SARS has updated its guide on medical tax credits for the 2026 tax year, and there are a few things every taxpayer should know before filing. From the monthly credit amounts and who qualifies as a dependant, to the new Declaration Alert Questionnaire that could save you from a full audit, this article breaks it all down in plain language. If you pay medical aid contributions for a parent, spouse, or child, or if your dependant numbers have changed from last year, this is what you need to know before you submit your return.

When the evidence is thin, your client loses, and so do you

A recent court case found that picking a ground like "serious illness" or "financial hardship" means nothing without credible, authentic proof. Unsigned acknowledgements of debt, speculative emails, and hearsay will not save your client. The court called it "intentional obfuscation" and upheld a 90 percent penalty on R1.67 million. With the 2026 filing season around the corner, every objection, condonation request, and medical expense claim turns on one thing: the quality of evidence on file. Be the accountant SARS cannot dismiss.

Owing SARS money can feel like a never-ending burden, interest piles up, penalties grow, and enforcement looms. But for a limited time, taxpayers have a chance to hit reset. Through the SARS’s Expedited Tax-Debt Compromise Process, qualifying taxpayers may be able to settle their debt for less than the full amount, clear their tax record, and move forward with peace of mind.