The purpose of this paper is to provide estimates of the probable saving in the resource cost of complying with the tax law that would result from simplifying the individual income tax law. These estimates are based on an econometric analysis of the tax filing behavior in 1982 of a sample of...

This paper considers the treatment of multinational business in the system known as an X Tax. The focus is on the choice between origin and destination treatments of transborder transactions. The destination-principle approach sidesteps the transferpricing problem. It remains in the...

In spite of repeated calls for tax simplification around the world, tax systems, especially those in developed countries, have evolved into complex ones. While there have been various approaches to tax simplification by different national governments, the UK’s initiative of establishing a...

Using new survey and experimental data for a representative sample of the German population, we study preferences for tax simplification. The general wisdom seems to suggest that most tax systems are overly complex and that tax simplification is generally desirable. Consistent with this general...

No abstract The application for federal student aid is longer than the tax returns filled out by the majority of US households. Research suggests that complexity in the aid process undermines its effectiveness in inducing more students into college. In 2008, an article in this journal showed...

Our research shows that in the ongoing discussion concerning ‘the social dimension of Europe’, it appears that there is much to gain if the tax policy interaction between Member States and the European Union, which is currently taking place within the European Semester, could be extended to...

Despite prior literature emphasizing the increasing role of tax complexity, there is still no comprehensive tax complexity measure. This paper fills this gap and introduces the Tax Complexity Index (TCI), which consists of a tax code subindex and a tax framework subindex. The indices are...

We study the impact of deterrence, tax morale, and simplifying information on tax compliance. We ran five experiments spanning the tax process which varied the communication of the tax administration with all income taxpayers in Belgium. A consistent picture emerges across experiments: (i)...

Using new survey and experimental data for a representative sample of the German population, we study preferences for tax simplification. The general wisdom seems to suggest that most tax systems are overly complex and that tax simplification is generally desirable. Consistent with this general...

All over the world, firms and governments are increasingly concerned about the rise in tax complexity. To manage it and develop effective simplification measures, detailed information on the current drivers of complexity is required. However, research on this topic is scarce. This is surprising...

Ein Flat-Tax-Modell mit einer breiten Bemessungsgrundlage und einem einheitlichen Steuersatz würde die Erbschaftssteuer vereinfachen. Im Vergleich zum jetzigen Recht müssten dann Erben von kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen höhere Steuern zahlen, während große Erb- und Schenkungsfälle in...

This paper seeks to find empirical evidence of a link between tax simplification and corruption in tax administration. It attempts to do this by first defining "tax simplicity" as a measurable variable and exploring empirical relationships between simpler tax regimes and corruption in tax...

Although tax simplification enjoys the attractiveness of being the opposite of complexity, it can have untoward effects as illustrated by the examples of a capitation tax, an international income tax regime that lacks rigorous base protection measures, and a system of negotiated tax liabilities....

This paper discusses four key issues, which are closely connected, on tax policy in Ukraine. These issues are social security contribution (SSC), the simplified tax regime for small taxpayers, the corporate profit tax, and excise tax. Ukraine's SSC rates are very high, which are associated with...

A recent survey of rigorous impact evaluations of programs to help small and medium-size firms to formalize indicates that the programs do not seem to work for most informal firms. One of the few exceptions finds large effects of a tax simplification program in Brazil called SIMPLES on firms'...

The stalled Tax Laws Improvement Project to simplify Australia's tax laws is/was founded on the premise that the words of an Act can be changed without impacting on its meaning. Whilst there is a (weak) common law presumption that a change in the wording of a provision is to be presumed to...

This paper seeks to find empirical evidence of a link between tax simplification and corruption in tax administration. It attempts to do this by first defining "tax simplicity" as a measurable variable and exploring empirical relationships between simpler tax regimes and corruption in tax...

Robert Helbig präsentiert erstmals mittels eines systemtheoretisch orientierten Ansatzes ein einheitliches und systematisches Begriffsverständnis von Steuerkomplexität - eines in Wissenschaft, Politik und Öffentlichkeit kontrovers diskutierten Begriffs. Durch die Anwendung priorisierender...

This paper proposes various moves for simplification of the task of computing the tax base under the individual income tax, with a principal view of making the income tax capable of compliance by “ordinary” individuals without the aid of tax preparation software or outside assistance....

The application for federal student aid is longer than the tax returns filled out by the majority of US households. Research suggests that complexity in the aid process undermines its effectiveness in inducing more students into college. In 2008, an article in this journal showed that most of...

This paper investigates the impact of tax simplification on various indicators of the efficiency of the tax system and on the distribution of income. The analysis is based on a simulation model (FiFoSiM) using German income tax and household survey microdata. We model tax simplification as the...