Expat insights
Get news and useful articles for South Africans worldwide on our blog.
Understanding the lump sum tax tables on early withdrawal of South African retirement funds
If you take cash out of a South African retirement fund before you retire, the amount you receive is not ...
Should you freeze, maintain, or withdraw your South African retirement annuity?
If you have left the country, or you are planning to, your South African retirement annuity stays behind, until you ...
How to prove to SARS that you are no longer a South African tax resident
If you are a South African tax resident, SARS taxes you on your worldwide income, subject to the exemptions and ...
Do you need SARS tax clearance to transfer a South African inheritance abroad?
Short answer: sometimes, and it depends on three things. Your South African tax residency status, whether you are still active ...
South African tax on foreign income: do you have to tell SARS about it?
If you earn money outside South Africa, whether that is a salary from an overseas employer, rent from a flat ...
South African retirement annuity withdrawal: what the 3-year rule actually means
If you have left the country and want to cash in your South African retirement annuity (RA), you have probably ...
South African exit tax explained: what the taxman can and cannot touch when you emigrate
Can SARS tax you on your way out the door? Yes, but not on everything, and not in the way ...
What happens to your South African retirement annuity when you leave the country?
You can close a bank account and cancel a medical aid before you board the plane. But your South African ...
South African working overseas: how 20 years of unfiled returns became a R750 000 SARS demand
Many South Africans who work abroad assume that exempt foreign income means there is nothing to declare and nothing to ...
The financial mistakes South African expats wish they’d avoided
Leaving South Africa is rarely just one decision. It's many smaller decisions made while packing up a life. Like which ...
Cross border inheritance: why having just one will might not be enough
Don't let your family inherit a legal headache in two countries. If your assets sit in two countries, having a ...
Winding up a deceased estate in South Africa (and why tax emigration is the key)
If you live abroad and are due an inheritance from a South African estate, you may be surprised to learn ...
Planning a phased emigration from South Africa: when one partner leaves first, and the other follows later
When one partner leaves South Africa before the other, the two of you end up with different tax residency statuses ...
The tax side of moving back to South Africa that most expats overlook
When a South African expat permanently returns to South Africa, it has important tax consequences. This is especially relevant to ...
Retiring abroad vs retiring in South Africa: the financial trade-offs
Where you spend your retirement isn't just a lifestyle question. It's also a financial one, and the numbers can look ...
Donations tax in South Africa: can I still donate to my spouse tax-free if they live overseas?
Give your spouse a car, settle their bond, move an investment portfolio into their name, and no tax question arises ...
How to bring your South African pension across when you retire abroad
Retiring abroad is exciting, but it also raises important questions. For example, what happens to your South African pension income ...
Navigating SARS’ new tax filing requirements: What South Africans expats need to know in 2026
Every year, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) updates its filing requirements, but the 2026 tax filing season sends a ...
SA Yachties: Why you need to declare your income and your tips to SARS
Working on a superyacht can be an incredible opportunity. You get to travel the world, earn a competitive salary and ...
Tax residency under the spotlight: Why SARS is asking South African expats to prove their timeline
For many South Africans living abroad, ceasing South African tax residency feels like a clear milestone that’s naturally achievable. You've ...
Buying or selling property in South Africa? How non-resident expats can avoid costly mistakes
For many South Africans living abroad, owning a property back home remains an important part of their financial journey. Whether ...
