Regulatory complexity and the pace of digitalisation are two main tax compliance hurdles finance leaders are grappling with, a global survey shows.
Over half (58%) of finance leaders in the survey by software company Sovos described corporate tax compliance mandates from governments — new and ongoing, domestic and global — as complex for their company, with 44% indicating that the mandates are changing too quickly to be managed effectively.
In addition, three-quarters of respondents agreed that limitations in tax compliance prevent their organisations from being more strategic in business decisions.
The report surveyed 300 finance leaders, whose job functions are mostly finance and tax, in January.
Many leaders expect those risks to prevail in the short term (next two to three years), specifically, the pace of new government mandates and regulatory changes (61%), increasing complexity of global operations (56%), and the rising cost of compliance technology and staffing (42%).
“Recognition of the acceleration of regulatory mandates does not necessarily translate into structural readiness,” the survey said. “Organisations need to align their data, reporting, and systems across multiple regulatory frameworks simultaneously as regulations continue to expand across multiple jurisdictions.”
The survey found that 43% of leaders indicated that finding the right platform to integrate with existing systems is still their biggest challenge. And, for some, current processes are heightening compliance challenges.
While some leaders look to artificial intelligence (AI) to navigate complexity, the survey said, most are wary of AI’s impact on compliance.
“Survey responses indicate strong interest in AI-enabled capabilities, prioritising accuracy and precision over speed,” the survey found. “Over half of respondents mentioned accuracy in data and insights as the most important AI capability, followed by 46% who emphasise balancing efficiency and security concerns.”
While a strong majority of Sovos respondents (86%) reported being extremely or very concerned about data security with AI-enhanced solutions, recent data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicates less hesitance regarding certain uses of AI by global tax administrations. The OECD survey shows that nearly two-thirds (64.1%) of tax administrations use AI in risk assessment processes.
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