This means an Auto-Assessment can look complete while quietly missing income SARS doesn't automatically receive, like freelance earnings, rental income, or a retirement annuity certificate that arrived late. Comparing it line by line against your own records before accepting it is the only way to catch what the system might have missed.
Source: SARS
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an Auto-Assessment my final tax bill?
No — you can review and correct it within a set window before it becomes final, and you're not obligated to accept it as-is.
What happens if I don't check it?
An unchecked error in your favour can trigger a later correction and possible penalties, while an error against you means you could be paying more than you legally owe.
How can I check my Auto-Assessment properly?
Chesly.Tech's South African Tax Return Toolkit walks you through your own numbers line by line, built on the current SARS tax tables, so you know exactly what to compare it against before you accept or correct anything.