FinGlobal

Whether you need SARS tax clearance to move that money offshore depends on your tax residency status, whether you are still registered with SARS, and the amount involved.

For some beneficiaries, no clearance is needed. For others, an AIT application is unavoidable.
And in almost every case, the estate's own paperwork is what determines the timeline.

We have set out the four scenarios, the R10 million threshold and the documents to have ready.

Do you need tax clearance to transfer a South African inheritance abroad? Do you need SARS tax clearance for a South African inheritance abroad? It depends on your tax status and the amount.

Working overseas doesn’t automatically mean you can ignore your South African tax returns.

One South African who had been working in the UK since 2006 never filed his returns, believing his foreign income was automatically exempt. Years later, he received a SARS demand for more than R750,000.

The good news? His tax affairs could be corrected.

Read the full case study to see what happened and why South Africans working overseas still need to understand their SARS filing obligations. https://www.finglobal.com/2026/08/30/case-study-foreign-income-tax-south-africa/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=blog&utm_term=BlogPost&utm_campaign=20260906-blog

Case study: how we cleared 20 years of unfiled returns and a R750 000 SARS demand 20 years of unfiled SARS returns and a R750,000 demand. See how we helped a South African expat resolve it.

You have not sold anything. You have not cashed in a single investment. But on the day you cease South African tax residency, SARS treats you as though you sold everything you own, and it wants tax on the growth.

That is the exit tax. It is not a penalty for leaving, and it does not touch everything.

Your South African property is excluded. So is your car, your furniture, and the cash in your bank account. Your retirement annuity is excluded from this particular charge too, although it is taxed later when you withdraw.

What is caught: shares, unit trusts, crypto assets, Krugerrands, and any property you bought overseas before you ceased residency.

We have explained the whole thing in plain language, including a worked example of how the bill is calculated.

SARS exit tax explained: what SARS can and cannot tax Ceasing South African tax residency can trigger capital gains tax on worldwide assets. Find out what’s affected and what isn’t.

Can you cash in your retirement annuity if you emigrate? Yes, but not immediately, and not without tax. Here is what the three-year rule actually requires.

What happens to your South African retirement annuity when you emigrate? What happens to your retirement annuity when you leave South Africa? Learn about access rules and SARS tax.

Working or investing abroad? Here is the question we get asked most: do you actually have to tell SARS about foreign income?

If you are still a South African tax resident, yes. Even if you have already paid tax on it in another country. Even if it turns out to be exempt.

Our latest article covers what counts as foreign income, how the R1.25 million employment exemption works and who qualifies for it, how foreign interest and dividends are treated, and what SARS already sees through automatic information exchange.

South African tax on foreign income: do you have to tell SARS about it? - FinGlobal Do you need to declare foreign income to SARS? If you are still a South African tax resident, yes. Here is what that means in plain language.

Left South Africa and want to cash in your retirement annuity? The "3-year rule" is one of the most misunderstood parts of tax emigration.

The three years is not a waiting period that starts once you have tax emigrated. It counts from the date you ceased to be a South African tax resident. That means you do not need to wait three years to start the SARS process, and if you ceased residency three or more years ago, you may be able to apply now.

We break down both conditions, how the two-pot system fits in, and what SARS will tax when you withdraw.

RA withdrawal after emigration: what the 3-year rule means Want to cash in your RA before 55? You’ll need three years of tax non-residency after completing tax emigration. Here’s how it works.

Living abroad but still earning rental income from South African property? A SARS AIT PIN may be required before you can transfer those funds offshore. Find out why the PIN is needed, how the process works and what non-resident property owners should know.

Why non-residents with South African property now need a SARS AIT PIN to access rental income A SARS AIT PIN is now required to access funds, with banks often needing a TCS PIN to release rental income.