Free South African tax calculators
Work out your take-home pay, tax refund, UIF benefit and retrenchment payout — all on the latest SARS tax tables, in rand. Free, no sign-up.
🧾 SARS Income Tax Calculator 2026 — Salary & Take-Home Pay
🧾 Medical Aid Tax Credit Calculator (South Africa)
🧾 Tax Refund Estimator
🧾 UIF Benefit Calculator
🧾 Retrenchment & Severance Calculator
🧾 VAT Calculator 2026 — Add or Remove 15% VAT
🧾 Two-Pot Withdrawal Tax Calculator
🧾 Dividends Tax Calculator
🧾 Capital Gains Tax (CGT) Calculator
📊 Salaries by sector
How income tax works in South Africa (2026/27 context)
SARS taxes individuals on a sliding scale of tax brackets, from 18% on the first portion of taxable income up to 45% on the highest. Everyone gets a primary rebate that reduces the tax due (with extra rebates from age 65 and 75), which is why you pay no tax below the annual tax threshold. On top of that, employees contribute 1% UIF (capped at the R17,712 monthly level), and medical scheme members receive a monthly tax credit (R376 for the first two members, R254 for each additional dependant in the 2026/27 tables).
Your monthly PAYE is your employer's estimate of this annual tax, spread across the year. Deductions like retirement-fund contributions (deductible up to 27.5% of income, capped at R430,000 a year) can lower your actual tax — and if they weren't in your PAYE, that's where a refund comes from. Optimising what you legally keep — through rebates, medical tax credits and retirement-fund deductions — is one of the most reliable ways to improve your take-home pay.
Frequently asked questions
How much tax do I pay in South Africa?
It depends on your income. SARS uses sliding tax brackets from 18% up to 45%, less the primary rebate (and extra rebates from age 65). Use the Income Tax & Salary calculator to see your exact PAYE and take-home pay on the 2026/2027 tables.
How do I get a tax refund from SARS?
A refund usually happens when deductions like retirement-fund contributions were not accounted for in your monthly PAYE. The Tax Refund Estimator shows how much your retirement contributions could give back.
How much UIF can I claim?
UIF pays a sliding income-replacement rate of 38%–60% of your salary (capped at R17,712/month), for credit days you have built up. The UIF Benefit calculator estimates your payout.
Is severance/retrenchment pay taxed?
The first R550,000 of a severance or retirement lump sum is tax-free (a lifetime cumulative amount); above that, SARS taxes it on a sliding scale. The Retrenchment calculator estimates both the payout and the tax.
Pay less tax, legally
A retirement annuity reduces your taxable income — compare South Africa's top RAs.
Calculators use the 2026/2027 SARS tax tables and are estimates for general information — not tax advice. Confirm your figures with SARS or a registered tax practitioner.