The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has initiated its auto-assessment process for tax returns, affecting at least six million taxpayers.This system calculates tax obligations using data from third parties like banks, employers, and medical aid schemes.Taxpayers can check their auto-assessment status via the SARS website from July 1.If the results are agreed upon, no further action is needed.Disagreements require filing a manual tax return through eFiling or the SARS MobiApp.Refunds or debts under R100 are deferred to the next tax year.The process aims to streamline tax compliance while ensuring accuracy through third-party data verification.

Key points include understanding the auto-assessment criteria, accessing the status online, and the implications of agreeing or disagreeing with the assessment results.This initiative reflects SARS's efforts to modernize tax administration and reduce manual processing.Taxpayers are advised to monitor their accounts and prepare for potential adjustments in their tax liabilities.