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Tax Morale and Tax Evasion in Latin American Countries

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Abstract

It is hard for tax administrations to levy and collect taxes anywhere and anytime. However, taxing certain kinds of activities, sectors, or individuals – the so-called “informal sector” – is an additional challenge for tax administrations in both developing and developed countries, and the “fiscal gap” that arises from the failure to tax this sector can be quite large. This issue is especially pressing in Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) countries, where often over half of the workforce is found in the informal sector. In this paper we examine taxation and tax compliance in LAC countries – and beyond – focusing on several main questions. What is meant by the “informal sector”? What is the size of informal sector in LAC countries? What are some effects from an informal sector, including the size of the “fiscal gap”? What are the reasons for this fiscal gap? What can be done to address these various issues?

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  • James Alm & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, 2007. "Tax Morale and Tax Evasion in Latin American Countries," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0732, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    • Handle: RePEc:ays:ispwps:paper0732
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    Cited by:

    1. Mattos, Enlinson & Rocha, Fabiana & Toporcov, Patricia, 2013. "Programas de incentivos fiscais são eficazes? Evidência a partir da avaliação do impacto do programa nota fiscal paulista sobre a arrecadação de ICMS," Revista Brasileira de Economia - RBE, EPGE Brazilian School of Economics and Finance - FGV EPGE (Brazil), vol. 67(1), April.
    2. Castro, Lucio & Scartascini, Carlos, 2015. "Tax compliance and enforcement in the pampas evidence from a field experiment," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 65-82.
    3. Guillermo E. Perry & William F. Maloney & Omar S. Arias & Pablo Fajnzylber & Andrew D. Mason & Jaime Saavedra-Chanduvi, 2007. "Informality : Exit and Exclusion," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6730.
    4. repec:fgv:epgrbe:v:67:n:1:a:5 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Kemme, David M. & Parikh, Bhavik & Steigner, Tanja, 2020. "Tax Morale and International Tax Evasion," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(3).
    6. Cristian Sepulveda & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, 2012. "Explaining property tax collections in developing countries: the case of Latin America," Chapters, in: Giorgio Brosio & Juan P. Jiménez (ed.), Decentralization and Reform in Latin America, chapter 7, pages iii-iii, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    7. Ioana Lazarescu & Viorica Ioan & Costinela Fortea, 2020. "Tax Evasion - Generating and Complementary Effect of the Shadow Economy," Economics and Applied Informatics, "Dunarea de Jos" University of Galati, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, issue 3, pages 70-74.
    8. Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & VIoleta Vulovic, 2011. "Tax Structure in Latin America: Its Impact on the Real Economy and Compliance," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper1122, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    9. Ionut Gheorghe Caraus & Madalina Caraus & Ioana Tatiana Stanese & Gabriela Dobrota, 2017. "The Vat Split-Payment Mechanism, Measure For Combating Tax Evasion In Romania," Annals - Economy Series, Constantin Brancusi University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 2, pages 47-52, December.
    10. Salar, Laleena & Zaman, Khalid & Khilji, Bashir Ahmad & Khan, Muhammad Mushtaq & Lodhi, Mohammad Saeed, 2013. "The consequences of revenue gap in Pakistan: Unveiling the reality," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 281-294.
    11. Marè, Mauro & Motroni, Antonello & Porcelli, Francesco, 2020. "How family ties affect trust, tax morale and underground economy," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 235-252.
    12. Carlene Beth Wynter & Lynne Oats, 2021. "Knock, Knock: The Taxman’s at Your Door! Practice Sense, Empathy Games, and Dilemmas in Tax Enforcement," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 169(2), pages 279-292, March.
    13. Daniel Ortega & Carlos Scartascini, 2015. "Don't Blame the Messenger: A Field Experiment on Delivery Methods for Increasing Tax Compliance," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 91741, Inter-American Development Bank.
    14. Víctor Mauricio Castaneda Rodríguez, 2014. "El gasto social como factor que favorece una mayor dependencia del IVA. Un análisis para el caso colombiano," Revista Ecos de Economía, Universidad EAFIT, June.
    15. Ortega, Daniel & Scartascini, Carlos, 2015. "Don't Blame the Messenger: A Field Experiment on Delivery Methods for Increasing Tax Compliance," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 7284, Inter-American Development Bank.

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