Contentious interactions may arise between a tax professional and client upon a disagreement over a tax position. In an increasingly competitive tax return preparation market, these contentious interactions represent a significant threat to tax practitioners' client satisfaction and retention objectives. I conduct an experiment in which I examine the effect of three factors on tax clients' (1) likelihood to accept the advice of the tax accountant and (2) likelihood to switch tax accountants upon receiving professional advice counter to their preferred tax position. The three factors are: (1) clients' antagonistic narcissism; (2) clients' relationship with the accountant; and (3) how the advice is framed by the tax accountant. The results are based on a sample of 93 taxpayers. First, this study examines how clients' measured levels of narcissistic antagonism (hereafter, antagonism) impacts their reaction to "being told no" by their tax professional. Results indicate that upon the receipt of advice contrary to their preferences, highly antagonistic clients are more likely to (1) engage in a contentious interaction with their professional and (2) switch to a new tax professional. Supplemental path analyses document that individuals with high levels of antagonism cognitively react to instances of "being told no" by simultaneously devaluing their professionals' credibility and role as a client advocate, leading to these aggressive behaviors. This study also examines how the social closeness of the professional-client relationship influences the argue and switch decisions. Multivariate analysis indicates that social closeness is significantly related to the argue and switch decision. However, univariate results do not show significant relationship between social closeness and each of the decisions individually. That is, I find partial support for the professional publications and AICPA recommendations that tax practitioners should develop personal relationships with their clients to improve client satisfaction and likelihood of retention. Clients are marginally more likely to retain their current tax professional for future years when they feel they have a personal relationship with their tax practitioner, as opposed to those in a purely professional relationship. Finally, this dissertation considers the manner in which a tax professional frames his/her advice that is counter to a client's preferences. Results indicate that contrary advice that focuses on the potential downsides of an aggressive tax position (e.g., IRS audits and penalties) significantly dissuades client argument with the professional and significantly deters switching to a new tax accountant as compared to advice that is framed as being in the clients' "best interest."

I propose and test a dynamic model of corporate fraud pyramid using tax fraud, accounting and management compensation controversies (MCC). The pyramid facets represent the explanatory dimensions of corporate governance mechanisms, quality of audit and regulatory regimes, and executive compensation. I find that large-sized firms with bigger boards invariably indulge in tax fraud. Conversely, older firms, firms paying higher executive compensation, exhibiting greater audit committee expertise and greater board meeting frequency curtail tax fraud incidence. Increased board meeting frequency, firm age, senior executive compensation and firm size is associated with increase in accounting controversies. Conversely, increased gender diversity curtails accounting fraud. Increase in firm size, senior executive compensation and outsider director’s compensation is associated with increased MCC incidence. CEO duality, single biggest owner, regulatory quality, rising EPS and operating profit margin, linking CEO compensation with total shareholder return and audit committee management independence significantly curtail MCC incidence. Increased stock-based compensation is accompanied by an increase in MCC. Audit and nomination committees and board members may not be truly independent. Firms audited by Big4 auditors have the least chance of getting entangled in accounting controversies. However, firms paying higher audit fee have a greater tendency of indulging in accounting fraud. Firms exposed to better regulatory quality environment have a much greater chance of getting involved in tax fraud controversies. Various explanatory variables behaved differently before, during and after the financial crisis. Univariate analyses support the majority of results of multivariate analyses.

The ne bis in idem-principle was founded in 1984 and is found in article 4 of the seventh additional protocol of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. The interpretation of the principle has been uncertain, which resulted in a harmonization of all previous case law on the subject in the Zolotukhin case. The case concerns a Russian citizen who brought his girlfriend onto a Russian military base while being drunk. This action resulted in an administrative proceeding and a criminal proceeding. The Swedish and Norwegian tax systems concerning tax surcharge and tax fraud are very alike and both countries adapt a dual court system. The differences concerning the interpretation are found in four cases from 2009 and 2010, two from the Norwegian Supreme Court, one from the Swedish Supreme Administrative Court and one from the Swedish Supreme Court. Even though there are similarities in the argumentations in the cases there are also different approaches concerning how to interpret the principle. The Norwegian Supreme Court bases its judgements, especially in the second one after the Zolotukhin case, on the prerequisites established by the European Court of Human Rights and the purpose of the principle. The Swedish Supreme Court and the Swedish Supreme Administrative Court bases the judgements on previous case law and refers to the uncertain judicial area and affirms that there is room for interpretation for the national courts. Even though the argumentation in the judgements differ the national Supreme Courts reach the same answer to the question whether the tax systems are a breach of the ne bis in idem-principle. None of the courts finds that the national tax systems are an infringement of the ne bis in idem-principle.

Thesis is focused on problems of fraudulent actions especially in the sphere of economic crime, the detection of undesirable activities and preventive measures. Are constantly new forms and methods of committing economic crimes, and this trend will be reflected in subsequent years.

La presente investigación busca entender la importancia de la aplicación de la Auditoría Forense como herramienta de apoyo en empresas del sector transporte. Para tal fin se analizó conceptos, métodos y herramientas que son utilizados para la reducción del fraude financiero y tributario, además se revisaron los conceptos de Control, Fraude Financiero y Tributario del sector de transporte de carga terrestre. Para el plan de investigación, se plantea la hipótesis del Impacto de la Auditoría Forense como herramienta de apoyo, para detectar y reducir el fraude financiero y tributario en las empresas del sector transporte. Dicha hipótesis alternativa es rechazada con un 5% de significancia. En la metodología de investigación, se ejecutó un estudio de tipo documental, el cual fue llevado a cabo por entrevistas a tres expertos del tema. Para ello, se elaboró un cuestionario con el propósito de identificar si se tenía conocimiento sobre Auditoría Forense, y conocer sobre los procesos de control con los que cuentan las empresas del rubro. Como resultado de la aplicación del instrumento cualitativo y cuantitativo, se puede establecer que mediante la aplicación de la Auditoría Forense como herramienta de apoyo se logra detectar y prevenir fraudes. De esta forma, se demuestra que la Auditoría Forense brinda ventajas y que al implementarla como herramienta de apoyo se obtienen grandes resultados. Luego del respectivo análisis de interpretación de los resultados de dicha investigación, se puede concluir que la aplicación de la Auditoría Forense como herramienta de apoyo no reducirá los casos de robos y fraude intencionales: a mayor control en los procesos se disminuirá las posibilidades de cometer fraude y se incrementará un mayor control en las áreas más sensibles del rubro. / This research seeks to understand the importance of the application of Forensic Audit as a support tool in companies in the transport sector. For this purpose, concepts, methods and tools that are used for the reduction of financial and tax fraud were analyzed, and the concepts of Control, Financial and Tax Fraud of the land freight transport sector were also reviewed. For the research plan, the hypothesis of the Impact of Forensic Audit is presented as a support tool, to detect and reduce financial and tax fraud in companies in the transport sector. This alternative hypothesis is rejected with a 5% significance. In the research methodology, a documentary study was executed, which was carried out by interviews with three experts on the subject. For this, a questionnaire was prepared with the purpose of identifying if there was knowledge about Forensic Audit, and knowing about the control processes that the companies in the field have. As a result of the application of the qualitative and quantitative instrument, it can be established that through the application of Forensic Audit as a tool to support internal auditing, fraud can be detected and prevented. In this way, it is demonstrated that Forensic Audit offers advantages and that when implementing it as a support tool, great results are obtained. After the respective analysis of interpretation of the results of said investigation, it can be concluded that the application of Forensic Audit as a support tool will not reduce cases of intentional theft and fraud: greater control in the processes will reduce the chances of committing fraud and greater control will be increased in the most sensitive areas of the item. / Tesis

The main cause of tax fraud in Spain is, in author’s opinion, the educational deficits as individuals. Taxes are not to be just an obligation, he points, but contributing to a morefair society, convinced that requires, as in other areas, a thorough reform of the educationsystem and the recovery of traditional values that our society is suffering a deep crisis. In thissense, the author thinks we must link the estate fraud to educational and cultural deficitsthat Spain suffers, since the crisis of values is what underlies most cases of tax or offenses, ifpreferred, to conduct contrary to law or, without more, antisocial. In this context, the authorindicates it is essential also internalize the culture of spending, since everything is funded by our taxes. / El autor sostiene que la causa principal del fraude fiscal en España es el déficit educativo de las personas. Los impuestos no han de ser tan solo una obligación, señala, sino la contribución a una sociedad más justa, convencimiento que requiere, como en otros ámbitos, una profunda reforma del sistema educativo y la recuperación de los valores tradicionales de los que nuestra sociedad padece una crisis profunda. En este sentido, el autor apunta que se debe vincular las raíces del fraude a los déficit educativos y culturales que España padece, pues esta crisis de valores es la que subyace en la mayoría de los casos de delitos fiscales o, si se prefiere, de las conductas contrarias a derecho o, sin más, antisociales. En ese contexto, indica, es imprescindible interiorizar también la cultura del gasto, ya que todo se financia con nuestros impuestos.

In this paper, the author analyses one of the obligations to inform recently implemented in Spain that requires from natural and legal persons to report about assets and properties abroad. Failure to comply with this requirement may make recognition of a gain over incomes and properties values not being declared. These gains will be considered income tax from last tax period. / En el presente trabajo, la autora analiza una obligación de informar recientemente incorporada al ordenamiento español que obliga a toda persona física y jurídica a declarar los bienes y derechos que posea en el extranjero, cuyo incumplimiento conlleva la generación de una ganancia patrimonial en relación con aquellos elementos patrimoniales no declarados que se imputarán al último ejercicio no prescrito.

Le déploiement de moyens visant à lutter contre la fraude fiscale menace les libertés fondamentales et individuelles des contribuables. En effet, le durcissement de la répression fiscale marque un pas vers l'interventionnisme étatique et semble légitimer la généralisation du soupçon à l'encontre de ces derniers. Le renforcement des prérogatives de contrôle fiscal et d'investigation confiées aux agents du fisc notamment par le recours aux pouvoirs de police judiciaire n'est pas exempt de dangers. Il conduit d'ailleurs à justifier des intrusions dans la vie privée des individus ainsi que de profondes atteintes au droit de propriété sur la base de simples présomptions de fraude fiscale. Les contribuables sont eux aussi exposés aux risques d'abus de pouvoir et de détournement de procédures mais manquent de recours pour combattre ces dérives. En tant qu'Administration publique, l'Administration fiscale, censée oeuvrer pour l'intérêt général dans le cadre de sa mission de récolte de l'impôt et de sanction des fraudeurs, bénéficie d'une présomption quasi « irréfragable » de loyauté lui conférant une responsabilité atténuée voir même une certaine immunité. En effet, rares sont les cas où la responsabilité pour faute de l'Administration fiscale est retenue par les juges. De surcroît, quand la machine judiciaire vient suppléer les carences de l'Administration fiscale, le respect du principe d'égalité des armes apparaît bien plus théorique que pratique. Les inspecteurs agissent de plus en plus sous la contrainte des objectifs de résultats et de rendement budgétaire, au détriment du respect des libertés individuelles et de la présomption de bonne foi des contribuables / The raise of means aiming to struggle against tax evasion threats fundamentals liberties for taxpayers. Indeed, the strengthening of tax repressive measures marks on more step in the state's intervention and seems to justify a generalisation of suspicion against taxpayers. Furthermore, the reinforcement in tax inspector's power mostly used through resort to judicial power isn't exempt from danger. It results in justifying violation of private life and illegal entry only based on presumption of tax fraud. Taxpayers are also exposed to tax authorities abuses and do not have necessary the means to face those abuses. As a public administration, tax authorities are supposed to work for general interest as defined in their mission to both collect taxes and sanction defrauders, but on the other hand they also benefit from an irrefragable presumption of fairness, which results in an attenuated liability. Indeed, rare are the case where the breach of duty from tax authorities is pushed forward by the judges. Moreover, when the judicial machine supplies the shortages of tax Authorities, the respect of equal weapon's principle seems more theoretic than efficient. Tax inspectors act more and more under pressure to get results and budgetary profits, to the detriment of individual freedom and presumption of sincerity. It's in this context that for years, tax authorities have been trying to change their image to present themselves as an administration of service, which main purpose is to encourage amicable settlement of tax litigation

Présentée comme une nouvelle arme de lutte contre la fraude, la procédure de flagrance fiscale instaurée par la loi de finances rectificative pour 2007 et codifiée à l'article L. 16-0 BA du Livre des procédures fiscales (LPF) marque la rupture avec les moyens de traque jusqu'alors mis à la disposition de l'administration fiscale en ce qu'elle permet d'intervenir en amont de toute obligation déclarative pour garantir le recouvrement d'éventuelles créances de contrôle fiscal et sanctionner, dans le même temps, les contribuables déviants. Ce procédé original qui prétend remédier aux agissements de certaines entreprises dites « éphémères », créées dans un but frauduleux et amenées à disparaître promptement pour échapper à toute obligation déclarative, participe du phénomène de pénalisation du droit fiscal observé ces dernières années. Si le champ d'application du dispositif se veut strictement délimité par la loi, l'imprécision des textes laisse néanmoins subsister de nombreuses interrogations quant à la mise en œuvre et à l'efficacité de la procédure. L'absence d'autonomie du dispositif pourrait, notamment, soulever quelques difficultés dirimantes. D'autant que l'établissement du procès-verbal de flagrance autorise la prise de saisies conservatoires sans intervention préalable du juge judiciaire et entraîne pour le contribuable, outre l'application d'une amende, la perte de régimes de faveur et une extension des pouvoirs de contrôle de l'administration, prérogatives que les deux voies de recours spécifiquement créées pour permettre au contribuable de saisir a posteriori le juge du référé administratif ne sauraient suffire à contrebalancer / Introduced as a new weapon in the fight against tax fraud, the tax flagrancy procedure instituted by article 15 of the French amending finance law for 2007 and codified into article L. 16-0 BA in the French tax procedure code shows a break with the tracking means given until now to the tax administration's officers because it allows them to intervene before any declaratory obligation, to guarantee the recovery of possible debts arising from tax audit and to punish, in the same time, deviant taxpayers. This original process which claims to relieve the corrupt practice of some short-lived companies created for a fraudulent purpose and destined to disappear quickly, before any deadline requirements, participates in the criminalizing phenomenon of tax law observed in recent years. If the scope of procedure is strictly defined by law, the fact remains that the imprecise nature of the legislation leaves several interrogations about the implementation and effectiveness of the method. The procedure's lack of autonomy could raise some dissuasive difficulties. All the more so as the establishment of the flagrancy report involves, besides conservatory seizures without any court order, the loss of preferential treatments, an extension of powers of tax authorities and penalty tax. However both courses of action, specifically created by the legislator to entitle taxpayers to apply to an administrative summary proceeding judge after the event, are insufficient compensations

Cette thèse a pour objet de voir en quoi la fiscalité est devenue à la fois un outil de gestion et de stratégie pour le développement des entreprises à tous les niveaux de leur existence juridique. Il s'agira de mettre cette affirmation en perspective avec les mécanismes mis en place par les Etats afin de lutter contre la fraude, l'évasion ou l'optimisation fiscale agressive, la fiscalité étant devenue un enjeu majeur de la politique économique des différents Etats notamment depuis la crise de 2008. Nos travaux s’intéresseront donc aux différents mécanismes utilisés par les entreprises afin de limiter leur charge fiscale et sur les solutions à envisager pour une meilleure gouvernance fiscale à la fois d'un point de vue législatif mais également de celui de la pratique des entreprises. / Le résumé en anglais n'a pas été communiqué par l'auteur.