Capital Gains Tax (CGT) Calculator ☆ Stoor
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South Africa does not have a separate CGT rate
This trips up most people. There is no "capital gains tax rate" — instead, a portion of your gain is included in your normal taxable income and taxed at your marginal rate.
The inclusion rate depends on who made the gain:
| Taxpayer | Inclusion rate | Effective maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Individuals & special trusts | 40% | 18% (40% of the 45% top bracket) |
| Companies | 80% | — |
| Other trusts | 80% | — |
So an individual in the top bracket pays a maximum of about 18% on a gain — and less if their marginal rate is lower, which is why CGT on the same gain differs between two people.
The exclusions Budget 2026 increased
- Annual exclusion: R50,000 (raised from R40,000). The first R50,000 of your combined net gains each year is simply excluded;
- Primary residence: R3 million of gain excluded (raised from R2 million). This is why most South Africans selling the home they live in pay no CGT at all;
- Year of death: R440,000 (raised from R300,000);
- Small business relief: R2.7 million, on assets up to R15 million in value, subject to conditions.
One trap worth naming
There is a separate primary-residence concession where the proceeds are R2 million or less — the whole gain is disregarded regardless of size. That R2 million figure did NOT change even though the gain exclusion moved from R2m to R3m. Two different rules, two different numbers, and conflating them is easy.
What actually counts as the gain
Gain = proceeds − base cost. Base cost is more generous than people assume, and under-claiming it means overpaying tax. Include:
- What you paid for the asset;
- Transfer duty and conveyancing on acquisition — see the transfer duty calculator;
- Agent's commission on the sale;
- Capital improvements — a new roof, an extension, a permanent structure. Not repairs and maintenance;
- Professional fees directly related to acquiring or disposing of the asset.
Keep the invoices. Improvements made a decade ago still increase your base cost — but only if you can substantiate them. This is the single most common way people overpay CGT on a property.
When CGT is triggered
On disposal, which is broader than selling: it includes donating an asset, emigrating (a deemed disposal of worldwide assets), and death (a deemed disposal, which is why the death-year exclusion exists).
Common assets that attract it: property other than your primary residence, shares (see the dividend tax calculator for the income side), crypto assets, and business assets. Assets inside a TFSA are exempt entirely — one of the strongest arguments for using that allowance, see the TFSA calculator.
Practical ways to reduce it, legitimately
- Use the annual exclusion deliberately. R50,000 a year, and it does not carry over — realising gains across two tax years rather than one can use it twice;
- Offset losses. Capital losses reduce capital gains in the same year, and unused losses carry forward;
- Substantiate every improvement to lift your base cost;
- Hold growth assets in a TFSA where possible — no CGT at all;
- Take advice before emigrating or restructuring — the deemed-disposal rules are where large, unexpected bills arise.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay CGT when I sell my house?
Usually not. The primary-residence exclusion covers R3 million of gain, and a separate concession disregards the whole gain where proceeds are R2 million or less. Second properties and rentals get neither.
Is crypto subject to CGT?
Gains on disposal can be — though SARS may treat frequent trading as revenue rather than capital, taxed as ordinary income at your full marginal rate. The distinction depends on your conduct and intention; take advice if you trade actively.
What if I made a loss?
Capital losses offset capital gains in the same year, and carry forward if unused. They do not reduce your ordinary income.
Does CGT apply to my retirement fund?
No — growth inside retirement funds is not subject to CGT. Withdrawals are taxed under the separate lump-sum tables instead; see the two-pot withdrawal calculator.
When do I pay it?
Through your annual return for the tax year of disposal — and provisional taxpayers may need to account for it in provisional payments. A large gain can create a bill you have already spent, so set the money aside at disposal.
Figures are the 2026/27 values per the Budget 2026 tax guide: annual exclusion R50,000, primary-residence gain exclusion R3 million (the separate proceeds ≤ R2 million concession is unchanged), year-of-death R440,000. General information, not tax advice — confirm with SARS or a registered tax practitioner.