International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

search-icon

Factors Influencing The Individual Taxpayers’ Voluntary Compliance

Open access
The global issue in the implementation of the Self-Assessment System (STS) is to achieve a satisfactory voluntary tax compliance rate. This motivates this study to investigate the factors that influence voluntary tax compliance among individual taxpayers in Malaysia. Specifically, this study examines the effects of tax knowledge, gender, age, norms, individual values and attitudes, the complexity of the tax system, fairness, tax rates and peer influence on voluntary tax compliance. The study data is gathered from a randomly selected of 101 Kuala Lumpur individual taxpayers. The results of multiple regression analysis show that only (1) gender and (2) norms, values and individual attitudes have a positive relationship with voluntary tax compliance. In conclusion, in Malaysia there is evidence that the rate of voluntary tax compliance depends on personal factors particularly gender and values, not external factors like peers or tax authorities.
Adimassu, N. A., & Jerene, W. (2016). Determinants of voluntary tax compliance behavior in self assessment system: Evidence from SNNPRS, Ethiopia. International Journal of Science and Research, 5(12), 967-973. Ajzen, I. (1991). The Theory of Planned Behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Proccess.Alm, J., Jackson, B., & McKee, M. (1992). Institutional uncertainty and taxpayer compliance. The American Economic Review, 82(4), 1018-1026.Singh, A. (2016, October 15). Self-assessment tax system: the next wave. The Star. https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2016/10/15/selfassessment-tax-system-the-next-wave
Anderson, D. R., Sweeney, D. J., & Williams, T. A. (1996). „Statistics for business and economics “St. Paul: West Publishing Company,.Baldry, J. C. (1987). Income tax evasion and the tax schedule: Some experimental results. Public Finance= Finances publiques, 42(3), 357-383.
Bornman, M., & Stack, L. (2015). Rewarding tax compliance: taxpayers' attitudes and beliefs. Journal of Economic and Financial Sciences, 8(3), 791-807.
Collins, J. H., & Plumlee, R. D. (1991). The taxpayer's labor and reporting decision: The effect of audit schemes. Accounting Review, 559-576.Deyganto, K. O. (2018). Factors influencing taxpayers’ voluntary compliance attitude with tax system: Evidence from Gedeo zone of Southern Ethiopia. Universal Journal of Accounting and Finance, 6(3), 92-107. Faizal, S. M., Palil, M. R., Maelah, R., & Ramli, R. (2017). Perception on justice, trust and tax compliance behavior in Malaysia. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences, 38(3), 226-232.
Forest, A., & Sheffrin, S. M. (2002). Complexity and compliance: An empirical investigation. National Tax Journal, 55(1), 75-88.
Friedland, N., Maital, S., & Rutenberg, A. (1978). A simulation study of income tax evasion. Journal of public economics, 10(1), 107-116.
Gilligan, G., & Richardson, G. (2005). Perceptions of tax fairness and tax compliance in Australia and Hong Kong?a preliminary study. Journal of financial crime, 12(4), 331-343.
Hai, O. T., & See, L. M. (2011). Intention of tax non-compliance-examine the gaps. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 2(7), 79-83. Hanno, D. M., & Violette, G. R. (1996). An analysis of moral and social influences on taxpayer behavior. Behavioral research in Accounting, 8.Hasseldine, J. (1999). Using persuasive communications to increase tax compliance: What experimental research has (and has not) told us. Austl. Tax F., 15, 227.
Hofmann, E., Hoelzl, E., & Kirchler, E. (2008). Preconditions of voluntary tax compliance: Knowledge and evaluation of taxation, norms, fairness, and motivation to cooperate. Zeitschrift für Psychologie/Journal of Psychology, 216(4), 209-217. Israel, G. D. (1992). Sampling the evidence of extension program impact. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences, EDIS.
Jackson, B. R., & Milliron, V. C. (1986). Tax compliance research: Findings, problems, and prospects. Journal of accounting literature, 5(1), 125-165.
James, S., & Alley, C. (2002). Tax compliance, self-assessment and tax administration.
Kastlunger, B., Dressler, S. G., Kirchler, E., Mittone, L., & Voracek, M. (2010). Sex differences in tax compliance: Differentiating between demographic sex, gender-role orientation, and prenatal masculinization (2D: 4D). Journal of economic psychology, 31(4), 542-552.
Kirchler, E., Hoelzl, E., and Wahl, I. (2008). Enforced versus voluntary tax compliance: The “slippery slope” framework. Journal of Economic psychology, 29(2), 210-225.
Krause, K. (2000). Tax complexity: Problem or opportunity?. Public Finance Review, 28(5), 395-414.
Lewis, A. (1982). The social psychology of taxation. British Journal of Social Psychology, 21(2), 151-158.
Mohani, A. (2001). Personal income tax non-compliance in Malaysia (Doctoral dissertation, Victoria University of Technology).
Murphy, K. (2004). The role of trust in nurturing compliance: A study of accused tax avoiders. Law and human behavior, 28, 187-209.
Niemirowski, P., Wearing, A., Baldwin, S., Leonard, B., & Mobbs, C. (2002). Compliance intention. Differences between compliers, non-compliers and tax office staff.
Nunnally, J. C. (1967), Psychometric Theory (1st ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Orviska, M., & Hudson, J. (2003). Tax evasion, civic duty and the law abiding citizen. European Journal of Political Economy, 19(1), 83-102.
Palil, R. (2010). Tax knowledge and tax compliance determinants in self assessment system in Malaysia (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Birmingham, UK.
Pallant, J. (2020). SPSS survival manual: A step by step guide to data analysis using IBM SPSS. McGraw-hill education (UK).Pántya, J., Kovács, J., Kogler, C., & Kirchler, E. (2016). Work performance and tax compliance in flat and progressive tax systems. Journal of Economic Psychology, 56, 262-273.
Park, C. G., & Hyun, J. K. (2003). Examining the determinants of tax compliance by experimental data: A case of Korea. Journal of Policy Modeling, 25(8), 673-684.
Richardson, G. (2006). Determinants of tax evasion: A cross-country investigation. Journal of international Accounting, Auditing and taxation, 15(2), 150-169.
Richardson, G. (2008). The relationship between culture and tax evasion across countries: Additional evidence and extensions. Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, 17(2), 67-78
Sinnasamy, P., Bidin, Z., & Ismail, S. S. S. (2015). A proposed model of non-compliance behaviour on excise duty: A moderating effects of tax agents. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 211, 299-305. Spicer, M. W., & Becker, L. A. (1980). Fiscal inequity and tax evasion: An experimental approach. National tax journal, 33(2), 171-175. Stack, S., & Kposowa, A. (2006). The effect of religiosity on tax fraud acceptability: A cross?national analysis. Journal for the scientific study of religion, 45(3), 325-351.
Stephen, A. (2011). Determinants of tax compliance: A case study of vat flat rate scheme traders in the Accra metropolis (Doctoral dissertation, Masters Dissertation, Kwame Nkrumah University-Ghana).
Streiner, D. L. (2003). Starting at the beginning: an introduction to coefficient alpha and internal consistency. Journal of personality assessment, 80(1), 99-103.
Tazegu, L. A. (2016). Evaluation of factors having impact on tax compliance as regards to taxpayers: Application for the city of Kars. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 4(08), 80.
Tittle, C. R. (1980). Sanctions and social deviance: The question of deterrence.
Torgler, B. (2006). The importance of faith: Tax morale and religiosity. Journal of economic Behavior & organization, 61(1), 81-109.
Trivedi, V. U., Shehata, M., & Lynn, B. (2003). Impact of personal and situational factors on taxpayer compliance: An experimental analysis. Journal of Business Ethics, 47, 175-197.
Trivedi, V. U., Shehata, M., & Mestelman, S. (2004). Attitudes, incentives, and tax compliance: Department of Economics. McMaster University.
Vogel, J. (1974). Taxation and public opinion in Sweden: An interpretation of recent survey data. National Tax Journal, 27(4), 499-513.
Wahl, I., Kastlunger, B., & Kirchler, E. (2010). Trust in authorities and power to enforce tax compliance: An empirical analysis of the “Slippery Slope Framework”. Law & Policy, 32(4), 383-406.
Wahlund, R. (1992). Tax changes and economic behavior: The case of tax evasion. Journal of Economic Psychology, 13(4), 657-677.
Walsh, K. (2012). Understanding taxpayer behaviour–new opportunities for tax administration. The Economic and Social Review, 43(3, Autumn), 451-475.
Wärneryd, K., & Walerud, B. (1982). Taxes and economic behaviour: Some interview data on tax evasion in Sweden. Journal of Economic Psychology, 2(3), 187-211.
Zikmund, W. G., Babin, B. J., Carr, J. C., & Griffin, M. (2013). Business research methods. Cengage Learning.