Analysis of Fairness of Personal Income Taxation in the Russian Federation

The paper explores the issue of fairness of progressive taxation. The introduction of progressive taxation in the Russian Federation in 2021 was announced by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin in his Address to citizens on June 23, 2020. The issue of returning to progressive taxation has been repeatedly raised in the scientific community, and one argument in its favor was the provision that progressive taxation is more fair than proportional taxation. At the same time, as Putin’s words suggest, the main goal of the introduction of tax progression is to find funds for financing certain projects, but not to achieve justice. However, the task set by the President does not exclude the need to investigate the issue of fairness of progressive taxation and the doctrinal justification of the proposed changes, which makes the chosen topic relevant.

The paper deals with the essence of “fair taxation” on the basis of the theories of justice, developed by John Rawls and Amartya Sen, and principles of taxation. The author analyzes the Federal Law of November 23, 2020, No. 372-FZ “On Amendments to Part Two of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation in Part Concerning Taxation of Personal Income Exceeding 5 Million Rubles for the Tax Period” that introduces application of a combined tax rate to the income exceeding 5 million rubles per year, as well as the issue of prospects for further changes in personal income taxation in the Russian Federation in the context of achieving justice. Methodologically, the paper is based on the principles of the dialectical approach. The author applies general scientific methods of cognition, namely: analysis, synthesis, generalization, induction.

Based on the principles of taxation and several approaches to the interpretation of fairness, it is concluded that progressive taxation is more fair than the ones in force until 2020, including proportional taxation. The author proposes amendments to the Tax Code of the Russian Federation aimed at enhancing fairness of taxation. They include intensification of tax progressiveness (taking into account amendments entering into effect on January 1, 2021) and the introduction of a tax-free minimum on personal income.

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