Taxation

In poetry, spring is a time when a young person’s fancy turns to thoughts of love. But in economics, spring is much less romantic period. It is the season when millions of people in many countries begin to sort their previous year’s income and expense records—the first step in determining their personal income tax.

In calculating this tax, you are allowed to take specific types of deductions and exemptions. Some deductions that may be made (within limits) from your income are donations to your alma mater and to various non-profit organizations

The amount of income tax you must pay at a given income level depends on several things. These include whether you are single or married and what the particular tax rates happen to be at the time. The rates are usually revised by the government every few years.

Tax is money compulsory levied by the state or local authorities on individuals, property, or businesses. In modern economies taxes are the most important source of government revenues. Taxes can be levied and classified in many ways. In mane countries there are three principal types of taxes:

Taxes on income (personal income taxes and corporate income taxes);

Taxes on wealth (property taxes; death and gift taxes);

Taxes on activities (sales and excise taxes; social security taxes).

Because the power to tax is so weighty a matter, economists have developed several broad standards for judging the merits of a tax:

1. Equity. Tax burdens should be distributed justly.

2. Efficiency, Stability, and Growth. A tax should contribute toward improving resource allocation, economic stabilization, and growth in the total output of goods and services.

3. Enforceability. A tax should be adequate for its purpose and acceptable to the public, or else it will be impossible to enforce.

Taxes are considered to have three functions:

(a) fiscal or budgetary, to cover government expenditure, to provide the public authorities with the revenue required for meeting the cost of defence, social services, interest payment on the national debt, municipal services, etc.;

(b) economic, to give effect to economic policy, to promote stable economic growth, to influence the rate of economic growth of the nation;

(c) social, to increase the economic welfare of the community, to lessen inequalities in the distribution of income and wealth.

Businesses and individuals are subject to many forms of taxes. The various forms of business are not taxed equally. The tax situation is simplest for proprietorships and partnerships; corporations or companies are treated differently.

Questions:

1.What are taxes?

2.What are the main functions of taxation?

3.What are the principal types of taxes?

TEXT 9

CAREERS IN FINANCE

Careers in finance vary as widely as the scope of finance itself. Some of these career paths require extensive, highly specialized knowledge and advanced degrees. Others begin with entry level positions open to enthusiastic, hard-working individuals regardless of their undergraduate majors.

The scope of finance has increased so much over the past decade that the field is generally subdivided into three parts. Financial markets and institutions, financial management, and investments are commonly considered to be separate disciplines. The study of financial markets and institutions focuses on those public and private institutions engaged in granting loans, accepting deposits, facilitating securities transfers, raising corporate funds, and regulating both the economy (domestic and global) and its financial institutions.

Financial management is concerned with how firms acquire and allocate funds. It examines how firms obtain short-term and long-term funds and how these funds are spent to acquire selected assets. Decisions regarding dividend policies, merger and acquisition activities, and leasing, all fall within the realm of the capital budget. Financial management also emphasizes the cash budget and management of its components.

Investment analysis focuses on how individuals or portfolio managers select appropriate financial and real assets. It examines the markets within which fund raising and security trading take place. It explores the methodologies used by investors, providing insights into criteria for analyzing companies and industries, as well as generating norms of behavior. The study of the markets for stocks and bonds, stock and index options, warrants, and commodities and financial futures are all part of the investments area.

Careers in Institutions and Markets

Entry level positions in financial institutions and markets can include everything from bank teller to credit trainee. A person with a strong finance background would probably begin as an administrative assistant to a loan officer, or as a junior financial analyst in either the credit department or the research department of a depository institution. Positions such as customer service representative or mortgage servicing specialist in an insurance company or a mortgage banking company, respectively, are generally staffed by people with limited finance backgrounds. More experienced individuals would be eligible for loan officer, branch manager, or senior analyst positions.

Careers in Financial Management

Entry level positions for those with associate degrees and limited experience in finance include data processing clerks, investor relations specialists, and accounts payable staff positions. Finance majors find entry level positions as junior accountants in cost or financial accounting departments, budget analysts, or financial planners. Promotion opportunities generally lead to managerial positions such as cash manager, credit manager, or financial accounting manager. Senior financial management positions include CFO, corporate comptroller, and treasurer.

Careers in Investments

Generally it is the investment area that attracts people to finance. They see an appealing opportunity to control multimillion dollar investment portfolios, or to be part of an investment banking institution engaged in mergers and acquisitions. Most brokerage houses, however, provide entry level positions as registered representatives (for those who qualify by passing specific NASD (National Association of Securities Dealers) examinations), or as investment or industry analysts. Clerical and assistant positions are always available with the major brokerage houses for those with limited experience, but excellent self-motivational skills. Senior employment opportunities include portfolio manager, senior investment analyst, and investment counselor.

Questions:

1. The scope of finance is generally subdivided into three parts. What are they?

2. What does the study of financial markets and institutions focus on?

3. What is financial management concerned with?

4. What does investment analysis examine?

5. What are the parts of the investment area?

6 What can entry level positions in financial institutions include?

7. Where would a person with a strong finance background begin?

8. What can you say about entry level positions and promotion opportunities in Financial Management?

9. What are the appealing opportunities in the investment area?

Exercises:

Ex. 1. Give Ukrainian equivalents to the following.

Grant loans, accept deposits, facilitate securities transfers, raising corporate funds, obtain funds, dividend policies, merger and acquisition activities, leasing, the realm of the capital budget, the cash budget, security trading, portfolio managers, stocks, bonds, stock and index options, warrants, financial futures, bank teller, financial analyst, a loan officer, depository institution, mortgage servicing specialist, insurance company, accounts payable staff, treasurer, brokerage house, investment counselor.

Ex. 2. Match the word with its definition.