Self-Employed Individuals & Tax: A Practical Starter Guide Self-Study Course

This practical course is designed to help self-employed individuals understand how income tax works when you’re not on a payroll. It covers the essentials of tax registration, record-keeping, deductible expenses, provisional tax, and what SARS typically expects from freelancers, consultants, sole proprietors, and side-hustle earners. The focus is on building confidence with the “everyday tax decisions” self-employed people face.

Who will benefit:

• Freelancers, consultants, contractors, gig workers, and sole proprietors
• People earning side income outside a salary (tutoring, design, trading, rentals, content creation, etc.)
• New entrepreneurs managing their own finances and SARS obligations
• Admin staff/bookkeepers supporting sole proprietors (beginner level)

Topics Discussed:

• Self-Employed vs Employee — Why SARS Treats You Differently
• The Self-Employed Tax Toolkit — Registrations and Profiles
• What Counts as Business Income?
• Record-Keeping That Actually Works
• Expenses and Deductions — The Practical Rules
• Problem Expenses SARS Queries Often
• Provisional Tax Made Simple
• Putting Your Numbers Together — A Simple Tax Calculation Flow
• What to Submit to SARS — Returns in Plain English
• Staying Compliant Without Stress — A Year-Round Routine