"Revenue administration is a major interface between the state and its citizens. A good revenue administration is, therefore, an important attribute of good government. As a result, in recent years, policy makers have become increasingly aware of the importance of policies that will promote business development while ensuring voluntary tax compliance. In the modern context, it is neither desirable nor feasible to examine or inspect every single taxpayer. The revenue administration, therefore, has to rely on effective management of compliance. Promoting voluntary compliance, achieved through a self-assessment system in which taxpayers comply with their tax obligations without intervention from tax officials, requires developing modern approaches to audits based on risk management. The impact of audits critically depends on a properly designed audit selection strategy focused on high-risk taxpayers to provide the most cost-effective outcome. This, in itself, contributes to promoting voluntary compliance. Risk-based country audits: approaches and country experiences are an important study of this critical revenue function of compliance management."--Publisher's website.

This paper employs unique tax administrative data and operational audit information from a sample of approximately 7,500 self-employed U.S. taxpayers to investigate the effects of operational tax audits on future reporting behavior. Our estimates indicate that audits can have substantial deterrent or counter-deterrent effects. Among those taxpayers who receive an additional tax assessment, reported taxable income is estimated to be 64% higher in the first year after the audit than it would have been in the absence of the audit. In contrast, among those taxpayers who do not receive an additional tax assessment, reported taxable income is estimated to be approximately 15% lower the year after the audit than it would have been had the audit not taken place. Our results suggest that improved targeting of audits towards noncompliant taxpayers would not only yield more direct audit revenue, it would also pay dividends in terms of future tax collections.

In response to a number of large corporate failures, risk management has recently become a major consideration for most organizations. At the same time, taxation has been recognized as an area having its own unique risk profiles. This book provides a practical guide for those working in today's ever-changing corporate environment. It contains an introduction to tax risk management and discussions on the tax control framework that allow corporate tax departments to identify and manage companies' tax-related risks. The book also includes country chapters, which provide practical examples of the development and application of tax control frameworks.

More now than ever before, auditing is in the spotlight; legislators, regulators, and top executives in all types of businesses realize the importance of auditors in the governance and performance equation. Previously routine and formulaic, internal auditing is now high-profile and high-pressure! Being an auditor in today's complex, highly regulated business environment involves more than crunching the numbers and balancing the books-it requires ensuring that appropriate checks and balances are in place to manage risk throughout the organization. Designed to help auditors in any type of business develop the essential understanding, capabilities, and tools needed to prepare credible, defensible audit plans, Audit Planning: A Risk-Based Approach helps auditors plan the audit process so that it makes a dynamic contribution to better governance, robust risk management, and more reliable controls. Invaluable to internal auditors facing new demands in the workplace, this book is also a "hands-on" reference for external auditors, compliance teams, financial controllers, consultants, executives, small business owners, and others charged with reviewing and validating corporate governance, risk management, and controls. The second book in the new Practical Auditor Series, which helps auditors get down to business, Audit Planning: A Risk-Based Approach gives new auditors principles and methodologies they can apply effectively and helps experienced auditors enhance their skills for success in the rapidly changing business world.

The book examines the fundamental principles of risk-based audits, the institutional challenges, and analytical techniques used in risk-based audit strategies. It discusses development of databases and IT infrastructure critical for effective use of risk management techniques.