Capital Gains Tax Calculator
Calculate capital gains tax (CGT) in South Africa on property, shares, and other assets. Includes the R40,000 annual exclusion and R2m primary residence exclusion.
How SA Capital Gains Tax Works
CGT is not a separate tax in South Africa — the capital gain is included in your taxable income at the applicable inclusion rate, then taxed at your marginal income tax rate.
| Taxpayer Type | Inclusion Rate | Effective CGT Rate (at 45% marginal) |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | 40% | 18% maximum |
| Special Trust | 40% | 18% maximum |
| Company | 80% | 21.6% (at 27% tax rate) |
| Other Trust | 80% | 36% maximum |
The Extended Calculator below adds Property, Shares, and Other Assets scenario tabs. The Professional Calculator provides entity comparison and partial disposal analysis.
CGT Calculation Breakdown
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sale Price | R 2 800 000 |
| Less: Cost Base | - R 1 500 000 |
| Less: Selling Costs | - R 56 000 |
| Gross Capital Gain | R 1 244 000 |
| Less: Annual Exclusion | - R 40 000 |
| Gain After Exclusions | R 1 204 000 |
| Inclusion Rate (40%) | R 481 600 |
| CGT Payable | R 184 468 |
CGT Exclusions and Exemptions
- Annual Exclusion (Individuals): R40,000 per tax year. Reduces your taxable gain before the inclusion rate is applied.
- Primary Residence: First R2,000,000 of gain is excluded. Must be your main home.
- Personal-use assets: Most personal assets (cars, jewellery for personal use) under R100,000 gain are excluded.
- TFSA investments: All returns inside a Tax-Free Savings Account are exempt from CGT.
- Small business disposal: Certain exclusions apply to small business assets.
CGT Formula
Capital Gain = Proceeds − Base Cost − Selling Costs
Taxable Gain = (Capital Gain − Annual Exclusion − Primary Residence Exclusion) × Inclusion Rate
CGT Payable = Taxable Gain × Marginal Tax Rate
Example: Sell a property for R3m, bought for R1.5m. Gain = R1.5m. Less primary residence exclusion R2m = R0 CGT (gain is fully excluded).
Same sale but investment property: Gain R1.5m, less R40,000 exclusion = R1.46m × 40% = R584,000 included in income. At 41% marginal rate = R239,440 CGT payable.
Individual vs Company vs Trust Comparison
| Entity | Inclusion Rate | Tax Rate | CGT Payable | Net After CGT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | 40% | Marginal | R 17 683 | R 796 317 |
| Company | 80% | 27% | R 26 525 | R 787 475 |
| Trust | 80% | 45% | R 44 208 | R 769 792 |
Holding Period Analysis (8% annual appreciation assumed)
| Hold (years) | Est. Value | Capital Gain | CGT (Individual) | Net Proceeds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R 864 000 | R -103 280 | R 0 | R 864 000 |
| 3 | R 1 007 770 | R 37 614 | R 0 | R 1 007 770 |
| 5 | R 1 175 462 | R 201 953 | R 17 561 | R 1 157 901 |
| 7 | R 1 371 059 | R 393 638 | R 46 738 | R 1 324 322 |
| 10 | R 1 727 140 | R 742 597 | R 101 318 | R 1 625 822 |
| 15 | R 2 537 735 | R 1 536 981 | R 231 597 | R 2 306 138 |
| 20 | R 3 728 766 | R 2 704 190 | R 423 019 | R 3 305 746 |