Efficiency Hacks for Small Tax Practices

Efficiency Hacks for Small Tax Practices

• 25 October 2024
• Accounting
• Hopolang Mollo

My experience working in tax disputes has made two things quite apparent, firstly that some disputes with the South African Revenue Service (“SARS”) could have been avoided and secondly, the cause of them ensuing nonetheless is insufficient record keeping. My use of the phrase “record keeping”, in this context, is not limited to saving correspondence with SARS and the client but also, just as importantly, keeping record of the progress status of each individual’s tax submission, in respect to each tax period. This is by no means a simple feat and without access to software designed to aid you to this avail, what was once a “molehill” can quickly spiral into Everest. 

That seemingly quick transition from “molehill” to Everest, though in most places rightfully inexcusable, is actually quite reasonable given the nature of compliance, with all its moving gears. Sometimes, it is just simply quite difficult to keep track of a client’s case. Tax practitioners are just simply not machines. Once a client’s submission turns into a dispute with SARS, a lot of “he says, she says” comes into play, typically feigning incompetence on the part of the tax practitioner assigned to the client. I hate to use the word unfair for want of not sounding like a toddler throwing a tantrum but, in many cases, that is simply what it boils down to, as there are a plethora of  factors which result in tax practitioners being “out of the loop” with what is happening with their clients – most commonly, a practitioners portfolio is objectively too large for one to be as hands on as they would like and the other factor, arguably, the more diabolical of the two, being handed over a portfolio with client cases which are just irreconcilable. So many clients, so many cracks and crevices. 

How to mitigate a meltdown?

Step 1: Join the Tax Faculty Webinar

In this webinar on 18 November 2024 i will provide insights on how to better avoid these cracks and crevices by providing very simple and cost-effective efficiency hacks. Click here to register.

Both to avoid a dispute or better aid you in navigating the steps which follow once one has ensued, timelines are of key importance.

It is the practitioner’s duty to know when a return, assessment, objection and everything else in between becomes due and this is by no means a simple feat, if one does not have either software which helps navigate matters or even something as simple as the much overlooked excel spreadsheet to keep not only track but also documentary proof for others who may have to look at the matter in future.

In addition to holding oneself accountable a timeline assists tax practitioners with holding SARS accountable for deadlines they have to meet either through statutory provisions or, loosely, through SARS own service charter. Coupling the timeline with a tool that eases the calculation of deadlines, the once daunting task of operational efficiency when handling your client portfolio seems, relatively, minuscule - minus the administrative burden these hacks come with, but a tax practitioner has do what a tax practitioner has got to do to keep all stakeholders happy!

I look forward to your attendance as we delve deeper into what these timelines entail  and which tools are readily available for their collation!

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