What are the opening hours?

Monday 09:00 - 16:00 Tuesday 09:00 - 16:00 Wednesday 09:00 - 16:00 Thursday 09:00 - 16:00 Friday 09:00 - 13:00

Simply VA, Bellville, Cape Town (2026)

21/07/2026

Cybersecurity Isn't Just an IT Problem

Most cyber attacks don't start with sophisticated hackers...

They start with one email.
One fake invoice.
One "urgent" payment request.
One email pretending to be SARS, Microsoft, your bank, a supplier, or even a colleague.

As a Virtual Assistant and Bookkeeper, protecting client information is part of my responsibility. Every day I work with sensitive financial and business data, which means taking a few extra moments to verify an email before clicking can make all the difference.

Before clicking, take a few extra seconds to:
✔️ Check the sender's email address carefully.
✔️ Hover over links to see where they really lead.
✔️ Be cautious of urgent requests for payments or banking changes.
✔️ Question unexpected attachments, even if they look legitimate.

Because good bookkeeping isn't only about numbers...
It's about protecting the information behind those numbers.

17/07/2026

🚀 Friday Freebie is here again!

Ever spent ages trying to figure out an Excel formula?

Meet Exceljet – one of the best free resources for learning Microsoft Excel.

✅ Thousands of formulas explained simply
✅ Step-by-step examples
✅ Keyboard shortcuts
✅ Tips for beginners and advanced users alike

🌐 Website: https://exceljet.net

👥 Perfect for:
• Virtual Assistants
• Bookkeepers
• Office Administrators
• Students
• Small Business Owners
• Anyone wanting to become an Excel wizard

💰 Free?
Yes! Most of the content is completely free, with optional premium courses if you want to go deeper.

💡 Pro Tip: Before spending 30 minutes searching Google, try searching directly on Exceljet. Chances are you'll find exactly what you need with a clear example.

⭐ My Take: Excel is a big part of my daily work, and Exceljet has saved me countless hours over the years. If Excel feels intimidating, this website makes learning it much easier.

13/07/2026

📢Tax Season is Officially Open!

The 2026 Individual Tax Filing Season has officially begun!

Whether you're a salaried employee, pensioner, freelancer, or small business owner, now is the time to ensure your tax affairs are in order.

Before you submit your return, make sure you have:
✅ Your IRP5/IT3(a)
✅ Medical Aid Tax Certificate
✅ Retirement Annuity Certificate
✅ Investment Income Certificates (IT3(b), IT3(c))
✅ Travel Logbook (if applicable)
✅ Any supporting documents for deductions or additional income

Need assistance with your tax return?

Simply VA offers professional, confidential tax services to help make the filing process as smooth and stress-free as possible.

📧 Contact us today to book your tax return or to find out whether you need to submit a return this year.

Don't leave it until the last minute—file early and avoid unnecessary stress.

10/07/2026

Websites That Feel Illegal to Know

🌐 Today's Website: iLovePDF
🔗 https://www.ilovepdf.com

If you work with PDFs regularly, iLovePDF is one of those websites you'll wonder how you ever lived without. It allows you to merge multiple PDFs into one document, split pages, compress large files, convert Word, Excel and PowerPoint files to PDF (and back again), convert images to PDF, add watermarks, protect documents with passwords, rotate pages, sign PDFs and even turn scanned documents into editable text using OCR.

👥 Who should use it?
Virtual Assistants,
Bookkeepers,
Accountants,
Office Administrators,
Students,
Teachers
and Small Business Owners.

💰 Cost:
The free version includes most of the tools you'll need for everyday work.
A Premium version is available if you need unlimited processing, larger file sizes, desktop access and batch processing.

💡 Pro Tip:
Before emailing a large bank statement, report or financial document, run it through the Compress PDF tool first. You can often reduce the file size by 70–90% without noticeably affecting the quality, making it much quicker to email and store.

⭐ Why I recommend it:
iLovePDF has become one of my go-to productivity tools. It's simple to use, works directly in your browser and saves a surprising amount of time when working with client documents.
Whether you're organising invoices, preparing reports or sending contracts, it's a tool worth bookmarking.

💾 Save this post for later and share it with someone who works with PDFs every day!

01/07/2026

💰 Do you own cryptocurrency? Don't forget SARS 💰

Have you bought or sold cryptocurrency on platforms like Luno, Brokstock, Binance or other exchanges?

Many taxpayers don't realise that cryptocurrency "must be declared" to SARS.

📌 What is cryptocurrency according to South African law?

SARS does NOT regard cryptocurrency as legal tender (money). Instead, it is treated as a "digital asset". Any profit or income you earn from these assets may therefore be subject to tax.

📌 How is crypto taxed?

It depends on WHY you own it:

📈 *Investor*
If you buy cryptocurrency as a long-term investment and eventually sell it for a profit, the gain may qualify as a 'Capital Gain', meaning 'Capital Gains Tax (CGT)' could apply.

📊 *Trader*
If you regularly buy and sell cryptocurrency with the intention of making short-term profits, SARS may regard you as a trader. In this case, your profits are generally taxed as 'normal taxable income', which can result in a higher tax liability than CGT.

Every taxpayer's circumstances are different, and SARS considers factors such as intention, frequency of transactions and the overall facts of your case.

⚠️ Can SARS see your crypto?

SARS has increased its focus on cryptocurrency and receives information through various channels, including requests made to cryptocurrency service providers and other third parties. They also have broad powers to request additional information during audits and verification processes.

❗ What if you don't declare it?

Failing to disclose taxable cryptocurrency transactions can lead to:
✔️ Additional tax assessments
✔️ Interest on unpaid tax
✔️ Administrative penalties
✔️ Understatement penalties, which can be substantial depending on the circumstances
✔️ In serious cases involving intentional tax evasion, criminal prosecution may also be considered

If you've invested in cryptocurrency, it's always better to declare it correctly than to explain it later.

Need assistance with your tax return or unsure how your cryptocurrency should be treated? We're here to help.

29/06/2026

🤔 Controversial Question...

Let's be honest...

If a business uses AI to create their social media posts... is that being smart, or just lazy?

Some people believe AI takes away authenticity.
Others believe it's simply another business tool—just like Canva, Photoshop, or spellcheck.

Personally, I don't think AI should replace creativity... but it can certainly help when used the right way.

So where do you stand?

👇 Tell me honestly:

* 👍 AI is a great business tool.
* ❤️ It's fine, as long as the content still feels genuine.
* 😡 Businesses should write everything themselves.

No judging—I'm genuinely curious what everyone thinks!

26/06/2026

PAYROLL IS MORE THAN JUST PAYING SALARIES

Behind every payslip is a series of calculations, tax rules, compliance requirements and reconciliations that need to be done correctly and on time.

Whether you have one employee or a growing team, accurate payroll administration helps protect both your business and your employees.

At Simply VA, we provide payroll and people administration support with a strong focus on accuracy, compliance and practical business needs.

✔ Payroll Calculations & Processing
✔ PAYE, UIF & Third-Party Reconciliations (including BIBC)
✔ Retirement Annuities, Travel Allowances, Car Allowances & Other Employee Benefits
✔ Employee Contracts & Onboarding Administration
✔ Job Advert Placement & Candidate Screening Support
✔ Payslips, Reports & Employee Record Keeping
✔ SARS Payroll Compliance Support

Every employee is different. Every payroll is different. Making sure the calculations are correct can save businesses time, stress and costly compliance issues.

Let me take care of the numbers and administration, so you can focus on running your business.

📧 [email protected]
🌍 www.simplyva.co.za
📞 084 976 5060

25/06/2026

Income Tax Season Starts 1 July 2026

SARS Auto Assessments will begin rolling out shortly. Now is the ideal time to ensure your tax documentation is ready.

Please have the following available where applicable:

• IRP5 / IT3(a) Certificates
• Medical Aid Tax Certificate
• Retirement Annuity (RA) Certificates
• Investment Income Certificates (IT3(b))
• Rental Income and Expense Records
• Travel Logbook (if claiming business travel)
• Proof of Donations to Approved PBOs
• Home Office Expense Information (where applicable)
• Details of Additional Income Earned
• Banking and Personal Details Updated on SARS eFiling

Not sure whether your Auto Assessment is correct or need assistance with your tax return? Simply VA is here to help.

Contact us today for professional tax and compliance support..
📞 084 976 5060 📨 [email protected]

23/06/2026

📢 TAX SEASON 2026 IS ALMOST HERE!

In my previous post, I explained how to register as a taxpayer and obtain your SARS tax number. Now it's time to prepare for SARS Auto Assessments.

🗓️ SARS Auto Assessments will be issued from 1 July to 12 July 2026.

Keep an eye on:
✅ SMS notifications from SARS
✅ Emails from SARS
✅ WhatsApp messages from SARS
✅ Your SARS eFiling profile

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Don't assume the assessment is automatically correct.

When you receive your Auto Assessment:

🔍 Check that all income has been declared correctly.
🔍 Verify your medical aid information.
🔍 Review retirement annuity contributions and other deductions.
🔍 Ensure your banking and contact details are up to date.
🔍 Confirm that the assessment reflects your actual tax position.

If everything is correct, no further action is required.

If information is missing or incorrect, you can submit a correction through SARS eFiling or the SARS MobiApp before the filing deadline.

Many taxpayers miss out on refunds or unknowingly accept incorrect assessments because they don't review the details carefully.

Need assistance reviewing your SARS Auto Assessment or correcting your tax return?

📧 Simply VA is available to assist with:

✔️ Auto Assessment reviews
✔️ Tax return submissions
✔️ SARS correspondence
✔️ General tax administration support

Contact us today for professional assistance.

22/06/2026

HOW TO REGISTER FOR SARS eFILING

Still standing in queues when you could manage your tax affairs online?💻

Registering for eFiling gives you access to:

✅ Tax Returns
✅ Tax Compliance Status
✅ Notices of Assessment
✅ Tax Number Requests
✅ SARS Correspondence
✅ Banking Detail Updates

How to register:

1️⃣ Visit SARS eFiling
2️⃣ Click "Register"
3️⃣ Complete your personal details
4️⃣ Verify your identity
5️⃣ Enter the OTP sent by SARS
6️⃣ Create your login credentials

Good news:

If you have a valid South African ID and do not yet have a tax number, SARS can automatically register you for Income Tax during the eFiling registration process.

⚠️ Sometimes verification may fail due to outdated contact details or identity verification issues. In these cases, a SARS appointment may be required.

Need assistance with eFiling registration or verification problems?

Simply VA can help guide you through the process.

Simply VA

21/07/2026

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Monday	09:00 - 16:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 16:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 16:00
Thursday	09:00 - 16:00
Friday	09:00 - 13:00