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Updated July 2026<\/strong> for the 2026\/2027 SARS tax year<\/strong> (1 March 2026 \u2013 28 February 2027). This guide explains every field in our free income tax calculator South Africa<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 including PAYE, UIF, medical credits, travel, fringe benefits, and the section 11F retirement deduction cap \u2014 so you can estimate take-home pay with confidence.<\/p>\n South Africans search for tools like \u201ctax calculator South Africa\u201d, \u201cPAYE calculator\u201d, and \u201cSARS tax calculator 2026\u201d every month. The leaders on Google (TaxTim, Old Mutual, Sage, and dedicated PAYE tools) all estimate monthly tax. Where many stop at salary + RA + medical, our calculator also models fringe benefits<\/strong>, employer retirement contributions<\/strong>, and a proper s11F cap<\/strong> (27.5% \/ R350 000 or R430 000 for 2026\/27<\/strong>).<\/p>\n Use the free tool:<\/strong> Blu Solutions SARS PAYE Tax Calculator<\/a> \u2014 2024\/25, 2025\/26 and 2026\/27 brackets.<\/p>\n Estimates only \u2014 not a SARS assessment. For filing, contact Blu Solutions<\/a> (Mossel Bay \u00b7 Garden Route \u00b7 online nationwide).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n A South African income tax calculator<\/strong> (also called a PAYE calculator<\/strong> or salary tax calculator<\/strong>) annualises your earnings, subtracts allowable deductions, applies SARS progressive tax brackets, subtracts rebates and medical scheme tax credits, then divides by 12 for monthly PAYE. Many tools also estimate UIF<\/strong> and take-home (net) pay<\/strong>.<\/p>\n It is not a full IRP5 rebuild. Capital gains, section 18A donations, additional medical tax credits, and tax directives need a practitioner or eFiling.<\/p>\n OpenSEO \/ Google SERP checks for South Africa (July 2026) show the same competitive set again and again:<\/p>\n Where Blu Solutions is built to compete:<\/strong><\/p>\n Old Mutual\u2019s calculator is polished for individuals saving for retirement. TaxTim is the SERP incumbent. Our edge is IRP5-style payroll inputs explained for employees and small-business owners who want a transparent estimate before they file.<\/p>\n SARS rates change by year of assessment. Pick the year that matches the salary you are modelling. For current pay from March 2026 onward, use 2026\/2027<\/strong>. Older years help you reconcile a prior IRP5 or check historical payslips.<\/p>\n Enter basic cash salary excluding<\/em> travel if you will capture travel separately. This is the starting point for remuneration and take-home cash.<\/p>\n People also search \u201ctax on 30 000 salary South Africa\u201d and similar \u2014 plug the amount into the calculator for an instant estimate.<\/p>\n Age unlocks secondary and tertiary rebates. Higher rebates raise the tax-free threshold and lower PAYE for the same taxable income.<\/p>\n Your retirement annuity contributions. They reduce taxable income under section 11F<\/strong>, subject to the 27.5% and annual rand caps (see below).<\/p>\n Employee contributions to pension or provident funds. Combined with RA and employer retirement contributions for the s11F limit.<\/p>\n What your employer pays into a retirement fund. SARS treats this as a taxable fringe benefit<\/strong> in your hands, and it also counts toward your s11F deduction<\/strong>. It increases remuneration for tax, then comes back (within limits) as a deduction \u2014 it is not deducted from your bank take-home.<\/p>\n Company car (taxable value), housing, low-interest loans, and similar IRP5 fringe codes. These increase taxable remuneration even when you do not receive extra cash.<\/p>\n Drives the medical scheme fees tax credit<\/strong> (section 6A): for 2026\/27, R376 per month for each of the first two beneficiaries and R254 for each additional dependant. Credits reduce tax payable, not taxable income.<\/p>\n Enter the travel allowance paid in cash. Then enter business-use %<\/strong> (for example 80). Only the personal<\/em> portion is taxed:<\/p>\n Take-home still includes the full travel cash paid. Without a logbook, many payrolls tax 80% of travel by default \u2014 that is the same as entering business use of 20%.<\/p>\n Employee UIF is 1% of relevant remuneration, capped (currently R177.12 per month on our tables). Our tool applies UIF to salary + travel + other fringe (within the monthly cap).<\/p>\n This is the gap many simple calculators skip. Under section 11F, deductible retirement contributions (pension + provident + RA + employer contributions treated as yours) are limited to the lesser of<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Anything above the limit shows in our results as retirement excess (carry forward)<\/strong> \u2014 it may be usable in later years, subject to SARS rules.<\/p>\n Related searches: \u201cretirement annuity tax deduction South Africa\u201d, \u201cretirement annuity calculator\u201d, \u201chow to calculate PAYE on salary\u201d.<\/p>\nWhat an income tax calculator actually calculates<\/h2>\n
How our calculator compares with TaxTim, Old Mutual and Sage<\/h2>\n
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Every calculator field explained<\/h2>\n
1. Tax year (2024\/25, 2025\/26, 2026\/27)<\/h3>\n
2. Monthly gross salary (cash)<\/h3>\n
3. Age (under 65 \/ 65\u201374 \/ 75+)<\/h3>\n
4. Monthly RA contributions<\/h3>\n
5. Monthly pension \/ provident (employee)<\/h3>\n
6. Monthly employer retirement contribution<\/h3>\n
7. Monthly other taxable fringe benefits<\/h3>\n
8. Medical aid members<\/h3>\n
9. Monthly travel allowance + business-use %<\/h3>\n
Taxable travel = travel \u00d7 (1 \u2212 businessUse)<\/code><\/p>\n10. Include UIF<\/h3>\n
Section 11F retirement deduction \u2014 the cap everyone forgets<\/h2>\n
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How taxable income and take-home are built<\/h2>\n
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2026\/2027 SARS individual tax brackets (quick reference)<\/h2>\n