General Notes - South African Revenue Service

The General Notes in this Archive have been either withdrawn or replaced and are only intended for reference and/or research purposes.

General Notes that are still effective, can be found under Interpretation & Rulings > General Notes.

General Note Reference Number	History	Description	Notes
General Note	Issued on 22/07/1993 ———————— Withdrawn on 04/03/2021	Stoporder against benefits transferred from a pension fund to a provident fund	Legislation is clear regarding the tax treatment of transfers from pension to provident funds
General Note 1	Issued on 15/02/1995 ———————— Withdrawn on 04/03/2021	Transfers from pension to provident funds in terms of the 14 September 1990 arrangement	Legislation is clear regarding the tax treatment of transfers from pension to provident funds
General Note 2	Issued on 15/02/1995 ———————— Withdrawn on 13/03/2021	Transfers from South African pension and provident funds to Namibian retirement funds	Legislation is clear in respect of the tax treatment of benefits transferred from a South African approved pension fund or provident fund to a Namibian fund. The full amount transferred from a South African approved pension fund or provident fund to a Namibian fund is taxable in accordance with the tax rates applicable to withdrawal benefits, subject to the provisions of section 9(2)(i) of the Act.
General Note 3	Issued on 15/02/1995 ———————— Withdrawn on 29/03/2012	Preservation funds and the “N-factor”	It became obsolete due to legislative changes
Addendum A to General Note 3	Issued on 28/09/2007 ———————- Withdrawn on 29/03/2012	Legislative changes affecting the “N-factor”	It became obsolete due to legislative changes
General Note 5	Issued on 20/02/1995 ———————– Withdrawn on 29/03/2012	Determination of death benefits	It became obsolete due to legislative changes
Addendum A to General Note 5	Issued on 27/11/2007 ———————– Withdrawn on 29/03/2012	Determination of death benefits	It became obsolete due to legislative changes
General Note 6	Issued on 20/07/1995 ———————- Withdrawn on 29/03/2012	Formula B: Maximums	Reviewed on 01/03/2007, but no changes were effected. It became obsolete due to legislative changes
Addendum A to General Note 6	Issued on 28/09/2007 ———————– Withdrawn on 29/03/2012	Formula B	It became obsolete due to legislative changes
General Note 7	Issued on 20/07/1995 —————— Withdrawn with effect from 05/11/2012	Source of Income – S.9(1)(g)(ii) and lump sum benefits from pension and provident funds	Retracted on 5 November 2012
General Note 8	Issued on 20/07/1995 ———————— Witdrawn on 29/03/2014	Purchase of annuities at retirement	It became obsolete due to legislative changes
General Note 9	Issued on 20/07/1995 ———————— Withdrawn on 26/02/2021	Purchase of annuities and transfer to retirement annuity fund at retirement	Replaced by General Note 9A
General Note 9A	Issued on 01/10/2007 ———————— Witdrawn on 26/02/2021	Purchase of annuities and transfer to retirement annuity fund at retirement	To be read with General Note 12
General Note 10	Issued on 20/07/1995 ———————- Withdrawn with effect from 05/11/2012	Source of Income – S.9(1)(g)(ii)	Retracted on 5 November 2012
General Note 11	Issued on 20/07/1995 ———————— Withdrawn on 14/10/2015	Retirement from employment	It became obsolete due to legislative changes
General Note 12	Issued on 20/07/1995 ———————— Withdrawn on 26/02/2021	Retirement from employment	Replaced by General Note 18 (Issue 2) on 01/09/2008
General Note 13	Issued on 20/07/1995 ——————— Withdrawn on 05/03/2021	Retirement from employment	The legislation is clear regarding compulsory annuitisation of provident and provident preservation funds
General Note 14 (Issue 1)	Issued on 24/04/1995 ———————– Replaced by Issue 2	Housing Loans and Guarantees (s.99)	Replaced by Issue 2 with effect from 12 September 2007
General Note 14 (Issue 2)	Issued on 12/09/2007 ——————— Withdrawn on 03/03/2021	Housing Loans and Guarantees (s.99)	It became obsolete due to legislative changes
General Note 15 (Issue 1)	Issued on 20/02/1995 ———————- Replaced by Issue 2	Funds registered in the former TBVC states	Replaced by Issue 2 with effect from 12 September 2007
General Note 15 (Issue 2)	Issued on 12/09/2007 ——————— Withdrawn on 03/03/2021	Funds registered in the former TBVC states	These funds are all registered and granted the necessary approval
General Note 16 (Issue 1)	Issued on 15/09/1995 ——————— Replaced by Issue 2	Commutation of Small Annuities	Replaced by Issue 2 with effect from 31 March 2010
Addendum A to General Note 16 (Issue 1)	Issued on 01/07/2006 ——————— Replaced by Issue 2	Commutation of Small Annuities	Replaced by Issue 2 with effect from 31 March 2010
Addendum B to General Note 16 (Issue 1)	Issued on 31/03/2008 ——————— Replaced by Issue 2	Commutation of Small Annuities	Replaced by Issue 2 with effect from 31 March 2010
Addendum C to General Note 16 (Issue 1)	Issued on 30/03/2009 ——————— Replaced by Issue 2	Commutation of Small Annuities	Replaced by Issue 2 with effect from 31 March 2010
General Note 16 (Issue 2)	Issued on 31/03/2010 ———————– Withdrawn on 17/02/2021	Commutation of Small Annuities	It became obsolete due to legislative changes
General Note 17 (Issue 1)	Issued on 12/09/2007 ——————— Replaced by Issue 2	Standard Rules	Replaced by Issue 2 with effect from 12 September 2007
General Note 17 (Issue 2)	Issued on 12/09/2007 ——————— Withdrawn on 03/03/2021	Standard Rules	The function of approving retirement funds for income tax purposes to be delegated to the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA)
General Note 18 (Issue 1)	Issued in August 1996 ———————– Replaced by Issue 2	Definitions of Pension and Provident Fund: Providing Annuities on Retirement from Employment Decision	Replaced by Issue 2 with effect from 1 September 2008
General Note 18A (Issue 1)	Issued in August 1997 ———————- Replaced by Issue 2	Definitions of Pension and Provident Fund: Providing Annuities on Retirement from Employment Decision	Replaced by Issue 2 with effect from 1 September 2008
General Note 18 (Issue 2)	Issued in 01/09/2008 ———————- Withdrawn on 26/02/2021	Definitions of Pension and Provident Fund: Providing Annuities on Retirement from Employment Decision	It became obsolete due to legislative changes
General Note 18A (Issue 2)	Issued in 01/09/2008 ———————- Withdrawn on 26/02/2021	Definitions of Pension and Provident Fund: Providing Annuities on Retirement from Employment Decision	It became obsolete due to legislative changes
General Note 19	Issued on 19/12/1997 ———————– Withdrawn on 27/02/2015	Purchase of more than one annuity at retirement	It became obsolete due to legislative changes
General Note 21 (Issue 2)	Issued on 01/03/2006 ——————— Withdrawn on 05/03/2021	Application for tax directives (benefits that include pre- 1 March 1998 vested rights)	It became obsolete due to legislative changes
General Note 22 (Issue 1)	Issued on 07/12/1999 ———————- Replaced by Issue 2	Paragraph (c) benefit funds	Replaced by Issue 2 with effect from 1 September 2008
General Note 22 (Issue 2)	Issued on 01/09/2008 ———————- Withdrawn on 02/03/2021	Paragraph (c) benefit funds	It became obsolete due to legislative changes
General Note 24	Issued on 06/10/2000 ———————- Withdrawn on 29/03/2012	Retirement from Employment	It became obsolete due to legislative changes
General Note 26	Issued on 14/01/2002 ———————- Withdrawn on 03/03/2021	Deductibility of administration costs	No deduction of administrative expenses available under section 11(a) of the Act, as these expenses were not incurred in the production of income
General Note 27	Issued on 17/01/2005 ———————- Withdrawn on 03/03/2021	Amendments and revised rules	The function of approving retirement funds for income tax purposes to be delegated to the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA)
General Note 28	Issued on 02/04/2002 ———————- Withdrawn on 03/03/2021	Group life benefits provided by provident funds	The function of approving retirement funds for income tax purposes to be delegated to the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA)
General Note 29	Issued on 28/03/2003 ———————- Withdrawn on 03/03/2020	Apportionment of surplus and minimum benefit requirements	Replaced by Interpretation Note 113 on apportionment of surplus and minimum benefit requirements: Pension Funds Second Amendment Act
Addendum A to General Note 29	Issued on 19/04/2008 ———————- Withdrawn on 03/03/2020	Apportionment of surplus and minimum benefit requirements	Replaced by Interpretation Note 113 on apportionment of surplus and minimum benefit requirements: Pension Funds Second Amendment Act
General Note 32	Issued on 24/03/2004 ———————- Withdrawn on 4/03/2016	Late payment interest	Replaced by Binding General Ruling 31 on interest on late payment of benefits
General Note 35	Issued on 8/04/2004 ———————- Withdrawn on 21/02/2018	Unclaimed benefits	Replaced by Interpretation Note 99 on unclaimed benefits
General Note 37	Issued on 31/10/2008 ———————- Withdrawn on 01/03/2016	Maintenance awards	Replaced by Interpretation Note 89 on maintenance orders and the tax-on-tax principle

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