This page answers common questions about C-Consult Inc’s accounting, tax, and compliance services, and about South African accounting compliance topics that arise frequently in client conversations. All answers reflect current South African tax and company legislation as of the last-updated date shown below. For specific service pricing, see the Services and Pricing page.
A South African startup’s first-year accounting needs include registering the company at CIPC, opening a business bank account, setting up bookkeeping software, registering for tax (income tax is automatic; PAYE and VAT are registered separately when thresholds are met), submitting the first annual tax return, and preparing annual financial statements. Payroll setup is required once the business hires its first employee.
The accountant registers as the taxpayer’s SARS tax practitioner on eFiling, collects supporting documents (IRP5, medical certificates, retirement contribution statements, additional income records), prepares the ITR12 return, submits it via eFiling, and follows up on the assessment.
C-Consult Inc charges R1,250 + VAT for a standard individual tax return; more complex returns are quoted separately.
A sole proprietor is not taxed as a separate entity. Business income and expenses are declared on the individual’s personal income tax return (ITR12) under ‘local business income.’ The sole proprietor pays income tax at individual sliding-scale rates on the net profit and is required to submit provisional tax twice a year, in August and February.
If you earn income from a freelance business, commission, or renting out property, you must register for provisional tax. If your only non-salary income is from interest, dividends, or property rental, you are exempt as long as that specific passive income is R30,000 or less per year.
A SARS dispute is a formal objection to a tax assessment the taxpayer believes is incorrect. The process starts with a Request for Reasons or Notice of Objection (NOO) filed within 80 business days of the assessment. If SARS rejects the objection, the taxpayer may file a Notice of Appeal to the Tax Board or Tax Court. C-Consult Inc assists with all stages.
Property investors must correctly account for rental income and allowable deductions (rates, levies, insurance, bond interest, maintenance), separate capital-nature costs from revenue-nature costs, and consider whether the property portfolio triggers a trading versus investment classification, which affects tax treatment. CIPC-registered property companies also require annual financial statements and, above thresholds, independent reviews.
Outstanding returns can be filed with SARS as a catch-up. SARS may raise administrative penalties on individuals starting at R250 per month per outstanding return and scaling up to R16,000 per month depending on assessed loss or taxable income, plus interest on unpaid tax. Voluntary disclosure to SARS before enforcement action can reduce penalty exposure. C-Consult Inc handles multi-year catch-up filings on an hourly basis.
A boutique practice is typically a solo or small-team firm where clients work directly with the qualified accountant. Larger firms allocate work across teams of varying seniority. Boutique practices generally offer more consistent client-facing continuity and lower overhead pricing; larger firms offer broader service breadth and audit capability. C-Consult Inc is a solo practice — the Director handles all client work personally.
A Chartered Business Accountant in Practice is a professional accountant registered with the Chartered Institute of Business Accountants (CIBA) and authorised to provide accounting, tax, and independent review services to South African businesses. CIBA practitioners are regulated by the Institute and must meet continuing professional development and ethical requirements. C-Consult Inc’s Director, Christiaan Scheepers, is registered with CIBA.
A General Tax Practitioner is a professional registered with the South African Institute of Taxation (SAIT) and recognised by SARS as authorised to represent taxpayers in South African tax matters. SARS requires all tax practitioners to be registered with a recognised controlling body such as SAIT. C-Consult Inc’s Director is registered as a General Tax Practitioner with SAIT.
An independent review is an assurance engagement required for South African companies with a Public Interest Score above the qualifying threshold that are not otherwise required to be audited. It provides limited assurance on the financial statements. C-Consult Inc offers independent reviews at fees ranging from R5,000 to R20,000 ex VAT depending on transaction volume.
CIPC charges statutory fees of R125 (auto-generated name) or R175 (custom name) for private company registration. Professional services to complete the full registration process add to that. C-Consult Inc charges R3,000 + VAT for a standard Pty Ltd registration, covering name reservation, Memorandum of Incorporation submission, director confirmation, issue of the registration certificate, appointment of the registered representative at SARS, and initial share allotment.
C-Consult Inc bookkeeping is billed at R950 per hour ex VAT. Monthly cost depends on transaction volume: a small business with 20 to 40 transactions per month typically requires 2 to 4 hours (R1,900 to R3,800 ex VAT per month). Higher-volume businesses require more time. A monthly retainer can be quoted after a scoping review.
Yes. C-Consult Inc has serviced remote clients since 2020 and works with clients across South Africa. Client communication is via email, phone, and online meetings. Documents are exchanged via secure cloud storage. Cloud-based accounting software (Xero, Sage, Zoho, QuickBooks) allows real-time collaboration on bookkeeping and reporting without location constraints.
