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Information, Asymmetric Incentives, or Withholding? Understanding the Self-Enforcement of Value-Added Tax

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  • Mazhar Waseem
  • Mazhar Waseem

Abstract

During the period 1996-2000, the coverage of VAT in Pakistan rose by twenty times in terms of the number of firms in the tax net and by ten times in terms of the volume of transactions subject to it. This paper leverages this staggered introduction of VAT in the country to estimate its enforcement spillovers. Focusing on firms already in the tax net, I explore if their tax compliance improves as VAT gets extended to their trading partners. Using differential responses to upward and downward extension of the tax, I characterize the mechanisms underlying the self-enforcement response.

Suggested Citation

  • Mazhar Waseem & Mazhar Waseem, 2019. "Information, Asymmetric Incentives, or Withholding? Understanding the Self-Enforcement of Value-Added Tax," CESifo Working Paper Series 7736, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_7736
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    10. Joana Naritomi, 2019. "Consumers as Tax Auditors," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(9), pages 3031-3072, September.
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    14. Pierre Bachas & Mauricio Soto, 2021. "Corporate Taxation under Weak Enforcement," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 13(4), pages 36-71, November.
    15. Joel Slemrod & Obeid Ur Rehman & Mazhar Waseem & Mazhar Waseem, 2019. "Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Motivations for Tax Compliance: Evidence from Pakistan," CESifo Working Paper Series 7731, CESifo.
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    Cited by:

    1. Li, Jianjun & Wang, Xuan & Wu, Yaping, 2020. "Can government improve tax compliance by adopting advanced information technology? Evidence from the Golden Tax Project III in China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 384-397.
    2. Antinyan, Armenak & Asatryan, Zareh, 2019. "Nudging for tax compliance: A meta-analysis," ZEW Discussion Papers 19-055, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    3. Koumpias, Antonios M. & Martinez-Vazquez, Jorge, 2019. "The impact of media campaigns on tax filing: quasi-experimental evidence from Pakistan," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 33-43.
    4. Waseem, Mazhar, 2023. "Overclaimed refunds, undeclared sales, and invoice mills: Nature and extent of noncompliance in a value-added tax," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    5. Joel Slemrod & Obeid Ur Rehman & Mazhar Waseem, 2019. "Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Motivations for Tax Compliance: Evidence from Pakistan," NBER Working Papers 25623, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Bagchi, Sutirtha & Dušek, Libor, 2021. "The effects of introducing withholding and third-party reporting on tax collections: Evidence from the U.S. state personal income tax," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    7. Sutirtha Bagchi & Libor Dušek, 2021. "Third-party Reporting and Tax Collections: Evidence from the Introduction of Withholding of the State Personal Income Tax," Villanova School of Business Department of Economics and Statistics Working Paper Series 50, Villanova School of Business Department of Economics and Statistics.
    8. Konda, Laura & Patel, Elena & Seegert, Nathan, 2022. "Tax enforcement and the intended and unintended consequences of information disclosure," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
    9. Athiphat Muthitacharoen & Wonma Wanichthaworn & Trongwut Burong, 2021. "VAT threshold and small business behavior: evidence from Thai tax returns," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 28(5), pages 1242-1275, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    VAT; tax evasion; informality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements

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