Kenya tax, payroll and business guides

Plain-English articles on Kenyan taxes, payroll and compliance.

10 Oct 2026 Returning resident duty-free allowance explainedWhat a person returning to live in Kenya can bring in duty free, how personal effects differ from goods for sale and what to declare.
10 Oct 2026 How to follow tax changes in Kenya: sources you can trustWhere to find the Finance Act, KRA notices, budget statements and professional summaries, and a routine to update your rates and spreadsheets each year.
10 Oct 2026 Fixed assets and capital allowances explained for small businessesWhy you cannot deduct the full cost of equipment in one year, how depreciation differs from capital allowances and what to record.
10 Oct 2026 Hiring your first employee in Kenya: contracts, tax and statutory deductionsWhat to do before and after hiring your first employee: the contract, KRA and NSSF registration, PAYE, SHIF, the Housing Levy and records.
10 Oct 2026 How to price your products and services: markup, margin and break-evenThe difference between markup and margin, how to include VAT and overheads, and how to find the sales you need to break even.
10 Oct 2026 How to spot mistakes on your payslip: eight common errorsWrong NSSF limits, missing relief, SHIF on the wrong base and other common payslip errors, and how to raise them with your employer.
10 Oct 2026 Importing goods for resale: VAT, records and cash flowHow VAT on imports works for a trader, how to claim it back, which documents support the claim and how import taxes affect your cash flow and pricing.
10 Oct 2026 Keeping records with M-Pesa: tills, paybills and statementsHow to use M-Pesa statements, till and paybill reports to keep sales records, reconcile daily, avoid fraud and support your tax returns.
10 Oct 2026 VAT for small businesses in Kenya: when to register and what to chargeThe KES 5 million registration threshold, how to charge and claim VAT, and how to keep the records KRA expects.
10 Oct 2026 Disability tax exemption explained: KES 150,000 a month tax-freeWho qualifies for the income tax exemption for persons with disabilities, what it covers, how to apply and how it changes your PAYE.
10 Oct 2026 Deductible expenses for landlords: what you can claim and what you cannotWhich rental costs reduce your taxable profit on the annual route, which do not, and how to keep proof of each.
10 Oct 2026 The KRA filing calendar for small businesses: every monthly and yearly deadlineA month-by-month list of what to file and pay, from PAYE on the 9th to the annual return on 30 June, and how to stay on top of it.