Is it possible to for an employer to use an incorrect income tax reference number?

By Marc Sevitz · Updated 19 November 2013

I worked for a company from January 2012 - Aug 2013. About a week ago I contacted them to inquire about my provident fund (I am still waiting for my provident fund to be paid out into my account). They asked for my tax reference number, Apparently the incorrect tax reference number was given to the Financial service / investment company. I found an old IRP5 from a previous employer in 2006 as well as 2010 to confirm my tax reference number with them, but no one gave me any feedback as to what is going on.I am a bit worried now, is it possible that my employer used an incorrect income tax reference number all this time while I was working for them? Is something like this possible?

TaxTim Marc said:
19 November 2013 at 23:20

It is possible, but then this would not match with SARS and your records when you filed your tax return in previous years. Did the old IRP5;s have the correct or incorrect tax number?

Clueless_re_tax said:
19 November 2013 at 23:41

I've never actually filed a tax return, I understand that you do not need to file a tax return if you earn less than R160 000 a year ? I believe the old IRP5's has the correct tax numbers ( I received an Employee income tax certificate IRP5/IT3(a) from SARS in 2010 and the tax number on the form was the one I gave to the Employer when I started working for the company in 2012. I will however contact SARS tomorrow to confirm with them. Is there something I can do in order to receive my provident fund payout,if the employer did use an incorrect tax number ?

TaxTim Marc said:
20 November 2013 at 16:13

Yes you can send your correct number to the provident fund, they should make payout to you with the correct information.