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A general framework for measuring VAT compliance rates

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  • James Giesecke
  • Nhi Hoang Tran

Abstract

Summary measures of Value Added Tax (VAT) compliance rates are valuable for identifying problem areas in VAT implementation. They are also essential for meaningful crosscountry and crosstime comparisons of VAT compliance. We present a comprehensive and general framework for calculating VAT compliance rates at both the economy wide and detailed sectoral levels. Unlike existing measures of VAT compliance, our framework isolates a compliance measure from the effects on VAT receipts of detailed features of VAT systems as actually implemented by tax authorities. These features include multiple VAT rates, exemptions, registration rates, refund limitations, informal activity, taxation of domestic nonresidents and undeclared imports. We implement our comprehensive VAT compliance measure for Vietnam, a country with a complex VAT system. Our estimate of Vietnam's VAT compliance rate is about 13 percentage points higher than that calculated by the most popular measure of compliance, Collection Efficiency (CE). Our method facilitates decomposition of the difference between CE and our VAT compliance measure into individual contributions by the statutory and structural features of Vietnam's VAT regime.

Suggested Citation

  • James Giesecke & Nhi Hoang Tran, 2012. "A general framework for measuring VAT compliance rates," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(15), pages 1867-1889, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:44:y:2012:i:15:p:1867-1889
    DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2011.554382
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mr. William Jack, 1996. "The Efficiency of VAT Implementation: A Comparative Study of Central and Eastern European Countries in Transition," IMF Working Papers 1996/079, International Monetary Fund.
    2. Luiz de Mello, 2009. "Avoiding the Value Added Tax," Public Finance Review, , vol. 37(1), pages 27-46, January.
    3. Luiz de Mello, 2008. "Avoiding the Value Added Tax: Theory and Cross-Country Evidence," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 604, OECD Publishing.
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    Cited by:

    1. Konstantins Benkovskis & Olegs Matvejevs, 2023. "The New Version of Latvian CGE Model," Working Papers 2023/02, Latvijas Banka.
    2. Jianjun Li & Xuan Wang, 2020. "Does VAT have higher tax compliance than a turnover tax? Evidence from China," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 27(2), pages 280-311, April.
    3. Libman Alexander & Feld Lars P., 2013. "Strategic Tax Collection and Fiscal Decentralization: The Case of Russia," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 14(4), pages 449-482, December.
    4. Ponjan, Pathomdanai & Thirawat, Nipawan, 2016. "Impacts of Thailand’s tourism tax cut: A CGE analysis," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 45-62.
    5. Luca Barbone & Misha V. Belkindas & Leon Bettendorf & Richard Bird & Mikhail Bonch-Osmolovskiy & Michael Smart, 2013. "Study to quantify and analyse the VAT Gap in the EU-27 Member States," CASE Network Reports 0116, CASE-Center for Social and Economic Research.
    6. P Shanmugam & I Haripriya, 2022. "Impact of GST on Rural Purchasing," Shanlax International Journal of Economics, Shanlax Journals, vol. 10(2), pages 83-89, March.
    7. Ahmad Farhan Alshira’h & Moh’d Alsqour & Abdalwali Lutfi & Adi Alsyouf & Malek Alshirah, 2020. "A Socio-Economic Model of Sales Tax Compliance," Economies, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-15, October.
    8. Irena Macherinskiene & Inna Kremer Matyskevich, 2017. "Assessment of Lithuanian Energy Sector Influence on GDP," Montenegrin Journal of Economics, Economic Laboratory for Transition Research (ELIT), vol. 13(4), pages 43-59.
    9. Sokolovska, Olena & Sokolovskyi, Dmytro, 2015. "VAT efficiency in the countries worldwide," MPRA Paper 66422, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Konstantins Benkovskis & Eduards Goluzins & Olegs Tkacevs, 2016. "CGE model with fiscal sector for Latvia," Working Papers 2016/01, Latvijas Banka.
    11. James A. Giesecke & Nhi H. Tran, 2018. "The National and Regional Consequences of Australia's Goods and Services Tax," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 94(306), pages 255-275, September.
    12. Jason Nassios & James Giesecke, 2022. "Property Tax Reform: Implications for Housing Prices and Economic Productivity," Centre of Policy Studies/IMPACT Centre Working Papers g-330, Victoria University, Centre of Policy Studies/IMPACT Centre.
    13. Jana Stavjaňová, 2014. "Value Added Tax Gap in the Czech Republic," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 62(6), pages 1427-1436.
    14. Mahfoudh Hussein Mgammal & Ebrahim Mohammed Al-Matari & Talal Fawzi Alruwaili, 2023. "Value-added-tax rate increases: A comparative study using difference-in-difference with an ARIMA modeling approach," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-17, December.
    15. Felici Francesco & Maria Gesualdo, 2014. "Fiscal extension to ORANI-IT: a computable general equilibrium model for Italy," Working Papers 8, Department of the Treasury, Ministry of the Economy and of Finance.
    16. Jason Nassios & John Madden & James Giesecke & Janine Dixon & Nhi Tran & Peter Dixon & Maureen Rimmer & Philip Adams & John Freebairn, 2019. "The economic impact and efficiency of state and federal taxes in Australia," Centre of Policy Studies/IMPACT Centre Working Papers g-289, Victoria University, Centre of Policy Studies/IMPACT Centre.
    17. Ahmad Farhan Alshira¡¯h & Hijattulah Abdul-Jabbar, 2019. "A Conceptual Model of Sales Tax Compliance among Jordanian SMEs and Its Implications for Future Research," International Journal of Economics and Finance, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(5), pages 114-114, May.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • C68 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Computable General Equilibrium Models

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