Sales Reps Are the Lifeblood of Your Business – 10 Interview Questions To Ask
“Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman – not the attitude of the prospect” (W. Clement Stone) With the world experiencing its toughest business environment in decades, your sales reps are the people who more than anyone else need to not only embody the company and its values, but also be capable of […]
Independent Non-Executive Directors: A Value-Add for Your SME?
Many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are owned and managed by the founder(s), sometimes with the involvement of family members, and in the early stages of the life of a small or medium-sized company there would seem to be little reason or motivation to appoint independent non-executive directors to the board. However, as an entity […]
The Way Forward: More Virtual Meetings?
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” (Arthur C. Clarke, English science writer and inventor) Virtual meeting platforms have their pros and cons, but the standout advantages seem to be their cost effectiveness, time saving capabilities and their ability to host large numbers of attendees at very small cost. The options available to companies […]
What Should You Do If a Creditor Tries to Liquidate Your Business?
Due to the recession, there are a rising number of local companies in financial distress and facing threats or applications from creditors to liquidate their businesses. The latest Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) figures released in November show that the total number of liquidations increased by 33.2% in the three months ended October 2020 compared with […]
Five Mistakes to Avoid When Investing Offshore
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest” (Benjamin Franklin) It can be tempting to look at South Africa and the bad news that seems to hit us like freight trains one after another, and immediately consider moving all your money offshore. There is however far more to consider than simply your gut feel, and […]
Companies: How to Manage Your Greater Tax Risk in 2021
If you think compliance is expensive – try non-compliance.” (Paul McNulty, former US Deputy Attorney General) The extent of corporate taxes – from income tax, employment taxes and value added tax (VAT) to dividend taxes, capital gains taxes, transaction taxes and other indirect taxes – along with the operational aspects such as data and reporting […]
Employees Working Abroad: How to Avoid Double Tax
“Every advantage has its tax.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson) The purpose of the foreign remuneration exemption, which was introduced in 2000, is to provide relief from any possible double tax that may arise where both South Africa and the foreign country taxes the same income derived from employment, according to a SAICA article on the topic, […]
6 Tips for Getting the Most from Your Tax-Free Savings Account
“He said that there was death and taxes, and taxes was worse, because at least death didn’t happen to you every year.” (Terry Pratchett, Reaper Man) Tax-free savings accounts (TFSAs) have been around for just over five years, and yet many people still do not know about them, are unfamiliar with the benefits or don’t […]
Accounting Tips for SMMEs in a Rocketing Tax Future
“The avoidance of taxes is the only intellectual pursuit that carries any reward”: John Maynard Keynes While there are diverse reasons why SMMEs ultimately fail, financial mismanagement and poor performance are two of the most often-cited explanations. A financial forecast as a tool, allows businesses to plan their finances for the future – with the […]
A Remote Working Danger: Independent Contractor or Employee?
The prevalence of remote working since the start of the national lockdown in March has brought to the fore the need to distinguish between an employee and an independent contractor. This topic has both labour and tax law implications. Anli Bezuidenhout, a Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr employment lawyer, said during an interview that a situation could […]