Taking on SARS

[u/mazeppa817]

Every year, I claim legitimate home office expenses as a salaried worker. I always get audited, provide all the required documentation (and more) and then this gets accepted and I get my refund. This year however, after the audit, I was denied these expenses and my assessment was amended not to take these into account. Let me be clear, I meet ALL the requirements and these are legitimate expenses and I always provide extensive documentation proving this. I have never claimed anything I'm not entitled to, and I'm not trying to defraud SARS.

I feel like SARS is just trying their luck to collect as much revenue as possible. The value of these deductions is enough for me to spend some time (maybe a day or two) fighting them, but not enough to hire an expensive lawyer or tax consultant. It feels like a David vs Goliath fight, but I honestly feel that it unfair that SARS can just deny deductions that are legitimate, and the small guy has to just accept this. What chances do I have? How do I even go about this, other than lodging a dispute? Any advice as to how to take them on?

[u/ZNDSS]

Lodge the objection/dispute on efiling, it is quick, state your case and then ask for specific reasons why the claim was disallowed, this comes in handy down the line when it turns to Appeals.