South African capital gains tax

Capital gains tax calculator

Work out how much of an asset you can sell to make full use of your annual capital gains tax (CGT) exclusion, and estimate the CGT you would pay on a sale. Adjust the settings to match your situation.

What's my SARS marginal tax rate?

Enter your gross income (monthly or yearly) below. The result shows your top (marginal) tax bracket and rate per the latest SARS tax tables.

Income period

Monthly Yearly

Gross income Monthly income before tax (Rands)

              Marginal tax rate
              —
            

Tax bracket —

Annual equivalent income —

Enter your gross income to see your marginal rate.

Settings

Annual CGT exclusion R50,000 from 1 March 2026; R40,000 for earlier tax years Marginal tax rate Percent of income taxed at your top rate Inclusion rate 40% for individuals, 80% for companies

How much can I sell to fully use the exclusion?

Enter the percentage gain the asset has made since you bought it. The result is the sale amount whose capital gain equals your annual exclusion, so no CGT is payable on that sale.

Percentage gain Percent gain since you bought it

              Sell amount
              —
            

Implied base cost —

Capital gain —

CGT on this sale (after exclusion) —

Enter a positive percentage gain.

Capital gains tax on a sale

Enter the proceeds you receive from the sale and the base cost (what you paid for it). The calculator shows the tax with and without the annual exclusion so you can see what the exclusion saves you.

Proceeds Amount you receive from the sale (Rands) Base cost What you paid for it (Rands)

Capital gain —

Taxable gain (with exclusion) —

              Tax with exclusion
              —
            

Tax without exclusion —

Tax saved by exclusion —

Net proceeds after tax —

Percentage gain —

Enter both the proceeds and the base cost.

How much capital do I need for a target income?

Enter the coupon or interest rate you can get, and the gross annual income you need. Find out how much capital you need to invest to generate that income each year (before tax).

Coupon / interest rate Annual percentage return you can earn, e.g. an 8% bond Gross annual income needed Gross income per year before tax (Rands)

              Capital required
              —
            

Monthly income equivalent —

Enter your target rate and the annual income you need.

How much can I keep in an account before interest is taxed?

SARS exempts the first part of your interest income each year. Enter your age and the effective annual interest rate to see the largest balance you can start the tax year with before the interest you earn becomes taxable.

Are you 65 or older?

No Yes

Effective annual interest rate The effective rate you earn over a year, after compounding (%)

              Maximum starting balance
              —
            

Tax-free allowance R23,800.00

Monthly interest at the maximum —

Enter an effective annual interest rate.

Notes

This is an estimate for general guidance only and is not tax or financial advice. Calculations use: capital gain = proceeds − base cost; taxable gain = (capital gain − exclusion) × inclusion rate; CGT = taxable gain × marginal tax rate; maximum interest-bearing balance = annual interest exemption ÷ effective annual rate.

SARS's annual CGT exclusion for individuals is R50,000 from 1 March 2026 (the 2026/27 tax year). It was R40,000 before that, so set the exclusion to R40,000 if you are working through an earlier tax year. The exclusion is R300,000 in the year of death, and the inclusion rate for individuals is 40%. The defaults above are adjustable to reflect your own figures. Costs directly related to a sale (such as broker fees) can be subtracted from the proceeds.

The annual interest exemption is currently R23,800 for individuals under 65 and R34,500 for those 65 and older. It applies to your total South African interest income across all accounts, not per account, and foreign interest does not qualify. Use the effective annual rate you actually earn after compounding.