Abstract:
This study assesses taxpayers’ awareness, utilization and perceived impact of personal tax
reliefs on tax burden, as well as the relationship between awareness and utilization of
personal tax reliefs in Yendi. A quantitative research approach, employing a correlational
research design, was executed. A population of 260 income taxpayers and a sample of 157
were drawn from three public sector institutions using the cluster sampling technique. An
online questionnaire was used to collect primary data, which was analyzed with the help
of the Statistical Package for Social Science software using descriptive and correlation
analysis. The following conclusions emerged from the findings: The respondents
demonstrated a fair level of awareness regarding personal tax relief, showcasing a profound
understanding and knowledge of the different dimensions of personal tax relief. However,
their engagement in utilizing personal tax reliefs was low, and they generally perceived
these reliefs as having a restricted impact on reducing their tax burden. The study further
revealed a positive but weak relationship between taxpayers’ awareness of personal tax
reliefs and their utilization of the reliefs. It is suggested that variables beyond taxpayers’
awareness may play a significant role in influencing the utilization of personal tax reliefs.
In light of these findings, this research highlights the complex dynamics surrounding
personal tax reliefs, advocating for further exploration to discern the multifaceted factors
that affect their utilization. Such insight is instrumental in the formulation of effective
policies and strategies for enhancing the benefit of personal tax reliefs for both taxpayers
and tax authorities.
Description:
A dissertation in the Department of Accounting,
School of Business, submitted to the school of
Graduate Studies, in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Business Administration
(Accounting)
in the University of Education, Winneba
