Taxation (Kazakhstan tax system)
What the exam tests
Calculation and reporting under the Kazakhstan Tax Code: corporate income tax, VAT, personal income tax, social tax, property tax and withholding tax. Questions test tax base, deductions, VAT mechanics and deadlines.
Core rules
- CIT is 20% of taxable income. Deductions must be documented, relate to income-generating activity and not be specifically disallowed.
- VAT is 12%. Registration is required at the 20,000 MCI threshold. Output VAT on taxable supplies less recoverable input VAT equals VAT payable.
- For VAT-inclusive amounts, VAT = amount × 12/112. For VAT-exclusive amounts, VAT = amount × 12%.
- PIT is 10% on employment income; employer social tax is 9.5%; employee mandatory pension contribution is 10%.
- VAT returns are monthly; CIT is annual with advance payments. MCI changes annually, so use the rate for the relevant year.
Worked example
Sales are KZT 224m including VAT; purchases are KZT 112m including VAT. Output VAT = 224m × 12/112 = KZT 24m. Input VAT = 112m × 12/112 = KZT 12m. VAT payable = KZT 12m. If sales were VAT-exclusive KZT 224m, output VAT would be KZT 26.88m; with the same input VAT of KZT 12m, payable would be KZT 14.88m. CIT: taxable income KZT 50m gives CIT of KZT 10m after adjusting accounting profit for non-deductible items and tax depreciation.
Traps
Applying 12% to a VAT-inclusive amount; missing input VAT recovery limits; deducting expenses without primary documents; using an outdated MCI; confusing social tax with social contributions.