Taxation
Taxation is the system by which a government or a regulatory body imposes charges on individuals or entities to generate revenue that is used to finance the activities of the state.
Key Concepts
- Tax: A compulsory payment imposed by the government on individuals or organizations to finance public expenditures.
- Taxpayer: A person or organization liable to pay tax.
- Taxable income: Income that is subject to tax by the government.
- Tax rate: The percentage at which an individual or organization is taxed.
- Tax bracket: A range of income that is taxed at a particular rate.
- Tax deduction: A reduction in taxable income that is allowed by the government for certain expenses.
- Tax evasion: Illegal non-payment or underpayment of taxes.
- Tax avoidance: Legal methods used by individuals or organizations to reduce their tax liability.
Types of Taxes
- Income tax: Tax on individual or corporate income.
- Sales tax: Tax on goods and services.
- Property tax: Tax on the value of property.
- Excise tax: Tax on specific goods such as alcohol, tobacco, and gasoline.
- Estate tax: Tax on the estate of a deceased individual.
- Gift tax: Tax on gifts above a certain value.
Taxation Process
- Filing: Taxpayers are required to submit their tax returns to the government.
- Assessment: The government reviews the tax returns and determines the tax liability.
- Payment: Taxpayers settle their tax liability by paying the appropriate amount.
- Enforcement: The government enforces compliance through penalties and legal action.
Key Takeaways
- Taxation is a system by which a government imposes charges on individuals or entities to generate revenue.
- Taxable income is income that is subject to tax by the government.
- Tax evasion is illegal non-payment or underpayment of taxes, while tax avoidance is legal methods used to reduce tax liability.
- There are various types of taxes, including income, sales, property, excise, estate, and gift taxes.