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Course

Tax Risk Management - ATAX0438

Faculty: Australian School of Business

School: Australian School of Taxation and Business Law

Course Outline: ATAX0438 Course Outline

Campus: ATAX Campus

Career: Postgraduate

Units of Credit: 6

EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)

Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 0

Enrolment Requirements:

Restricted to students enrolled in Programs 9250 or 9255 or 9260 or 9245 or 9200 or 5740 or 9210 or 9230 or 9257 or 9231 or 5231

Excluded: ATAX0338, ATAX0538

CSS Contribution Charge: 3 (more info)

Tuition Fee: See Tuition Fee Schedule

Further Information: See Class Timetable

View course information for previous years.

Description

Given the global trend towards greater reliance on self-assessment, maintaining high levels of voluntary compliance is a critical issue for tax administrators. Further, tax administrators are faced with limited resources and in response have generally adopted a risk management approach to enforcement. From the perspective of taxpayers, self assessment places a greater compliance burden on them in terms of obligations and costs. Both tax administrators and taxpayers can adopt a range of strategies to manage risk, but to be effective, these strategies need to be underpinned by an understanding of what drives the behaviour of the other party and of the dynamics of the tax environment. The course draws on current best international practice in compliance management and allows students the opportunity to apply their learning in a range of contexts.


Recommended Prior Knowledge

None

Course Objectives

Students will develop a deeper understanding of the decision making processes of the various stakeholders in the tax system and will have the opportunity to apply their learning in a variety of contexts. Students will also be critically examining current best practice in compliance management and reflecting on the appropriateness of various strategies to assess and manage tax risk from the perspectives of both taxpayer and tax administrator.

On successful completion of the course, students will be expected to be able to:
  • Explain the significance of the concept of risk management in taxation and the underlying reasons for its emergence
  • Demonstrate an understanding of taxpayer compliance behaviour based on contemporary research
  • Assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of risk management frameworks and strategies employed by tax administrators
  • Assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of risk-based frameworks and strategies employed by taxpayers to manage compliance with tax laws
  • Formulate informed and appropriate strategies by which the various parties can more effectively manage their respective risks over time taking into account the dynamics of the environment

Main Topics

  • The concept of tax risk management
  • Understanding taxpayer compliance behaviour
  • Enforcement frameworks for tax administrators
  • Risk management strategies for tax administrators
  • Risk management strategies for taxpayers

Course Texts

Textbook lists for ATAX courses will be available from the UNSW Bookshop from 1 February for Semester 1 courses and from 1 July for Semester 2 courses.
Library

Study Levels

Undergraduate Study Postgraudate Study Postgraduate Research Study Non-Award Study

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