This calculator works out South African estate duty owed, applying the R3.5 million abatement, then 20% on the dutiable amount up to R30 million and 25% on any amount above that.
Enter your gross estate value, allowable deductions, and abatement type, and the calculator returns the estate duty owed, worth planning for alongside your retirement annuity and other long-term structures.
This calculator is for educational purposes only, uses current SARS rates, and doesn't account for executor fees, CGT, or spousal bequest exemptions. Not financial or legal advice.
Generally yes, your estate includes property owned at death plus certain 'deemed property' treated as part of the estate even if not directly owned, various deductions under section 4 of the Estate Duty Act reduce this to arrive at the net, then dutiable value.
Yes, under Section 4(q) of the Estate Duty Act, any property bequeathed to a surviving spouse is fully exempt from estate duty, regardless of value, this is known as the spousal exemption.
The deceased spouse's unused R3.5 million abatement can roll over to the surviving spouse, potentially giving their eventual estate a combined R7 million abatement, though this rollover isn't automatic, the first estate's executor must apply for it.
No, this calculator focuses specifically on estate duty itself, executor fees (typically around 3.5% of gross estate value plus VAT) and Master of the High Court fees are separate costs worth budgeting for alongside estate duty.
Yes, for South African tax residents, estate duty applies to worldwide property and deemed property, non-residents are taxed only on their South African property, worth understanding if you hold offshore assets.