SARS may already have calculated your tax. Here's how to check

South Africans are looking to SARS for answers on whether they will need to file a return at all.

As tax season approaches and taxpayers scramble to understand whether they owe money or will receive a refund, many South Africans are looking to SARS for answers on whether they will need to file a return at all.

IOL previously reported that the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has confirmed the key dates for the 2026 tax filing season, with auto-assessments set to run between 1 and 12 July 2026 for selected taxpayers.

SARS will once again be rolling out its auto-assessment system for the 2026 filing season, which could see millions of taxpayers receive refunds without submitting a tax return.

The system uses information already provided by employers, banks, medical schemes and other institutions to calculate taxpayers’ positions automatically.