not necessarily mean that everything is complete or correct.

You should still check whether SARS has included:

✅ All income earned during the tax year
✅ Medical aid contributions and qualifying medical expenses
✅ Retirement annuity contributions
✅ Investment and interest income
✅ Rental property income and expenses
✅ Capital gains or losses
✅ Business, freelance or commission income
✅ All valid deductions and supporting information

Missing or incorrect information could result in you paying too much tax—or facing questions from SARS later.

Tax season is not simply about pressing the **Submit** button.

It is about making sure the figures are accurate, the supporting documents are available and all valid deductions have been considered.

👉 Visit our new Tax Season 2026 information page for practical guidance, document checklists and assistance with your tax return:

🔗 https://smarter-tax-season-2026.davidhowardhartley.chatgpt.site/

Do not wait until deadlines are approaching and everyone is scrambling.

Get your tax information together early, review your SARS assessment properly and deal with any problems before they become expensive.

📞 **WhatsApp / Mobile:** 082 061 2300
📧 **Email:** [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
🌐 **Website:** [www.smarteraccounting.co.za](http://www.smarteraccounting.co.za)

David Hartley
Smarter Accounting
Where Results Matter

Cell: 082 061 2300
[email protected]
https://smarteraccounting.co.za/

18/07/2026

Have a look at my new Chat GPT generated website...👌

Don't guess. Don't rush. Get your SARS return checked by a qualified accountant and tax practitioner.

14/07/2026

Melody Tomlinson, who is an AI expert, is running an AI course in Rondebosch on the 23 July!

Libraries are traditional spaces of learning.
Come and learn how to use AI in a small group lead by an
experienced facilitator who will make it easy and fun.
BOOK your spot today.
[email protected]
Easy. Fun. Affordable.
AI for everyone.

Contact Melody Tomlinson to book and/or ask more at:
• Mel .co.za
• Cell: 082 888 9676

09/07/2026

For business owners, tax season is not just about submitting a return.

It is a test of whether your books are clean, complete and reliable.

Before filing, check whether:

✅ bookkeeping is up to date
✅ bank accounts are reconciled
✅ income has been captured correctly
✅ expenses are properly recorded
✅ VAT transactions are correctly allocated
✅ payroll records are complete
✅ loan accounts and drawings are properly recorded
✅ debtors, creditors, stock and assets make sense

If the books are wrong, the tax return will probably be wrong too.

Blunt, but true.

Read the full article here:

https://smarteraccounting.co.za/tax-season-2026-has-started-what-business-owners-and-taxpayers-should-do-now/

If your business needs help getting tax-season ready, contact Smarter Accounting for a free 15-minute Tax Season Readiness Appointment.

📞 WhatsApp / Mobile: 082 061 2300
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.smarteraccounting.co.za

Smarter Accounting — Where Results Matter

08/07/2026

35 Years with Pastel — and Still Learning!

Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending the **Sage Pastel Roadshow**, and it was a highly successful and worthwhile event.

It was great to reconnect with people in the accounting and software industry, meet members of the Sage team, and see how the profession continues to evolve.

Some of the key topics covered included:

* the changing role of accountants and financial professionals;
* the growing impact of AI and automation;
* improved cloud accounting and reporting tools;
* digital compliance and SARS modernisation;
* advisory services, dashboards and better financial decision-making;
* risk management and the future direction of accounting technology.

The event reinforced an important point:

**Accounting is no longer only about recording what happened in the past. It is increasingly about using better systems, timely information and practical insight to help businesses plan ahead.**

After working with Pastel and Sage products for more than 35 years, it was particularly rewarding to see how far the technology has developed and how much opportunity still lies ahead for accountants and business owners.

A big thank you to Sage and everyone involved in organising the roadshow. It was informative, well presented and a valuable opportunity to learn, reconnect and exchange ideas.

It was also especially good to catch up with **Noreen**. Noreen and I were among the people involved in establishing and growing Pastel in Cape Town more than 35 years ago, so attending the roadshow together brought back some very good memories.

**Smarter Accounting — Where Results Matter**

07/07/2026

Tax season becomes painful when your documents are not ready.

• Bank statements.
• IRP5s.
• Medical aid certificates.
• Retirement annuity certificates.
• Business invoices.
• Receipts.
• VAT records.
• Payroll records.
• SARS correspondence.

That “I’ll find it later” folder is not a filing system.

It is a treasure hunt with penalties.

If you want to claim deductions, support VAT claims, explain your numbers, or respond to SARS properly, you need records.

Read the full article here:

https://smarteraccounting.co.za/tax-season-2026-has-started-what-business-owners-and-taxpayers-should-do-now/

If you are not sure whether your documents are ready, contact Smarter Accounting for a free 15-minute Tax Season Readiness Appointment.

📞 WhatsApp / Mobile: 082 061 2300
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.smarteraccounting.co.za

Smarter Accounting — Where Results Matter

•

05/07/2026

Tax Season 2026 has started — and now is the time to get your tax affairs in order.

Don’t wait until SARS asks questions, documents go missing, or the deadline starts breathing down your neck.

Before you file, make sure you have checked:

✅ your SARS details
✅ your auto-assessment before accepting it
✅ your supporting documents
✅ your bookkeeping records
✅ your deductions and business expenses
✅ your VAT and payroll records
✅ your provisional tax and cash-flow planning

Tax season does not have to be chaos.

But it often becomes chaos when everything is left too late.

Read the full article here:

https://smarteraccounting.co.za/tax-season-2026-has-started-what-business-owners-and-taxpayers-should-do-now/

Smarter Accounting is offering a free 15-minute Tax Season Readiness Appointment to help identify what needs attention.

No pressure. No jargon avalanche. Just practical advice to help you get started properly.

📞 WhatsApp / Mobile: 082 061 2300
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.smarteraccounting.co.za

Smarter Accounting — Where Results Matter

01/07/2026

Tax Season 2026 has started — now is the time to get ready.

Don’t wait until SARS asks questions before checking whether your records, documents and deductions are properly in order.

Before you file, make sure you have reviewed:

✅ Your tax documents
✅ Your bookkeeping records
✅ Business expenses and deductions
✅ VAT and PAYE records
✅ Payroll information
✅ Auto-assessments before accepting
✅ Provisional tax and cash-flow planning

A little preparation now can prevent a lot of stress later.

Smarter Accounting is offering a **free Tax Season Readiness Review** to help you identify what needs attention before the deadlines start closing in.

If you are not sure whether your tax affairs are ready, let’s take a proper look.

📞 WhatsApp / Mobile: 082 061 2300
📧 [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
🌐 [www.smarteraccounting.co.za](http://www.smarteraccounting.co.za)

Smarter Accounting — Where Results Matter

25/06/2026

Provisional tax and cash flow should be planned before they hurt.

Too many business owners only think about tax when the payment deadline arrives.

By then, the money may already have gone into stock, salaries, suppliers, overheads or general business pressure.

That is when tax season becomes stressful.

Before tax season starts, business owners should review:

✅ expected taxable profit
✅ cash flow pressure
✅ provisional tax estimates
✅ VAT and PAYE commitments
✅ upcoming SARS deadlines
✅ whether enough has been set aside

Hope is not a tax plan.

I’ve written a practical article on the 7 checks every business owner should do now:

https://smarteraccounting.co.za/before-tax-season-starts-7-checks-every-business-owner-should-do-right-now/

If your business needs help getting tax-season ready, contact Smarter Accounting for a free Tax Season Readiness Review.

📞 WhatsApp / Mobile: 082 061 2300
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.smarteraccounting.co.za

Smarter Accounting — Where Results Matter

23/06/2026

Tax season becomes painful when documents are missing.

• Bank statements.
• Invoices.
• Receipts.
• Payroll records.
• VAT documents.
• Medical certificates.
• Retirement annuity certificates.
• Business expense records.

The famous “I’ll find it later” folder has caused many tax-season headaches.

Before tax season starts, get your supporting documents together and review your expenses and deductions properly.

Underclaiming may mean paying more tax than necessary.

Overclaiming may create SARS risk.

The goal is simple: be accurate, complete and properly supported.

Read the full article here:

https://smarteraccounting.co.za/before-tax-season-starts-7-checks-every-business-owner-should-do-right-now/

If you want help checking whether your documents, deductions and records are ready, book a free Tax Season Readiness Review with Smarter Accounting.

📞 WhatsApp / Mobile: 082 061 2300
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.smarteraccounting.co.za

Smarter Accounting — Where Results Matter

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