Fiscal Affairs Department How-To Notes
2017
October 19, 2017
How to Establish a Tax Policy Unit
Description: This paper explores that in developing economies, sufficient tax revenue is necessary to finance spending on health care, education, and infrastructure—all of which are prerequisites for economic growth and development. However, it is not simply the revenue ratio that matters; the quality of the revenue system is also essential for delivering fair and efficient outcomes. To design a revenue system that fosters sustainable economic and social development and enjoys broad public support, it is essential for tax reform proposals to be carefully assessed, quantitatively analyzed, and openly debated. This requires that decision makers and all stakeholders in the debate have access to the best available facts, data, and independent evidence-based analysis, including about the impact of tax reforms on revenue, the income distribution, and economic performance. The central institutional actor in the decision making process—the executive—is best supported in this process by what is generally called a tax policy unit (TPU). TPUs are tasked to guide and inform the tax policy debate, based on facts, independent data analysis, and multidisciplinary efforts.
2016
November 23, 2016
How to Improve the Financial Oversight of Public Corporations
Description: Many studies have highlighted how failures of public corporations (otherwise known as state-owned enterprises) can result in huge economic and fiscal costs. To contain the risks associated with these costs, an effective regime for the financial supervision and oversight of public corporations should be put in place. This note discusses the legal, institutional, and procedural arrangements that governments need to oversee the financial operations of their public corporations, ensure accountability for their performance, and manage the fiscal risks they present. In particular, it recommends that governments should focus their surveillance on public corporations that are large in relation to the economy, create fiscal risks, are not profitable, are unstable financially, or are heavily dependent on government subsidies or guarantees.
November 4, 2016
How to Design and Enforce Tobacco Excises?
Description: Taxing tobacco can help raise much needed revenue and save lives, but it needs to be done well. This “How-to” note provides guidance on the basics of tobacco taxation. How high should tobacco taxes be? Should we use ad valorem or specific taxes? What are the key elements of an efficient tax administration that will secure the tax base and prevent illegal trade? These are important questions that need to be addressed and this note provide a sound first step towards solid policy decisions.
November 4, 2016
How to Check Integrity of Fiscal Data
Description: The accuracy and reliability of government accounts and fiscal data is an issue in a number of countries, with significant and persistent discrepancies that can indicate underlying weaknesses in the country’s public financial management system. This note provides guidance on how to detect issues with data quality, perform integrity checks, and reconcile fiscal data from various sources. It discusses the importance of reconciliation to provide reasonable assurance on the quality and reliability of government fiscal data, explores the main reasons for which discrepancies may arise, and explains how to conduct quality checks. The note concludes with recommendations for country teams of concrete steps to ensure data quality.
September 27, 2016
How to Assess Fiscal Implications of Demographic Shifts: A Granular Approach
Description: Over the next few decades, the world will experience significant demographic shifts, with material fiscal implications. In many advanced and emerging market economies, aging populations will lead to higher spending on pensions and health care. Moreover, projected population dynamics will adversely affect growth and government revenues. Building on and extending a 2015 IMF Staff Discussion Note by Clements and others, this note presents a simple framework that can assist researchers in quantifying the effects of demographic changes resulting from population aging on government fiscal balances. It includes two country applications of the framework and an associated template. The note addresses several key questions: What are channels through which demographic changes could affect public finances? How can we quantify the fiscal impact of demographic changes? How can we tailor the assessment to country-specific circumstances?
September 27, 2016
How to Adjust to a Large Fall in Commodity Prices
Description: Resource-rich countries have to manage highly volatile commodity revenues. In periods of revenue booms there is a tendency for large spending scale-ups. When facing large and persistent reductions in commodity prices, some of these countries will need to adjust their budgets to the new reality. In many cases, overall surpluses turn into large fiscal deficits and borrowing costs tend to rise with the fall in commodity prices. This note discusses how to undertake large fiscal adjustments, which often tend to be protracted and with long-lasting impacts on growth. Consequently, the note also highlights how to better prepare for future booms and busts in commodity prices.