SARS Trust Tax Season 2025
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SARS has kicked off the 2025 Trust Income Tax Season, rolling out key deadlines, form updates, and legislative changes that trustees and representatives should be aware of. The goal is to make compliance simpler, while tightening rules where needed.
Key Dates for Trusts
31 Aug 2025 – First provisional tax payment (2026 year)
20 Sep 2025 – ITR12T submissions open
30 Sep 2025 – IT3(t) submission deadline and top-up provisional tax for 2025
19 Jan 2026 – Final deadline for all trust tax returns (ITR12T)
28 Feb 2026 – Second provisional tax payment (2026 year)
Legislative Updates
Trust definition now also covers collective investment schemes and hedge fund portfolios.
From March 2025, trusts can fully use foreign tax credits on capital gains, with unused credits carried forward up to six years, in line with Section 6quat (foreign tax credits).
Section 12H learnerships incentive extended to 31 March 2027.
Section 25B (flow-through rule) only applies for resident beneficiaries. Non-resident beneficiaries will be taxed in the trust.
Form Changes: ITR12T Made Smarter
Farming income auto-calculator allows for income and expenses to be auto-calculated and pre-populated from prior returns.
Wizard questions include new prompts on Section 25B loss limitations, flow-through of capital losses in special trusts, and confirming youngest beneficiary’s age for Type (b) special trusts.
Beneficial ownership updates include new tick-box for deceased founders and free-text for unnamed beneficiaries (Type B Special Trusts).
Why It Matters
These changes mean:
More automation in return submissions (less manual work)
Clarity on foreign tax credits and learnership incentives
Tighter rules on taxing non-resident beneficiaries
Closer reporting of trust ownership and beneficiary details
SARS has promised an updated Comprehensive Guide to Trust Tax Returns on its website from 20 September 2025. Trustees are urged to file on time and complete the post-submission survey to help improve the system.
Read more on this on the SARS website.
