Analysis of financial statements of enterprises for the purposes of forming a tax audit plan

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of the study is to determine the role of financial reporting analysis for the purposes of forming a tax audit plan and in the context of tax administration reform in Ukraine.Methods. The study used methods of a systems approach and regulatory analysis, which made it possible to generalize the current legislation regulating the procedure for conducting tax audits and determining the degree of tax risk of a taxpayer in retrospect and to form a system of indicators of financial reporting of enterprises in accordance with changes in the current tax legislation. The method of economic and statistical analysis was used to test the formed system of financial reporting indicators for assessing the tax degree of tax risk of taxpayers using the example of Ukrainian processing industry enterprises.

Results. The formation and development of regulatory support for taxpayer risk criteria, including those formed by a set of financial criteria calculated on the basis of financial reporting data, were determined. The pragmatism of the analysis of financial statements of enterprises for the purposes of forming a tax audit plan is adapted to a sample of processing industry enterprises (15 enterprises) based on the results of their activities in 2015-2024, however, the analysis and conclusions are divided into two chronological periods, in accordance with the provisions of regulatory regulation (Order of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine “On Approval of the Procedure for Forming a Plan-Schedule for Conducting Documentary Scheduled Audits of Taxpayers” dated 02.06.2015 No. 524 with amendments and supplements). Typical and atypical tax risks of the sample of enterprises under study are identified, as well as the main directions of changing the degree of tax risks under martial law.

Conclusions. It is substantiated that in the practice of tax administration the principle of objectivity and transparency is being established when forming a tax audit schedule with the adoption of the Order of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine dated 02.06.2015 No. 524 and amendments thereto. Further development of information support for tax control should be developed in compliance with the requirements of transparency of taxpayer risk criteria for all participants in tax relations; publicity of taxpayer risk criteria in terms of ensuring the publicity of industry indicators of the level of income tax payment, the level of VAT payment; clarity and simplicity of calculations of taxpayer risk criteria, formation of a system of formulaic support for calculations of taxpayer risk criteria.