Postgraduate
Diploma in
Tax Strategy &
Management
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Contents
3 General information
3 Programme structure
4 Curriculum
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POS TG RADUAT E DI P LOM A I N TA X S T R AT E G Y & MANAG EMENT
General information
Centre for Accounting in association
with the Centre for Business Dynamics,
University of the Free State
South African Tax Legislation has undergone
fundamental changes over the past decade. Most tax
consultants do not keep their taxation knowledge up
to date after completing their formal higher-education
studies. Thus, the primary objective of this initiative is
to bring all parties involved in the field of taxation up to
date with the latest developments and changes and to
extend their undergraduate knowledge on taxation and
facilitate their specialising in the field, if they wish to do
so. These short learning programmes and Postgraduate
Diploma will empower individuals working in this field
to optimally position themselves and their clients from
a strategic tax perspective – now, and in the future.
More specifically these modules will bridge the gap
between static, outdated knowledge and modern,
relevant and up-to-date application of tax strategy and
management.
The University of the Free State (UFS) is one of a select
few institutions accredited by the South African
Institute of Chartered Accountants to present Chartered
Accountancy training and has been training Chartered
Accountants for over forty years. The taxation
facilitators who will be presenting these modules
are also driven individuals who are true specialists in
their respective fields. The institutional infrastructure
of the University of the Free State is world-class and
extremely adequate in meeting the desired outcomes
of these modules, and participants will have access to
all necessary resources.
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
Any B Com / B Acc Degree or equivalent qualification
that includes taxation as a major subject or, Relevant
work experience in the taxation fields (supported by
a portfolio) that can be recognised in terms of prior
learning as equivalent to the first criteria.
All submissions are subject to a selection process.
REGULATIONS
• Class attendance is a pre-requisite to the submission of assignments and admittance to the examinatons.
• Modules are only credit-bearing towards the diploma if the student complies with the entrance requirements.
• A complete list regarding rules and regulations is available on request. Please ensure that you read these rules.
COST OF DIPLOMA
Available on request.
APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION
The closing date for applications is November and the
closing date for registration is January the following
year.
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
Assessments
Participants will be required to submit a practical
assignment / case study and write a formal exam on
each of the modules.
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POS TGRADUAT E DI P LOM A I N TA X S T R AT E G Y & M A NAG EMENT
Duration of the diploma
The complete Postgraduate Diploma spans over a
period of 12 months. The lectures are divided into 8
contact sessions of one day each. Lecture times are
from 08h00-16h15.
Short certificate programmes
Please note that each of the modules within the post
graduate diploma can independantly be attended as a
short certificate programme. Participants can further
decide if they want to be assessed in order to obtain
credits or simply attend for professional development
purposes. If they are assessed the credits obtained
could be used as part of a recognition of prior learning
process should they wish to register for the complete
diploma in the future. However, individual modules
can only be credit-bearing towards the diploma if the
student complies with the entrance requirements.
CURRICULUM
Modules:
VALUE ADDED TAX – THE ESSENTIALS
(TXA610)
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Topics / key focus areas to be covered
• Complete a VAT 201 return, i.e. calculate the
VAT liability
• Register a vendor for VAT
• Advise clients on advance VAT issues from a tax planning perspective
• Integrate VAT with other taxes
• Complex VAT issues
• Court cases
Who should attend?
• Entrepreneurs
• Tax practitioners
• SARS officials
• Persons involved with VAT
• Internal auditors
• Corporate accountants
CALCULATING INDIVIDUAL TAX
(TXA605)
Objective of the module
To enable a person to perform tax planning and
calculate the tax liability of an individual taxpayer.
Objective of the module
Value Added Tax involves every transaction of business.
No other type of tax reaches as far and wide as VAT. This
module will help you recognise the VAT implications of
the actions of your business.
Learning outcomes
Participants will leave the module with the ability to:
• Calculate the tax liability of the individual earning a salary and/or receiving part time income
• Calculate the tax liability of a natural person
• Advise an individual taxpayer on how to pay the minimum taxation (excluding salary restructuring)
Learning outcomes
Participants will leave the module with the ability to:
• Complete their VAT returns correctly
• Calculate their VAT liability
• Plan the business’ transactions in a VAT
efficient way
• Provide VAT advice
Topics / key focus areas to be covered
Calculation of taxable income including:
• Gross income
• Special inclusions
• Exempt income
• General deduction formula
P O STG RAD UATE D I P LO MA I N TAX STRATEG Y & MANAGEMENT
• Special deductions
• Selected capital allowances
• Secondary trades
• Convergence with VAT, CGT, Tax planning, Tax avoidance
• Court cases
• Provisional Tax
Who should attend?
• Entrepreneurs
• Tax practitioners
• SARS officials
• Individual taxpayers
• Persons involved in the taxation of individuals
TACKLING CAPITAL GAINS TAX
(TXA608)
Objective of the module
To demystify the advanced aspects surrounding Capital
Gains Tax, and reinforce the basic principles.
Learning outcomes
Participants will leave the module with the ability to:
• Minimise the CGT liability in local and international tax planning
• Identify and calculate the CGT effect of a number of economic actions
• Integrate CGT with income tax, and other SA taxes
Topics / key focus areas to be covered
The content will consist of the following discussion
topics:
• The mechanics of CGT
• Disposals and acquisitions of assets
• Base cost
• Primary residence exclusion
• Other exclusions and roll-overs
• Special circumstances and complex CGT issues
• Convergence with normal tax and VAT
• Court cases
Who should attend?
• Tax specialists in private practice
• SARS officials
• Internal auditors
• Corporate accountants
SALARY STRUCTURING IN TAX
PERSPECTIVE (TXA607)
Objective of the module
If one looks at the tax schemes involving salary
structuring over the past two decades, it is no wonder
that SARS is attacking salary structuring vigorously.
This module will not only address all the pitfalls
employers fall into when structuring packages, but also
address the positive manner in which salary packages
can still be structured without infuriating SARS.
Learning outcomes
Participants will leave the module with the ability to:
• Calculate the employee’s tax liability
• Calculate the tax value and employee’s tax implications of fringe benefits
• Make proper use of exemptions available to employees
• Structure reimburse allowances in a tax-efficient way
• Avoid the adverse effect of s 23(m) on the employees
• Avoid the adverse effect of legislation on labour brokers and personal service companies of trusts
• Structure salary packages without creating pitfalls (by understanding court cases on salary
structuring schemes)
• Calculate the employee’s tax on the salary and benefits of foreign residents
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POS TG RADUAT E DI P LOM A I N TA X S T R AT E G Y & M A NAG EMENT
Topics / key focus areas to be covered
• Fourth Schedule on employees’ tax
• Seventh Schedule on fringe benefits
• Exemptions under s10
• Reimburse allowances under s8(1)
• S 23(m) that covers the disallowance of certain expenses with regard to remuneration
• Legislation and interpretation notes on labour brokers and personal service companies or trusts
• Court cases on salary structuring schemes
• Share options
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Who should attend?
• Entrepreneurs
• Tax practitioners
• SARS officials
• Persons involved in payrolls
• Persons involved in Human Resources
• Internal auditors
• Corporate accountants
BASIC CORPORATE TAX (TXA602)
ESTATE PLANNING IN PERSPECTIVE
(TXA603)
Objective of the module
To enable a person to calculate and plan for all the tax
consequences upon his/her passing away.
Learning outcomes
Participants will leave the module with the ability to:
• Calculate donation tax and estate duty liabilities
• Competently perform estate planning and minimise all potential tax liabilities
• Use a trust as tool in estate planning
• Integrate estate duty with other taxes such as normal tax, Capital Gains Tax, etc.
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Topics / key focus areas to be covered
• Donation tax
Estate duty
Estate planning
Trusts as a tool in estate planning
The impact of Capital Gains Tax on estate planning
Who should attend?
• Tax practitioners
• Entrepreneurs
• Persons involved in estate planning
• SARS officials
• Financial advisors
Objective of the module
To address the basic intermediate corporate taxation
needs of the average company or close corporation.
Learning outcomes
Participants will leave the module with the ability to:
• Calculate the tax liability of a company or close corporation
• Calculate the STC liability of a company or close corporation
• Minimise the tax liability of a company / CC through tax planning
• Integrate tax types in corporate tax planning
Topics / key focus areas to be covered
Calculation of taxable income, including:
• Gross income
• Special inclusions
• Exempt income
• General deduction formula
• pecial deductions
• Capital allowances, Trading Stock, Leases, Assessed losses and Recoupment
• Companies and CCs
• Convergence with VAT, CGT, Tax planning and Tax avoidance
P O STG RAD UATE D I P LO MA I N TAX STRATEG Y & MAN AGEMENT
• Basic Dividends and STC
• Court cases
Who should attend?
• Corporate accountants
• Internal and external auditors
• Tax specialists in private practice
• SARS officials
ADVANCED CORPORATE TAX MADE
EASY (TXA601)
Objective of the module
The mere idea of doing advanced corporate tax often
scares the tax practitioner. The actual truth is that there
are very little special rules for companies, and general
taxation rules are mostly applicable. The objective
of this module is to do an in-depth study of the
implications of taxation in the corporate environment.
Learning outcomes
Participants will leave the module with the ability to:
• Calculate the STC on dividends (advanced)
• Identify situations where the corporate rules may be applied, and be able to apply these rules
• Identify transfer pricing and thin capitalisation situations, and avoid the adverse effect of these anti-avoidance rules
• Perform any corporate tax calculation
• Perform international tax planning
Topics / key focus areas to be covered
• Dividends and STC (advanced)
• Corporate rules
• Transfer pricing and thin cap rules
• International tax (basic)
• Convergence with VAT, CGT and other tax implications for companies
Who should attend?
• Entrepreneurs
• Tax practitioners
• SARS officials
• Corporate accountants
FARMING FOR TAX PLEASURE (TXA604)
Objective of the module
To enable a person to perform tax planning and
calculate the tax liability of a farmer.
Learning outcomes
Participants will leave the module with the ability to:
• Calculate the tax liability of a farmer
• Advise a farmer on how to minimise his/her tax liability
• Integrate normal taxation with other taxes applicable to farmers (VAT, Capital Gains Tax etc.)
Topics / key focus areas to be covered
• Farming income
• Special provisions applicable to farmers
• Stock
• Capital expenditure provisions
• Forced sale and drought relief provisions
• General rating formula for farmers
• Convergence with normal tax, VAT and Capital
Gains Tax
• Court cases
Who should attend?
• Tax practitioners
• SARS officials
• Farmers
• Persons involved in the farming industry, e.g.: Agricultural advisors
Presenter
Private consultant
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POS TG RADUAT E DIPLOM A I N TA X S T R AT E G Y & M A NAG EMENT
INVESTMENTS AND THEIR TAX
IMPLICATIONS (TXA606)
Objective of this module
To select the appropriate investment strategy for
clients, from a tax perspective.
Learning outcomes
Participants will leave the module with the ability to:
• Optimise tax efficiency in local and foreign investment planning
• Optimise tax efficiency in retirement planning
• Integrate tax on investments with all SA taxes
Topics / key focus areas to be covered
• Retirement planning Option
• Foreign investments
• Exemptions
• S 9C Option
• Share Dealers vs Share Investors
• Integration with Capital Gains Tax
• Electing the best entity
Who should attend?
• Financial advisors and other persons in the financial services industry
• Tax specialists in the private sector
• SARS officials
• Corporate accountants
TAX ADMIN! WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS?
(TXA609)
Objectives of the module
The empowerment of individuals functioning in the tax
industry in terms of taxpayers’ rights and the rights
of SARS. The focus will also be on obligations, tax
administration and tax avoidance.
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Learning outcomes
Participants will leave the module with the ability to:
• Know the types of taxes in SA, apply court decisions in taxation planning, and utilise interpretation notes critically in tax planning
• Follow best practice when escalating disputes to SARS
• Administer their own and clients’ tax affairs in line with best practice
• Advise clients on their constitutional rights and
obligations in terms of tax planning and administration
• Choose the correct legal entity when embarking on an entrepreneurial venture
• Perform tax planning to avoid adverse effects of anti-avoidance legislation
Topics / key focus areas to be covered
• Taxpayers’ rights under the Constitution and other laws (PAJA)
• Types of taxes, Court decisions, Interpretation Notes
• Duties of SARS, Working of SARS, including E-filing
• Dispute Resolution Process (ADRs)
• Head-to-head comparison of entities for tax purposes
• General and specific anti-avoidance legislation
• Advanced Tax Rulings
• Reportable Arrangements + GAAR
Who should attend?
• Corporate accountants
• SARS officials
• Internal auditors
• Tax specialists in private practice
P O STG RAD UATE D I P LO MA I N TAX STRATEG Y & MANAGEMENT
CONTACT DETAILS FOR ENQUIRIES AND
REGISTRATION
Should you need more information contact the
Programme Coordinator: Postgraduate Diploma in Tax
Strategy & Management.
Maquida du Preez
Tel: +27 51 401 3588
Fax to e-mail: 086 525 6298
E-mail: mdupreez@ufs.ac.za
Website: www.ufs.ac.za/bus www.ufs.ac.za/cbd
Fully accredited by the CHE - Member of AACSB
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