Professional Tax Advisory
Professional tax advice.
Personal guidance.
At the filing room we strive to bring calm and clarity to the complexities of South African tax. Reliable tax services providing you peace of mind.
Exhibit A — The Filing Room
“No jargon. No judgment. Just real, honest tax advice.”
Filed Under: Introductions
Where tax expertise meets human connection.
I’m Talia, a Tax Advisor with a bold approach to a topic most of us would rather avoid.
Through my approachable and down to earth manner, I aim to make tax less daunting for my clients. From navigating SARS to understanding your obligations, I will provide clarity and guidance, to allow you to understand your tax position, make informed decisions and reduce risk.
Talia · Founder
For You
Individuals
Personal income tax, handled with care. With tailored guidance and reliable support, we take tax admin off your plate.
Let’s Chat
Individuals
What Is Included
Keeping your personal tax affairs in order.
We are here to assist
Employed individuals, sole proprietors, retirees, South African expatriates, and foreign nationals with South African sourced income.
SARS submissions
Annual tax return and provisional tax filings. Ensuring you file and pay on time. If you have outstanding returns, don’t ignore them — reach out and we will help you get back on track.
Data collation
Guidance and templates to assist in collating the data required for your tax returns and SARS verifications.
Tax technical
Options relevant to your scenario to ensure you optimise all tax savings available to you.
Other compliance matters
Assistance with SARS verifications, disputes, requests for remission and other queries to ensure you remain compliant.
SARS appointments
Booking your appointments, ensuring all documents are provided, and attending with you where required.
How It Works
A simple, three step rhythm for every tax deadline.
Share your documents
We reach out to request all relevant information required to complete your declaration by the SARS deadline.
Review and prepare
We review the data provided and prepare the tax return, ensuring completeness and tax optimisation.
Consent and submission
The tax return is sent to you for review and consent. Once received, we submit accordingly and handle the SARS verification.
Ready When You Are
Let us take tax admin off your plate.
Send an enquiry and we will tell you exactly what we need to get started.
For Business
Companies
Assistance with SARS and CIPC obligations for small businesses and sole proprietors transitioning to a company structure.
Let’s Chat
Companies
What Is Included
Keeping your company’s tax affairs in order.
SARS submissions
Annual tax return, provisional tax filings and monthly payroll submissions. If you are receiving final demands from SARS or deregistration notices from CIPC, don’t ignore them — reach out and we will help you get back on track.
Data collation
Guidance and templates to assist in collating the data required for tax returns and SARS verifications.
Tax technical
Options relevant to your scenario to ensure you optimise all tax savings available to you.
Other compliance matters
Assistance with SARS verifications, disputes, requests for remission and other queries to ensure you remain compliant.
SARS appointments
Booking your appointments, ensuring all documents are provided, and attending with you where required.
CIPC submissions
Annual return filings and payments required to keep your company active with CIPC and SARS. Struggling to decide when to move from sole proprietor to a company structure? We can help with that too.
How It Works
Keeping your company compliant every financial year.
Onboarding & review
We assess your structure, registrations and current standing with SARS.
Ongoing submissions
PAYE, provisional tax and other filings handled on a schedule for every period.
Year-end
Annual filings with CIPC and SARS, including a review to ensure accurate planning for tax payments.
Ready When You Are
Let us bring order to your company’s tax affairs.
Tell us about your business and we will scope the right level of support.
Cross-Border
Foreign Nationals
Foreign nationals earning South African sourced income face a particular tangle of registration, residency and filing obligation questions. We untangle them, making your South African tax position clear and ensuring compliance with SARS.
Let’s Chat
Foreign Nationals
What Is Included
South African tax explained simply, and compliance taken care of.
Residency status
Clarifying your South African tax residency status and tax obligations by applying local tax legislation and the relevant double taxation agreement.
Income tax registration
Registering foreign nationals with SARS and an eFiling profile. Assistance with a SARS appointment, if required.
Income tax returns
Preparation and submission of the tax returns required to declare your South African source income.
Double taxation relief
Taking the relevant double taxation agreement into account and applying any available relief so your income is not taxed twice.
Other compliance matters
Assistance with SARS verifications, tax residency certificate applications and SARS appointments.
Foreign refund request
Processing SARS refunds for taxpayers who do not have a South African bank account.
How It Works
Clarity, then compliance.
Tax status and registration
We determine your residency status and register you with SARS, if required.
Data collation
Should you have a filing obligation, we reach out to request all relevant information required to complete your tax return.
Consent and submission
The tax return is sent to you for review and consent. Once received, we submit accordingly, handle the SARS verification, and provide clear instructions for any tax payments due.
Ready When You Are
Make your South African tax position clear.
Send the details of your situation and we will map out the right next steps.
Tax Status Update
Ceasing Tax Residency
Leaving the South African tax net, properly. Ceasing South African tax residency is a formal process with SARS and can have real financial consequences if not handled correctly. We handle the SARS application to allow for a clean exit.
Let’s Chat
Ceasing Tax Residency
What Is Included
Support with every step of the exit process.
Cessation of tax residency
Ensuring you understand the tax implications of ceasing tax residency and if it is the right choice for you.
SARS declaration
Formally notifying SARS of your change to a non-resident tax status. You can cease your tax residency retrospectively.
Exit charge
Determining if the worldwide assets you hold will trigger the CGT exit charge upon ceasing, and assisting with the calculation and declaration to SARS.
SARS submissions
Assisting with annual tax returns to declare your South African sourced income, e.g. rental income, annuities, retirement withdrawal.
Foreign exemption & tax credit
If you decide to remain tax resident while working abroad, we can assist with claiming the available tax exemption and tax credits on your annual tax return.
Reinstatement of tax residency
Should you return to South Africa, we can help determine your tax status and, if triggered, assist with reinstating your tax residency with SARS.
How It Works
A clean exit from the South African tax net.
Residency assessment
We confirm your current tax status with SARS and if/when you qualify to cease tax residency.
Formal cessation
We assist with the SARS cessation application and exit charge calculation. Once approved, SARS will issue confirmation of non-residency.
Ongoing compliance
Whether you retain your tax residency while abroad or move to a non-resident status, we can assist with your tax filings, ensuring you remain compliant with SARS.
Ready When You Are
Exit South Africa properly informed.
Tell us about your move and we will lay out exactly what cessation involves.
SARS Queries
Tax Admin
Helping you navigate the complexities of the SARS system by following the correct processes to allow for resolution of tax matters — across the board, for individuals and companies alike.
Let’s Chat
Tax Admin
What We Handle
The administrative work that keeps you in good standing.
Outstanding tax returns
Assistance with filing outstanding returns to mitigate further administrative penalties and halt final demand letters.
Disputes
Disputing incorrect assessments to ensure fair and accurate taxation. There is a limited timeframe in which to dispute — if you believe SARS has raised an incorrect assessment, do not delay.
SARS appointments
Facilitation of virtual appointments to update OTP details, reactivate tax numbers, resolve account locks and more.
Final demand resolution
Receiving final demand letters and unsure why? We review your compliance status and help resolve the issue.
Penalty remission requests
Drafting and submission of requests for the remission of administrative penalties levied for late submissions, late payment or non-compliance.
Bank details
Secure update and verification of bank account details on eFiling.
Foreign refund request
Application to SARS for processing your refund to a foreign bank account — only available to taxpayers with no active South African bank account.
Tax clearance certificates
Completion of Good Standing and Foreign Investment (TCS) applications.
Tax residency certificates
Official confirmation of South African tax residency, essential for the protection of foreign income against double taxation.
A Demand Letter In Your Inbox?
The sooner we start, the better.
Send us the details and we will resolve the issue.
Reviews
What others have to say about the filing room.
“Tax for me is like a foreign language and Talia was so patient with all my questions and was excellent at framing it in a way I could understand. She is very knowledgable, responsive and makes you feel like you are in safe hands. Highly recommend.”
“Talia was a great support and incredibly helpful during our tax declaration process. She is very knowledgeable and guided us expertly through everything step by step. We highly recommend her.”
“As someone who finds tax matters overwhelming, I was incredibly grateful for the guidance, and expertise I received.Talia really goes the extra mile to ensure everything is handled correctly. I highly recommend The filing room.”
“After many years abroad, I was concerned about our Tax status with SARS. Was referred to Talia Forrest of "The Filing Room" and immediately felt comfortable. The SARS appointments online, regular status updates and information shared was very professional. I highly recommend to anyone, whether local or abroad.”
“Talia has been a massive help in resolving some major historic tax issues for us. She has been extremely professional is dealing with international tax colleagues across countries and has always made herself available for questions and queries. I have appreciated her professionalism balanced with understanding and working with very tailored and individual needs. I can highly recommend Talia as an expert tax consultant – especially with international matters.”
Common Questions
Before you file an enquiry.
Not at all. While we’re based in Cape Town, the majority of our work is handled remotely and securely. We consult with clients across South Africa and abroad.
It’s rarely too late. We routinely bring taxpayers up to date on historical returns, halt final demand letters, and submit requests to remit penalties levied for late or non-compliance. The sooner we start, the more options you have.
Yes. As a registered SARS tax practitioner with full eFiling authorisation, we can be appointed to correspond with SARS, lodge disputes, and manage submissions on your profile.
With archival discipline and strict confidentiality. Documents are organised, indexed, and stored securely — and only ever used for the work you’ve engaged us to do.
Sending an enquiry is free and carries no obligation. We’ll review your situation, explain what’s involved, and scope the work clearly before anything begins.
Get in Touch
Ready to get started?
Send an enquiry and we’ll be in touch. The form below is the fastest way to reach us — every submission is read personally.
How It Works
From first message to filed and finished.
Send an enquiry
Tell us a little about your situation using the form in this drawer — no cost, no obligation.
We review & respond
Every enquiry is read personally and answered, usually within one business day.
Scope & engage
We explain what’s involved and agree the work clearly before anything begins.
Filed & followed up
Your matter is handled, documented, and kept on file — organised, indexed, and stored securely.
Talia
Professional Tax Consultant
New Enquiry
Something went wrong and your enquiry was not sent. Please try again, or contact us directly.
Enquiry received.
Thank you — your enquiry has been logged and filed. Talia will personally review it and respond, usually within one business day.