Is your tax operating model fit for the future?

With the widespread disruption brought by a global pandemic, enterprises must transform their tax function to prepare for what’s next and beyond.

Is your tax operating model fit for the future?

 
 
 

The ripple effect of the global pandemic, legislative and regulatory changes has increased the complexity and criticality of the tax department for financial services institutions, across the world.

The industry has been reacting to new challenges on an almost daily basis trying to adapt to the new environment with their tax model and systems taking a direct, and indirect, hit.

But with challenge comes opportunity – now is more important than ever for financial institutions to ask themselves: is your tax operating model still fit?

Tax operating model

99%

Before COVID-19, nearly all companies felt uncomfortable with their tax operating model.

  • Data and technology

    • Do our accounting, finance and tax departments share data in the most efficient, effective way possible?
    • Are we leveraging leading-edge technology and data management innovations to facilitate collaboration, mitigate risk, and develop actionable analytics?
  • Established framework

    Do we have a tax function that is cohesive and effectively executes domestically and worldwide?

  • Talent

    Are we positioned to attract and retain the right talent and skills?

  • People and organization

    Do we have our resources adding optimal value in the right locations at the lowest cost?

  • Process and policy

    Are we reducing redundancies and continuously driving to innovate and improve?

  • Global service delivery

    Have we built a global infrastructure that delivers best-in-class and best-in-cost tax services to the organization?

  • Digital transformation

    In an increasingly digital working world as firms work more remotely, it’s critical that tax departments consider the opportunities that new technologies — particularly automation — provide to unlock value, manage risk, improve efficiency and provide value-added insights. Innovative tactics and tools to consider include:

    • Digitization of operations
    • Intelligent automation, including robotics
    • Artificial intelligence
    • Service centers
    • Centers of excellence

    If your organization has invested in any or all of these, ask yourself if you are truly maximizing your investments. If not, it is time to map out your optimal path to digital transformation. In either case, it is critical to determine what to keep in-house and what to outsource to a provider with a robust technology platform.

How financial services firms can evaluate tax operating model

In today’s ever-changing environment, is your tax operating model positioned to meet both today’s realities and tomorrow’s challenges? Now is the time for organizations to ask themselves this question and ascertain which tax capabilities should be retained internally, which might benefit from a hybrid solution and which can be outsourced.