Taxpayer Compliance Simulation: A Multi-Agent Based Approach

Abstract

This chapter describes the development of a prototype multi-agent based model – the Tax Compliance Simulator (TCS) – designed to help tax administrators think about ways to reduce tax evasion. TCS allows the user to define unique behavioral, income, and tax enforcement characteristics for one or two distinctive taxpayer populations. The capabilities of the model are demonstrated in a simulation of the deterrent effects of taxpayer audits. The simulation finds that a significant portion of audit-based deterrence may depend on the influence of taxpayers’ social networks rather than the probability of detection or penalty for underreporting as indicated by economic theory (Allingham and Sandmo, 1972).