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Impact of Tax Complexity on Taxpayer Understanding

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect tax complexity has on taxpayers' understanding of the tax law. The individual income tax system in the United States is based on self assessment by the taxpayer. A self assessing system requires a high level of voluntary compliance by the participants. Taxpayers who file returns on time and file correctly are considered to be in compliance with the tax law. A taxpayer who cannot understand the rules for tax reporting logically does not have the ability to comply with the law. A tax system predicated on the presumption that the average taxpayer can understand and comply with the tax rules must not become so complex that the taxpayer is forced into either seeking external help or not fully complying. The question arises, does complexity affect the ability of taxpayers to understand, and thus comply with, the tax system?

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc332318
Date12 1900
CreatorsMartindale, Bobbie Cook
ContributorsMichaelsen, Robert, Spalding, John Barney, Koch, Bruce S., Sharp, Walton H.
PublisherUniversity of North Texas
Source SetsUniversity of North Texas
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis or Dissertation
Formatvii, 117 leaves, Text
CoverageUnited States
RightsPublic, Martindale, Bobbie Cook, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

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