Use Of Technology In Tax Administrations 1

This technical note is the first of three addressing information technology (IT) themes and issues relevant to tax administrations. This note focuses on the use of technology in tax administrations and how to develop an information technology strategic plan (ITSP). It is intended for tax administrations that are largely manual or have outdated legacy IT systems. The second note addresses how to select an IT system for core tax administrations functions. And the third note covers implementation of a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) system. These technical notes are primarily for use by tax administrations that have no technology to manage their core tax processes, or their technology is limited and outdated. These notes focus on core tax functions and do not address other business systems (e.g., payroll, finance, document, and asset management systems).

This technical note is the third of three addressing information technology (IT) themes and issues relevant to tax administrations. This note focuses on implementation of a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) system in a developing country tax administration. The first note covers the use of IT in tax administrations and how to develop an information technology strategic plan (ITSP). The second note addresses how to select a suitable information technology system for core tax administration functions. These technical notes are primarily tax administrations that have no technology to manage their core tax processes, or their technology is limited and outdated. These notes focus on core tax functions and do not address other business systems (e.g., payroll, finance, document, and asset management systems).

This technical note is the second of three addressing information technology (IT) themes and issues relevant to tax administrations. This note addresses how to select a suitable IT system for core tax administration functions. Note one covers the use of IT in tax administrations and how to develop an information technology strategic plan (ITSP). The third note focuses on implementation of a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) system. These technical notes are primarily for tax administrations that have no technology to manage their core tax processes, or their technology is limited and outdated. These notes focus on core tax functions and do not address other business systems (e.g., payroll, finance, document, and asset management systems).

This report looks at effective e-service provision by tax administrations, summarising eight critical areas, and explores big data management and portals, as well as natural systems. It highlights key opportunities, looking at how these emerging technologies can be best used by tax administrations.

New technologies are changing the way that tax administrations, taxpayers and their advisers interact, leading to a reduction in the compliance cost for taxpayers, a level playing field for large and small businesses, and fewer opportunities to engage in aggressive tax practices. Although entering a new world where processes are supported by machines inevitably disrupts traditional ways of working, the contributors to this indispensable book reveal the enormous potential of ‘tax technology’ to positively transform tax compliance, clearly showing both government and business how to manage the transition from the old to the new. With detailed treatment of the technology available in the tax field, the authors describe how to secure its benefits in such ways as the following: electronic balance sheets and invoices; automated transmission to tax authorities; innovative analytics applications; blockchain in tax law processes; process mining in VAT; real-time reporting with cryptography; and meeting the challenges to taxpayers’ rights to privacy and personal data protection. The contributions draw on an international conference held under the auspices of the Digital Economy Taxation Network at the Vienna University of Economics and Business in December 2020. The perspective throughout focuses on how to achieve better tax compliance at a lower cost. For this reason, this full-scale, practical guide on how to adapt tax law to new technologies and how to apply tax tech processes in practice will be welcomed by tax practitioners, tax administrations, and academics across the entire tax community.

Collection of papers dealing with various aspects of the role of information technology in the administration of taxes.

This report is the ninth edition of the OECD's Tax Administration Series. It provides internationally comparative data on aspects of tax systems and their administration in 59 advanced and emerging economies.

Using cross-country data, this note explores the potential impact of selected digital technologies on tax collection and compliance. The analysis makes use of multi-dimensional International Survey on Revenue Administration, Tax Administration Diagnostic Assessment Tool, and Revenue Administration-Gap Analysis Program (RA-GAP) data with results indicating that digital technologies could help enhance tax collection, but with effects that vary by the type of specific digital service or tools introduced. While the results demonstrate a strong association between digital tax administration operations and improved performance outcomes, the realization of revenue gains is heavily contingent on accompanying policy, legislative, and administrative reforms, as well as the availability of adequate digital connectivity and capable tax administration staff. The cross-country approach provides reasonable upper-bound estimates on revenue gains, which, however, need to be carefully validated with country-specific case studies. The note reviews single country case studies from selected micro-economic literature that complement the cross-country results and reveal key enabling factors necessary to reap and sustain the benefits of new digital investments.