“Although the actual changes in tax rates are yet to take place in the new year, the ongoing public tax debate has already impacted people’s perception,” said ETCB’s Deputy Director General for Taxes Raili Roosimaa.
“Despite this, it is good to note that 91 % of Estonian residents rather or completely agree that paying taxes is an important obligation for them as citizens, and people’s trust in the work of the ETCB remains high,” she added.
According to the survey, 94 % of residents always pay their taxes correctly. 89 % of people say they know how to pay taxes and on what they have to pay taxes (e.g. on wages, extra income, etc.) and 64 % consider their knowledge in this regard to be good. Also, 66 % of Estonian residents consider it likely that if part of their income is not declared, the ETCB will contact them.
However, people are a bit more sceptical about the tax compliance of fellow citizens. Only 61 % of Estonian residents think that most people declare and pay their taxes correctly. In addition, it is believed that 70 % of residents would be willing to consume the products and services of non-tax-paying companies if it were more favourable to them.
“Both the results of the survey and the open responses clearly show that people have thought more about tax issues over the past year and started to shape their views more clearly,” Roosimaa said.
For example, there is greater support than in the past for the idea that people earning higher income should have a higher tax burden. 70 % believe that people earning higher income must have a higher tax burden than today, and support for this idea has increased by 7 % compared to last year.
The ETCB has commissioned the survey of the willingness to pay taxes for the sixth year. This time the survey was conducted by Kantar Emor and a total of 1326 residents were interviewed.
The aim of the survey is to find out the attitudes and beliefs of Estonian residents aged 15 to 74 in terms of payment of taxes, the ETCB, tax-related norms, risks and penalties, and the tax system in force in Estonia. The survey makes it possible to evaluate the developments in recent years compared to the results of the surveys carried out in the years from 2018 to 2022 and thereby provides input to the ETCB for further development of the field.
