South African Income Tax Calculator
Work out your income tax, UIF and take-home pay, see how retirement contributions reduce your tax, and find the most tax-efficient salary level. Change any amount and every result updates instantly.
Your details
Retirement savings (monthly)
Medical aid
Tax-free savings
Your results
| Breakdown | Monthly | Annual |
|---|
Most tax-efficient gross income
Salary ceilings for each tax bracket
Based on your bonus, other income and contributions as entered. "Max gross with max retirement" assumes you contribute the full deductible amount (27.5% of income, up to the annual cap).
| Marginal rate | Taxable income band | Max gross / month (as entered) | Max gross / month with max retirement | Kept per extra R1 000 | Extra retirement contribution to reach this band |
|---|
Retirement contribution limits
Contributions to pension, provident and retirement annuity funds are deductible up to 27.5% of the greater of your remuneration or taxable income, capped at R 0 a year. Employer contributions count towards this limit.
Tax-free savings account (TFSA)
TFSA contributions are not tax-deductible, but growth, interest and dividends are tax-free. Annual limit R 0, lifetime limit R 0. Contributions above the limits are taxed at 40%.
Scenario comparison
How retirement contributions change your tax and take-home pay at your current salary.
| Scenario | RA / month | Taxable income | Tax / year | Net pay / month | Cash in hand / month | Retirement saving / year | Tax saved / year |
|---|
What if your salary changes?
| Salary change | Gross / month | Tax / month | Net pay / month | Extra net / month | Share of increase kept | Effective rate | Marginal rate |
|---|
Your saved scenarios
| Scenario | Gross / month | Retirement / month | Tax / month | Net pay / month | Cash in hand / month | Marginal |
|---|
Gross income vs net income
Dashed lines show where your salary moves into a higher tax bracket. Annual amounts. The dot marks your current position.
Tax tables used
| Taxable income (R) | Rate of tax |
|---|
This calculator gives estimates for salaried individuals based on SARS tax tables. It does not cover capital gains, the interest exemption, travel allowances, lump sums or other special cases, and UIF is worked out on monthly salary only. The tax-efficiency guide shows how marginal rates work; earning more in South Africa always increases your net income, because only the portion above each bracket is taxed at the higher rate. Please speak to a qualified financial adviser or tax practitioner before making decisions.
How This Salary Calculator Works
This calculator estimates your monthly take-home pay in rands. Enter your gross salary and your retirement fund contribution, and it works out the PAYE and UIF deducted from your pay and the net salary that reaches your bank account. You can change your contribution and see straight away how much of it comes back to you as lower tax.
The tax tables are updated after every Budget Speech, so the figures follow the current South African tax year. The results are estimates. Your payslip may differ because of other deductions, fringe benefits or the way your employer calculates PAYE.
Retirement annuity and income calculator.
What Is Deducted From Your Gross Salary?
- PAYE (pay-as-you-earn): the income tax your employer pays to SARS on your behalf. It depends on your income, age and the tax tables for the year.
- UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund): a small percentage of your salary, paid in by you and your employer.
- Retirement fund contributions: the amount you pay into a pension fund, provident fund or retirement annuity. This is the one deduction you control, and it reduces your tax.
How Retirement Contributions Lower Your Tax
Contributions to a pension fund, provident fund or retirement annuity are tax-deductible, up to 27.5 percent of your income, with a maximum of R430,000 a year from 1 March 2026. The deduction lowers the income SARS taxes, and the tax saving is worth your marginal tax rate.
Here is an example. Suppose your marginal rate is 31 percent and you increase your monthly contribution by R3,000. The extra tax saving is about R930 a month (31 percent of R3,000). Your take-home pay falls by only about R2,070, even though R3,000 goes into your retirement savings. Use the calculator to test your own numbers, because your marginal rate depends on your income.
The deduction is valuable, but it is not a reason to over-contribute. Money in a retirement fund is locked in until retirement, apart from the savings component under the two-pot system. Read our guide to the choices when leaving a retirement fund to see how that money is used later.
Income Tax Brackets and Thresholds
For the 2026/27 tax year, South Africa has seven tax brackets, from 18 percent on the first R245,100 of taxable income up to 45 percent on taxable income above R1,878,600. Three thresholds show when you start paying tax:
- Under 65: R99,000 a year
- Aged 65 to 74: R153,250 a year
- Aged 75 and older: R171,300 a year
The primary rebate for 2026/27 is R17,820, with additional rebates for people aged 65 and older. Because these figures change in the Budget, always check them against the SARS website before you rely on them.
Plan Your Retirement Scenarios
Take-home pay is only half the picture. The other half is what your contributions build for the day you stop working. Try these scenarios:
- Raise your contribution by R500 or R1,000 a month and note how little your net pay drops.
- Compare saving 10 percent of your salary with saving 15 percent.
- Check how a salary increase changes your marginal rate and your tax saving.
Then see what your savings could turn into with our retirement annuity calculator and the other retirement calculators. If you are within ten years of retiring, a registered adviser from our financial planners directory can help you decide how much to contribute.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is PAYE calculated on my salary?
PAYE is calculated on your taxable income using the tax brackets for the year. Your employer works out your annual tax, subtracts rebates and credits, and deducts the result in equal monthly amounts. The calculator on this page gives you an estimate of that amount.
How much can I contribute to retirement savings and claim tax back?
You can deduct contributions up to 27.5 percent of your income, with a cap of R430,000 a year from 1 March 2026.
Does saving more for retirement reduce my take-home pay by the full amount?
No. Because the contribution lowers your taxable income, you receive a tax saving equal to your marginal rate on the amount. At a 31 percent marginal rate, a R1,000 contribution reduces your net pay by about R690.
How often are the tax tables updated?
The calculator's tables are updated after every Budget Speech, when the Minister of Finance announces new brackets, rebates and thresholds. The tax year runs from 1 March to the end of February.
Is this salary calculator financial or tax advice?
No. It gives an estimate for general planning only. For advice on your own situation, speak to a registered financial planner or a tax practitioner.
Tax tables last updated for the 2026/27 tax year. Figures are estimates and do not replace your payslip or SARS.