"Tax code" redirects here. For the term as used in the United Kingdom PAYE system, see Tax code (PAYE).

Tax law is the codified system of law

Law

Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...

s that describes government

Government

Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...

 levies on economic transactions, commonly called tax

Tax

To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...

es.

Major issues

Primary taxation issues facing the governments world over include;

• taxes on income
  Income tax
  An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
  
   and wealth (or estates)
  Wealth tax
  A wealth tax is generally conceived of as a levy based on the aggregate value of all household holdings actually accumulated as purchasing power stock , including owner-occupied housing; cash, bank deposits, money funds, and savings in insurance and pension plans; investment in real estate and...
  
  
• taxation of capital gains

Tax education from law schools

In law school

Law school

A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...

s, "tax law" is a sub-discipline and area of specialist study. Tax law specialists are often employed in consultative roles, and may also be involved in litigation. Many U.S. law schools

Law school in the United States

In the United States, a law school is an institution where students obtain a professional education in law after first obtaining an undergraduate degree.Law schools in the U.S...

 require about 30 semester credit hours of required courses and approximately 60 hours or more of electives. Law students pick and choose available courses on which to focus before graduation with the J.D. degree

Juris Doctor

Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...

 in the United States. This freedom allows law students to take many tax courses such as federal taxation, estate and gift tax

Gift tax

A gift tax is a tax imposed on the gratuitous transfer of ownership of property. The United States Internal Revenue Service says a gift is "Any transfer to an individual, either directly or indirectly, where full consideration is not received in return."When a taxable gift in the form of cash,...

, and estates and successions before completing the Juris Doctor

Juris Doctor

Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...

 and taking the bar exam in a particular U.S. state.

There are many fine Master of Laws

Master of Laws

The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...

 (LL.M) programs currently being offered in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Netherlands etc. Many of these programs offer the opportunity to focus on domestic and international taxation

International taxation

International taxation is the study or determination of tax on a person or business subject to the tax laws of different countries or the international aspects of an individual country's tax laws. Governments usually limit the scope of their income taxation in some manner territorially or provide...

. In the United States most LL.M programs require that the candidate be a graduate of an American Bar Association

American Bar Association

The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...

-accredited law school. In other countries a graduate law degree

Law degree

A Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...

 is sufficient for admission to LL.M in Taxation law programmes.

Tax education from business school programs

There are hundreds of accredited business schools in the USA. Many are accredited by the AACSB or ACBSP or recognized by AAFM

American Academy of Financial Management

The American Academy of Financial Management is a USA-based board of standards, certifying body, and accreditation council dedicated to the finance sector and management professionals....

. These undergraduate or graduate programs may allow the student to major or graduate with a tax related degree such as a Master of Science in Taxation

Master of Science in Taxation

The Master of Science in Taxation is a professional graduate degree specifically designed for individuals that desire to become tax specialists. An alternate degree title is "Master of Taxation" or "Master Business Taxation" . A student taking a MST program studies tax law and its application...

. Also, the undergraduate focus on accounting would allow a student to go the Certified Public Accountant

Certified Public Accountant

Certified Public Accountant is the statutory title of qualified accountants in the United States who have passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination and have met additional state education and experience requirements for certification as a CPA...

 (CPA) track. After a student completes the individual state or jurisdictional requirements for accounting, the applicant may sit for the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination

Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination

The Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination is the examination administered to people who wish to become Certified Public Accountants in the United States....

.

Taxation by jurisdiction

• Taxation in Australia
  Taxation in Australia
  There are many forms of taxation in Australia. Individuals and companies in Australia may be required to pay taxes or charges to all levels of government: local, state, and federal governments...
  
  
• Taxation in the British Virgin Islands
  Taxation in the British Virgin Islands
  Taxation in the British Virgin Islands is relatively simple by comparative standards; photocopies of all of the tax laws of the British Virgin Islands would together amount to about 200 pages of paper. Taxation in the British Virgin Islands is mostly notable for what is not subject to taxation...
  
  
• Taxation in Canada
  Taxation in Canada
  The level of Taxation in Canada is average among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.-Administration:...
  
  
• Taxation in China
• Taxation in Colombia
  Taxation in Colombia
  Taxation in Colombia is determined by the Congress of Colombia, the Department of Colombia Assemblies and the Municipalities of Colombia councils, which determine what kind of taxes can be levied and which rates can be applied....
  
  
• Taxation in the European Union
• Taxation in France
  Taxation in France
  Taxation in France is determined by the yearly budget vote by the French Parliament, which determines which kinds of taxes can be levied and which rates can be applied.-Overview:...
  
  
• Taxation in Germany
  Taxation in Germany
  Taxes in Germany—being a Federal Republic—are levied by the Federation , the States as well as the Municipalities . Many direct and indirect taxes exist, whereof income tax and VAT are the most relevant. The German word for tax is die Steuer which originates from the Old High German word stiura...
  
  
• Taxation in India
  Taxation in India
  Taxes in India are levied by the Central Government and the State Governments. Some minor taxes are also levied by the local authorities such the Municipality or the Local Council....
  
  
• Taxation in the Netherlands
  Taxation in the Netherlands
  The Netherlands has a rich history dealing with taxation, predating the Romanic period.Some of the most important taxes are that of the income tax , the wage withholding tax , the value added tax and the corporate tax .-Income tax:The Netherlands has...
  
  
• Taxation in the Palestinian territories
  Taxation in the Palestinian territories
  Taxation in the Palestinian territories is a complex system which may involve payment to the Palestinian Authority and/or Israel in the context of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict...
  
  
• Taxation in the People's Republic of China
• Taxation in the Republic of Ireland
  Taxation in the Republic of Ireland
  In the Republic of Ireland there is an income tax, a VAT, and various other taxes. Employees pay pay-as-you-earn taxes based on their income, less certain allowances. The taxation of earnings is progressive, with little or no income tax paid by low earners and a high rate applied to top earners...
  
  
• Taxation in the United Kingdom
  Taxation in the United Kingdom
  Taxation in the United Kingdom may involve payments to a minimum of two different levels of government: The central government and local government. Central government revenues come primarily from income tax, National Insurance contributions, value added tax, corporation tax and fuel duty...
  
  
• Russian Tax Code
  Russian Tax Code
  The Russian Tax Code is the primary tax law for the Russian Federation. The Code was created, adopted and implemented in three stages.The first part, enacted July 31, 1998, also referred to as the General Part, regulates relationships among taxpayers, tax agents, tax-collecting authorities and...
  
  
• Taxation in the United States
  Taxation in the United States
  The United States is a federal republic with autonomous state and local governments. Taxes are imposed in the United States at each of these levels. These include taxes on income, property, sales, imports, payroll, estates and gifts, as well as various fees.Taxes are imposed on net income of...