Government trust and tax morale. Taxpayer compliance factors

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2025-2238

Keywords:

Confidence, Tax Morality, Education, Taxpayers, Microenterprises, Government, Laws, Public Services

Abstract

Introduction: This article aims to identify the levels of education, confidence in the government system and tax morality that individuals have. Methodology: A review of scientific articles was carried out that start from the approach of the Expected Utility Theory, which indicates that taxpayers, out of self-interest, choose how much income they report to the tax authority, exchanging the benefits of evasion against the costs of evasion. Results: Confidence in the government system includes confidence in the laws, in the government, in public services, in tax authorities and education includes those who have surpassed the primary, secondary and higher levels and tax morality where it was identified that cheating in paying taxes is justified when the opportunity to do so is given. Discussions: Low tax morale and regulatory tightening influence tax evasion, while high morale influences tax compliance. Conclusions: It was identified that trust in the government system is related to tax morale and the educational level of taxpayers.

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Author Biographies

Nancy Barberán Zambrano, Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil

Certified Public Accountant. Master's degree in International Taxation. PhD in Strategic Business Administration. She has served in the Internal Revenue Service for 13 years. She has 7 years of experience as a Tax Consultant. She has 18 years of experience as a university professor.

Linda Yong Amaya, Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil

Certified Public Accountant. Master's degree in Taxation and Finance. PhD in Accounting and Finance. She has 16 years of experience as an independent accountant and 17 years of experience as a university professor.

Tomas Bastidas Cabrera, Polytechnic University of Valencia

Telecommunications Engineer. Master's degree in Telecommunications with a minor in Business Management. He has worked in technical fields for 22 years. He has 10 years of experience as a university professor.

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Published

2025-07-18

How to Cite

Barberán Zambrano, N., Yong Amaya, L., & Bastidas Cabrera, T. (2025). Government trust and tax morale. Taxpayer compliance factors. European Public & Social Innovation Review, 10, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2025-2238

Issue

Section

Innovation from the New Socio-Economic Contract of the 21st Century