How do I reactivate a deceased member's tax number?

Question:

I have an unusual situation regarding SARS and my late fathers provident fund payout, he died 10 yrs ago and only now have we been contacted by a company regarding the payout but the problem lies at SARS who upon a request for a tax directive they returned the application as '"member inactive" my question is when he passed away 10 yrs ago his lawyers settled the estate and SARS and all was paid out to beneficiaries etc , so how can SARS now deem him inactive and what do we do from here

Answer:

Donna, You need to reactive your late father's tax number, so that they can issue a tax directive on his death benefit pay-out. To do so, you will probably have to go into a SARS branch, explain the situation, and bring the necessary supporting documents (old tax number, copy of ID, death certificate etc as requested by SARS).