Readers Urge Vietnam to Treat Taxpayers Like Customers for Better Compliance

Vietnamese readers are advocating for a shift in how taxpayers are treated, suggesting that viewing them as valued customers could foster a culture of voluntary tax compliance. This perspective emerges following the government's recent attention to the challenges faced by small and medium-sized businesses and sole proprietorships.

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Reducing the need for manual record-keeping and increasing the fixed tax amount is very correct and suitable for the majority of small retail and business people in the current socio-economic reality.

In response to recommendations from economic institutes and business associations, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Van Thang has directed the Ministry of Finance to research and implement supportive policies. The goal is to ensure legal frameworks align with the Party and State's policies on private economic development, with a particular focus on providing timely guidance for economic management.

Many small business owners report feeling overwhelmed by the complexities and costs associated with tax procedures, especially amid a slowdown in consumer spending. They express a willingness to fulfill their tax obligations based on actual revenue and profits but find the administrative burden hindering their ability to operate and grow. The primary request is not for tax reductions, but for a simplification of accounting and record-keeping requirements.

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We small businesses do not evade taxes, do not avoid taxes, we do not need tax reductions, we just want to reduce the pressure of accounting and bookkeeping. The time we now spend serving customers is less than the time spent on bookkeeping and records.

Readers like Hoang Le suggest increasing the fixed tax amount (thue khoán) for small businesses to reduce the need for detailed manual record-keeping. Ham Trinh echoes this sentiment, stating that the time spent on paperwork often exceeds the time dedicated to serving customers. There is a strong call for tax authorities to further develop and promote digital services, such as the eTax system, to streamline the process. Mai Ha proposes that once all invoices are digitized and sent directly to tax agencies, the agencies should issue tax notifications, eliminating the need for taxpayers to file returns and allowing them to simply pay or request adjustments.

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Once all invoices for all types of businesses are uploaded to the software and sent directly to the tax authorities, the tax authorities only need to issue a tax notice, eliminating the procedure for taxpayers to declare taxes. After that, taxpayers can base on the tax notice to pay taxes or respond and request adjustments.