about technology: Tax relief, funding for small business

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Tax relief, funding for small business - SouthAfrica.info

23 February 2012

Delivering his National Budget speech in Parliament in Cape Town on Wednesday, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan announced both some tax relief for small business and a new financing agency to improve funding for the sector.

The tax-free threshold for small business corporations will be increased to R63556, while the 10% rate is reduced to 7% - the threshold up to which this rate is applied is increased to R350000.

For taxable income above R350000, the usual 28% corporate tax rate will still apply.

The payment of tax has also been simplified for micro enterprises. From next month, qualifying micro-businesses - those that fall within the R1-million turnover limit - will be able to pay turnover tax, VAT and employees' tax twice a year.

"This means that the number of returns and payments a year will be reduced from 18 to just two," said Gordhan.

Although Capital Gains Tax (CGT) for companies was increased from 50% to 66.6% and for individuals from 25% to 33.3%, the exclusion threshold for the disposal of a small business when a person is over the age of 55 has been increased from R900000 to R1.8-million, and the maximum market value of assets allowed for a small business disposal for business owners over 55 has been lifted from R5-million to R10-million.

Gordhan also said that the consolidation of small business financing into a new subsidiary under the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) would benefit small firms.

President Jacob Zuma told Parliament earlier this month that the agency was expected to launch in April.

Source: BuaNews

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