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Tax Compliance Costs: A Business-Administration Perspective

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  • Sebastian Eichfelder
  • Michael Schorn

Abstract

Using instruments like information technology and paid preparation of tax returns, private taxpayers have a set of strategies to optimize their compliance cost burden. Assuming rational behavior, private businesses can be expected to choose a cost-optimal administration strategy. Nevertheless, we find empirical evidence of small German businesses, in particular, using external support to an insufficient extent. According to our results, doubling the proportion of outsourced compliance activities results in cost reductions of 14.4% to 24.9%. By contrast, we do not find significant evidence for a cost reduction due to an electronic data interchange with the tax and social insurance authorities or the use of a simplified cash accounting method. Therefore, our results give reason for doubt regarding potential cost reductions that could be reached by e-filing or cash-based accounting.

Suggested Citation

  • Sebastian Eichfelder & Michael Schorn, 2012. "Tax Compliance Costs: A Business-Administration Perspective," FinanzArchiv: Public Finance Analysis, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 68(2), pages 191-230, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:mhr:finarc:urn:sici:0015-2218(201206)68:2_191:tccabp_2.0.tx_2-r
    DOI: 10.1628/001522108X639981
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Blaufus, Kay & Eichfelder, Sebastian & Hundsdoerfer, Jochen, 2011. "The hidden burden of the income tax: Compliance costs of German individuals," Discussion Papers 2011/6, Free University Berlin, School of Business & Economics.
    2. Marsha Blumenthal & Joel Slemrod, 1995. "The compliance cost of taxing foreign-source income: Its magnitude, determinants, and policy implications," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 2(1), pages 37-53, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Evers, Andrea & Matthaei, Eva Kristina, 2021. "Steuerplanung unter Unsicherheit: Eine Befragungsstudie zum Brexit," Discussion Papers 2021/10, Free University Berlin, School of Business & Economics.
    2. Sebastian Eichfelder & Kerstin Schneider, 2014. "Tax Incentives and Business Investment: Evidence from German Bonus Depreciation," CESifo Working Paper Series 4805, CESifo.
    3. Sofie De Schoenmaker & Philippe Van Cauwenberge & Heidi Vander Bauwhede, 2014. "Effects of local fiscal policy on firm profitability," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(16), pages 1289-1306, December.
    4. Neba Bhalla & Rakesh Kumar Sharma & Inderjit Kaur, 2022. "Effect of Tax Knowledge and Technological Shift in Tax System on Business Performance: A PLS-SEM Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-18, August.
    5. Eichfelder, Sebastian & Hechtner, Frank, 2016. "Tax compliance costs: Cost burden and cost reliability," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 212, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    6. Felix Bransch & Paul Gurr, 2019. "Die Nachfrage nach Steuerberatungsleistungen: Evidenz für deutsche Steuerpflichtige [The Demand for Tax Preparation Services: Evidence from German Taxpayers]," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 71(3), pages 245-270, November.
    7. Kay Blaufus & Franziska Hoffmann, 2020. "The effect of simplified cash accounting on tax and financial accounting compliance costs," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 90(2), pages 173-205, March.
    8. Sebastian Eichfelder & François Vaillancourt, 2014. "Tax Compliance Costs: A Review of Cost Burdens and Cost Structures," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 210(3), pages 111-148, September.
    9. Deena Azriana Wan Mohd Azmi & Seri Ayu Masuri Md Daud, 2024. "Reconceptualizing Tax Compliance Behavior: A Theoretical Matrix Approach," Accounting and Finance Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 13(1), pages 1-67, February.
    10. Azmi, Anna & Sapiei, Noor Sharoja & Mustapha, Mohd Zulkhairi & Abdullah, Mazni, 2016. "SMEs' tax compliance costs and IT adoption: the case of a value-added tax," International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 1-13.
    11. Eichfelder, Sebastian, 2013. "Compliance cost estimates: Survey non-response and temporal framing effects," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 146, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    12. Eichfelder, Sebastian & Kegels, Chantal, 2014. "Compliance costs caused by agency action? Empirical evidence and implications for tax compliance," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 200-219.
    13. Rajat Deb & Tapash Paul & Jaharlal Debbarma & Kiran Sankar Chakraborty, 2020. "Breaking the Stigma of Health Insurance," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 45(1), pages 54-84, February.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    tax complexity; tax compliance costs; tax advice; outsourcing; e-filing; cash accounting;
    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
    • L23 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Organization of Production
    • L24 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Contracting Out; Joint Ventures

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