by VDT Attorneys | Feb 4, 2026 | Tax, Tax Advice, Tax planning, Trust loans, Trusts
Section 7C of the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962 was introduced to address the perceived tax advantage of interest-free or low-interest loans to trusts when attempting to transfer wealth below market value. Where a connected person advances a loan to a trust at a rate...
by VDT Attorneys | Jan 16, 2026 | Managing your trust, SARS, Tax return, Trust compliance, Trust non-compliance, Trusts
All South African trusts must be registered for income tax with SARS to submit their tax returns yearly. It is irrelevant whether a trust is active or not. SARS will do a deep dive into the trusts’ tax return submissions, and if the trust has failed to submit its tax...
by VDT Attorneys | Dec 3, 2025 | AML, Anti-Money Laundering, Beneficial Ownership, Grey listing, SARS, Trust compliance, Trustee Duties, Trusts
With South Africa’s greylisting by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in 2023, compliance has evolved from being a peripheral consideration to a crucial element of fiduciary planning. Understanding how compliance obligations influence, and in many cases,...
by VDT Attorneys | Nov 12, 2025 | Compliance, Information Regulator, PAIA, Trustee Duties, Trusts
The Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (“PAIA”) stipulates that both private and public bodies are obliged to comply with the requirements as set out in the PAIA. Whether a trust qualifies as a private body is, however, unclear in terms of the...
by VDT Attorneys | Jul 16, 2025 | AML, Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-money Laundering Amendment Act, Capital Gains Tax, Heirs, Trusts
Before recent amendments, having a non-resident beneficiary in a South African trust did not have major implications for the trust. If you have a South African trust and wish to add a non-resident beneficiary, such as a child who has moved abroad and is now a tax...
