Tax Bracket and Marginal Rate Calculator for South Africa (2026/2027)
Mzansify's free tax bracket calculator for South Africa uses the official SARS 2026/2027 table. Enter your annual taxable income and age to see your bracket, your marginal rate, your effective rate after rebates and how much more income takes you into the next bracket. No sign-up, and your numbers never leave your browser.
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Last reviewed: Tax year: 2026/2027Source: SARS — Rates of tax for individuals
Read the guide: Understanding South African Income Tax Brackets (2026/2027)
Example: a taxable income of R500,000 (under 65) is in the 31% bracket, with R98,417 tax after the primary rebate, an effective rate of 19.7%, with R30,200 of room before income above R530,200 is taxed at 36% (2026/2027).
South African income tax brackets for 2026/2027
South Africa taxes income progressively: each slice of your taxable income is taxed at the rate of the bracket it falls in. The table below is the SARS 2026/2027 table for individuals. The upper limit of a bracket belongs to that bracket, so an income of exactly R245,100 is in the 18% bracket and the 26% rate applies only to the rands above it.
| Taxable income | Rate of tax |
|---|---|
| R0 – R245,100 | 18% of taxable income |
| R245,101 – R383,100 | R44,118 + 26% of amount above R245,100 |
| R383,101 – R530,200 | R79,998 + 31% of amount above R383,100 |
| R530,201 – R695,800 | R125,599 + 36% of amount above R530,200 |
| R695,801 – R887,000 | R185,215 + 39% of amount above R695,800 |
| R887,001 – R1,878,600 | R259,783 + 41% of amount above R887,000 |
| R1,878,601 and above | R666,339 + 45% of amount above R1,878,600 |
Marginal rate and effective rate
Your marginal rate is the rate on your next rand of income, the rate of the bracket you are in. Your effective rate is what you actually pay overall. This calculator works it out as the tax after rebates divided by your taxable income. The rebates are the primary rebate for everyone and the secondary and tertiary rebates from age 65 and 75, which is why you enter your age. Medical scheme tax credits and other credits are not included.
Moving into a higher bracket never taxes your whole income at the higher rate. Only the income above the top of the previous bracket is taxed at it. The “room in this bracket” figure shows how much more income you can earn before that happens.
Worked examples
R150,000 taxable income
Under 65, 2026/2027 tax table.
- Bracket
- 1 of 7 (18%)
- Tax before rebates
- R27,000
- Primary rebate
- - R17,820
- Tax after rebates
- R9,180
- Effective rate
- 6.1%
- Room left in this bracket
- R95,100
R500,000 taxable income
Under 65, 2026/2027 tax table.
- Bracket
- 3 of 7 (31%)
- Tax before rebates
- R116,237
- Primary rebate
- - R17,820
- Tax after rebates
- R98,417
- Effective rate
- 19.7%
- Room left in this bracket
- R30,200
What to enter
Enter your taxable income: your income after deductions such as retirement fund contributions. If you only know your salary, use your gross annual salary for an estimate. For the full picture of your tax, medical credits and take-home pay, use the income tax calculator. To see what a bonus adds, use the bonus tax calculator.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
The SARS 2026/2027 brackets for individuals are: R0 to R245,100 at 18%; R245,101 to R383,100 at 26%; R383,101 to R530,200 at 31%; R530,201 to R695,800 at 36%; R695,801 to R887,000 at 39%; R887,001 to R1,878,600 at 41%; R1,878,601 and above at 45%. As SARS prints the table, the upper limit belongs to its bracket, so an income of exactly R245,100 is in the 18% bracket and the 26% rate applies only to rands above it. The primary rebate of R17,820 is then deducted from the tax.
Your marginal rate is the rate of the bracket your last rand of taxable income falls in. It is the rate you pay on the next rand you earn. For example, a taxable income of R500,000 is in the 31% bracket in 2026/2027.
The marginal rate is the rate on your top slice of income. The effective rate is your total tax after rebates divided by your taxable income, and it is lower because the lower brackets and the rebates apply to the first part of your income. On R500,000 (under 65) the marginal rate is 31% but the effective rate after the primary rebate is 19.7%.
No. Only the income above the start of the new bracket is taxed at the higher rate. In 2026/2027, a taxable income of R500,000 has R30,200 more income to go before the top of its bracket at R530,200. Only the rands above that are taxed at the 36% rate.
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