Service Catalogue · 05 · Specialist

Specialist SARS representation.
Deadlines met, rights protected.

SARS Consulting & Dispute Resolution · Individuals & Businesses

A specialist service for taxpayers facing SARS audits, disputes, penalties and compliance challenges. We act on the technical detail and the procedural deadlines, so the dispute is fought on the right ground, not lost on a missed date.

Book a SARS Matter Call Send Us Your SARS Letter

Or call us on 010 592 7717

17+Years Practising
500+Clients Served
95%Retention Rate

Practising since 2009. The client and retention figures are our own estimates across that time.

Credentials

  • CA(SA) ledChartered Accountant (South Africa)
  • SAICA memberSouth African Institute of Chartered Accountants
  • Zoho Authorised Partner
  • Reg. 2009/018813/07Managing Advancing Wealth (Pty) Ltd
Services We Provide

Six service categories. One technical bench.

Every SARS matter we handle falls into one of these categories. We engage per matter, quoted on diagnosis.

Service 01

SARS Audit & Information Gathering Support

For clients facing verifications, audits and investigations.

  • Field audits, desk audits and criminal investigations
  • Managing requests for relevant material under the TAA
  • Rights during inspections, searches and seizures
  • Representation during SARS inquiries
Service 02

Dispute Resolution

Objections, appeals and ADR, through SARS’s formal dispute process.

  • Drafting and lodging Notices of Objection (NOO)
  • Appeals at SARS administrative level (NOA)
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and settlement negotiations
  • Compliance with the TAA Chapter 9 dispute rules
Pay-now, Argue-later South Africa’s default rule is that the obligation to pay tax is not automatically suspended by lodging an objection. We handle the simultaneous suspension-of-payment request to a Senior SARS official, so the dispute is fought without recovery action in the background.
Service 03

Administrative Penalties & Compliance

For late submissions, understatements and non-disclosure.

  • Representation in administrative-penalty matters
  • Requests for remission of penalties or interest (RFR)
  • Guidance on Voluntary Disclosure Programme (VDP) applications
Service 04

Tax Debt Management & Recovery

Where SARS is owed and the cashflow needs a structure.

  • Payment arrangements and instalment agreements
  • Compromise of tax debts and write-off applications
  • Defence against garnishee and preservation orders
Service 05

Taxpayer Rights & Ombud Support

Where SARS gets it wrong on service, process or fairness.

  • Internal escalation via supervisor and CMO complaint
  • Protection of confidentiality, due process and fairness rights
Tax Ombud Escalation Where SARS service or process fails and the internal CMO does not resolve the complaint within 21 business days, we escalate to the Tax Ombud under the OTO Act. Maladministration, service delays and unfair treatment are all in scope.
Service 06

Advance Rulings & Reportable Arrangements

Get the SARS view in writing, before you transact.

  • Private, class and binding rulings prepared and submitted
  • Reportable arrangement identification and disclosure
  • Protection against penalty exposure on disclosed arrangements
Critical Deadlines

The dispute clock starts the day SARS does.

Miss a deadline and the right to dispute can be lost.

Step 01
30
Business Days
Request for Reasons

When the grounds for the assessment are unclear, request reasons within 30 business days from the assessment date.

Step 02
80
Business Days
Notice of Objection

The NOO must be lodged within 80 business days of the assessment or SARS decision, with exact issues and legal grounds.

Step 03
60
Business Days
SARS Decision on Objection

SARS must decide on the objection within 60 business days from the date it was lodged.

Step 04
30
Business Days
Notice of Appeal

If the objection is disallowed, the NOA must be delivered within 30 business days of the notice of disallowance.

Step 05
90
Business Days
ADR Finalisation

Once ADR commences, proceedings must be finalised within 90 business days, unless an extension is agreed.

All deadlines are in business days under the Tax Administration Act. Extensions exist for reasonable grounds and exceptional circumstances, but they are not automatic.

Proactive Protection

Pre-empt SARS, before they find you.

Two specialist tools that take the risk off the table: one for disclosure of past matters, one for certainty on future transactions.

Tool 01 · For past matters

Voluntary Disclosure Programme (VDP)

Where there is a default or non-disclosure in a prior period, a successful VDP application avoids prosecution and substantially reduces or eliminates understatement penalties. We assess eligibility, draft the application and manage the SARS engagement through to relief agreement.

  • Eligibility assessment before disclosure
  • Application drafting and submission
  • Engagement with SARS through to relief agreement
Tool 02 · For future transactions

Advance Tax Rulings

For complex or high-value transactions where the tax treatment is not settled, a binding ruling gets the SARS view in writing before the transaction is concluded. Private rulings (individual taxpayer), class rulings (group of related taxpayers) and binding general rulings.

  • Ruling type selection and pre-application engagement
  • Application preparation and SARS submission
  • Reportable arrangement disclosure where required
How We Work

Consultation to resolution, in five disciplined steps.

Every matter is different. The process below is the constant.

Step 01
Consultation
Listen first. The SARS letter, the assessment, the timeline. No prescription before diagnosis.
→
Step 02
Diagnosis
Identify the right path: dispute, remission, debt arrangement, VDP, Ombud, ruling.
→
Step 03
Strategy
Map the deadlines, evidence and submissions required. Agree scope and fee.
→
Step 04
Representation
Draft and lodge submissions. Manage SARS engagement. Track each statutory clock.
→
Step 05
Resolution
Outcome formalised, file closed, lessons documented. Pre-emptive controls recommended.
Engagement & Fees

Per-matter engagements, quoted on diagnosis.

Every SARS matter is unique: the amount in dispute, the procedural stage, the documentation required, the complexity of the position. We diagnose first, then quote a fixed scope and fee for that matter. No retainers required.

Common Questions

The questions we hear most often.

Do you appear in Tax Board or Tax Court?
No. Once a matter escalates beyond the SARS administrative dispute level to the Tax Board or Tax Court, we partner with your appointed legal counsel and continue to support the tax-technical side: assessments, computations, evidence bundles, witness statements. The forum is legal; the substance remains accounting and tax. We don’t take on the courtroom advocacy ourselves.
I’ve just received a SARS letter. How quickly can you respond?
Most SARS deadlines are tight (30, 60 or 80 business days) and the clock starts on the date of issue, not the date you opened the letter. Send us the letter and we will diagnose within 48 hours: what it actually requires, the latest date for action, and the right response path. The diagnosis itself is a paid engagement and small; the matter is quoted separately.
What if I’ve already missed a deadline?
Extensions exist. Objections can be condoned for up to 30 additional days on reasonable grounds, and appeals can be extended by 21 or 45 days for reasonable or exceptional circumstances. Beyond the absolute cut-offs (3 years for objections, 75 days for appeals) the right to dispute is lost, but there are still paths: VDP, compromise, or Ombud complaint where service failures contributed.
How is this priced?
Per matter. Once we’ve diagnosed the issue we quote a fixed scope and fee for that engagement. Some matters are once-off (a single objection); some run longer (audit defence through to ADR). Pricing is in the engagement letter, never on the website. No retainers, no monthly subscription: this isn’t that kind of service.
Do you handle individual taxpayers or only businesses?
Both. The procedural rules under the Tax Administration Act are largely the same. We work with individuals on disputed assessments, debt arrangements, administrative penalties and VDP, and with businesses on the same plus VAT, PAYE and corporate-tax disputes.
Can I object and continue paying SARS in the meantime?
Yes. Lodging an objection does not change the obligation to pay. If you want to suspend payment while the dispute is open, we lodge a simultaneous request for suspension of payment to a Senior SARS official under the “pay-now, argue-later” framework. The act of submitting the request itself buys a procedural safeguard while SARS decides.
Do you sell financial products (insurance, RAs, investments)?
No. We are not an authorised financial services provider. SARS dispute work is firmly within chartered-accounting and tax-practitioner scope. Product recommendations sit with your authorised FSP.

Don’t wait for the next letter.

Whether SARS has already contacted you or you want to pre-empt an issue, start with a discovery call. Free, no commitment, no pressure.

Book a SARS Matter Call Send Us Your SARS Letter

What happens on the call: 30 minutes, online. We get to know your business and check that we are the right fit for each other, answer the questions you bring, share best practice for your setup, and quote for any work that falls within our services.

Sending a letter instead: we diagnose it within 48 hours, covering what it requires, the latest date for action and the right response path. The diagnosis is a small paid engagement, and we confirm the fee with you before we start.

CA(SA) led practice +27 10 592 7717 info@mawinc.co.za 101 Rose Avenue, Lenasia, Johannesburg