Taxation (Cambridge (CIE) O Level Economics)
Revision Note
Written by: Steve Vorster
Reviewed by: Jenna Quinn
The Classification of Taxes
The main source of government revenue is taxation
Direct taxes are taxes imposed on income and profits
They are paid directly to the government by the individual or firm
E.g. Income tax, corporation tax, capital gains tax, national insurance contributions, inheritance tax
Indirect taxes are imposed on spending
The less a consumer spends the less indirect tax they pay
Examples of indirect tax include Value Added Tax (19% VAT rate in the European Union in 2022), taxes on demerit goods, excise duties on fuel etc.
Progressive, regressive and proportional tax systems
Tax systems can be classified as progressive, regressive or proportional
Most countries have a mix of progressive (direct taxation) and regressive (indirect taxation) taxes in place
An Explanation of Tax Systems
System | Explanation | Diagram |
---|---|---|
Progressive |
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Regressive |
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Proportional |
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Progressive tax systems are built around the idea of marginal tax rates
The calculation of an individual's personal income tax requires several calculations
Using this system, a salary of £60,000 would attract a tax bill of £11,499.80, calculated as follows:
Calculation Using UK Progressive Tax Rates – June 2022
Tax Band | Taxable Income | Tax Rate | Tax Paid on £60,000 |
---|---|---|---|
Personal Allowance | Up to £12,500 | 0% | 0 |
Basic Rate | £12,501 to £50,000 | 20% | £37, 499 at 20% = £7499.80 |
Higher Rate | £50,001 to £150,000 | 40% | £10,001 at 40% = £4,000 |
Additional Rate | Over £150,000 | 45% | 0 |
Total Tax Paid on £60,000 |
|
| £7499.80 + £4,000 = £11,499.80 |
Examiner Tips and Tricks
MCQ frequently test your knowledge of the different tax systems by presenting you with a table and asking you to identify the type of tax system illustrated
Identify the type of tax system illustrated below:
Weekly Income ($) | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
Weekly Tax ($) | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 |
It is a proportional tax system with a constant tax rate of 20%
Principles of Taxation
In order for the population to accept a tax system and pay into it, the taxes imposed need to be considered to be 'good'
There are several principles which should be applied when developing a 'good' tax system
Simple: taxpayers should know what, when, where and how to pay the tax
Fair (equity): taxes should reflect a taxpayer’s ability to pay - progressive taxation aims to achieve this as the wealthy can afford to pay more than the poor do
Convenient: systems to collect payment should be easy and provide choice for taxpayers e.g. monthly payments spread over 12 months or tax collected by the employer each month before the salary is paid
Efficient: the management of the tax system by the government should not be overly expensive or wasteful
Fit for purpose: there should not be any unintended side effects of the system e.g. disincentivising workers from working
Flexible: it should be easy to adjust/change as required by changes in the economy
The Impact of Taxation
Changes in direct and indirect tax rates influence a range of economic variables
The greater the size of the change, the greater the ripple effects felt by households, firms and the economy
Effects of Tax Rate Changes
Impact | Explanation |
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Incentive to work |
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Government tax revenues |
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Income distribution |
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Economic growth |
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Inflation |
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The trade balance (X-M) |
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Business location |
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