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Tax Evasion, Corruption and Tax Loopholes

Author

Listed:
  • Marjit Sugata

    (Calcutta University, Kolkata, India)

  • Thum Marcel

    (TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany)

  • Seidel André

    (TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany)

Abstract

This paper addresses tax loopholes that allow firms to exploit borderline cases between legal tax avoidance and illegal tax evasion. In general, tax loopholes are detrimental to a revenue-maximizing government. This may change in the presence of corruption in the tax administration. Tax loopholes may serve as a separating mechanism that helps governments maximize revenues and curb corruption, which may explain why developing countries only gradually close loopholes in their tax codes.

Suggested Citation

  • Marjit Sugata & Thum Marcel & Seidel André, 2017. "Tax Evasion, Corruption and Tax Loopholes," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 18(3), pages 283-301, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:germec:v:18:y:2017:i:3:p:283-301
    DOI: 10.1111/geer.12107
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    Cited by:

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    2. Uyar, Ali & Nimer, Khalil & Kuzey, Cemil & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Schneider, Friedrich, 2021. "Can e-government initiatives alleviate tax evasion? The moderation effect of ICT," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    3. Katarzyna Bilicka & André Seidel, 2020. "Profit shifting and corruption," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 27(5), pages 1051-1080, October.
    4. Lumir Abdixhiku, Geoff Pugh, Iraj Hashi, 2018. "Business Tax Evasion in Transition Economies: A Cross-Country Panel Investigation," European Journal of Comparative Economics, Cattaneo University (LIUC), vol. 15(1), pages 11-36, June.
    5. Dzhumashev, Ratbek & Levaggi, Rosella & Menoncin, Francesco, 2023. "Optimal tax enforcement with productive public inputs," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    6. Sugata Marjit & Suryaprakash Mishra & Sandip Mitra, 2019. "Sham Litigation, Delayed Tax Payment and Evasion: The Role of Informal Credit Market," CESifo Working Paper Series 8034, CESifo.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Tax evasion; tax avoidance; corruption; enforcement;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design

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