Revenue of trillions of VND declared as loss
Sharing at the regular press conference for the first quarter of 2026 of the Ministry of Finance held on the afternoon of April 9, Mr. Le Long - Deputy Director of the Tax Department said that through statistics nationwide, the tax authority determined that there are over 400 businesses with revenue of 1,000 billion VND/year or more but declared losses.
According to him, the fact that businesses report losses or low profits may stem from many reasons, both objective and subjective. However, in actual management, there are cases where businesses report losses for many years but still expand production and business, increase investment. This raises questions about the honesty in fulfilling tax obligations and complying with accounting regulations.
The tax authorities have implemented many measures to strengthen management of this group of businesses. First of all, it is to promote propaganda, require taxpayers to declare truthfully and fully, and at the same time warn about sanctions for inaccurate declarations.
In addition, the tax authority strengthens the review of declaration dossiers, promotes inspection, and guides businesses to supplement declarations if errors are detected. Tax units from central to local levels, including specialized units such as the E-commerce Tax Sub-Department and the Large Enterprise Tax Sub-Department, are assigned the task of implementing measures to combat revenue loss for businesses with prolonged losses and small profits.
Mr. Long also informed that the tax authority has reviewed and compiled a list of businesses with revenue of 1,000 billion VND/year or more but continuously losing money for 2 consecutive years to analyze risks and include them in the thematic inspection plan in 2026.
Using 2 accounting book systems is a serious violation
Regarding the maintenance of 2 accounting books systems, Mr. Long affirmed that this is a serious violation of the law, aimed at tax fraud or fraud in preparing and issuing financial statements. This act not only causes revenue loss to the state budget but also has a long-term negative impact on the business environment.
According to him, the worrying point is that the use of 2 accounting books can be carried out systematically, sophisticatedly, easily concealed and difficult to detect without in-depth inspection and examination nghiệp vụ. In fact, in the past time, functional agencies have discovered and handled a number of major cases related to this act.
From a management perspective, tax authorities identify a number of main causes leading to this situation, including the limited awareness of law compliance and business ethics of a part of businesses; the motivation to maximize profits, reduce tax obligations; not fully aware of legal risks, even accepting trade-offs; and the mentality that violations are difficult to detect.
To serve management work, the Tax Department has requested organizations providing electronic invoice solutions to compile a list of customers using accounting software and send it to the tax authority. The goal is to grasp the number of businesses and business households using accounting software, thereby supporting the management of declaration and tax payment.
Mr. Long also added that in the past time, a series of solutions have been implemented, including strict control of cash flow, limiting cash transactions; connecting data with the banking system to monitor large transactions; applying technology, big data analysis and artificial intelligence to identify risks; strengthening the management of electronic invoices, connecting sales data in real time for high-risk areas; and promoting coordination with the police agency to handle criminal acts.
The tax sector also strengthens communication, publicity, transparency, and warnings of legal risks; implements the "Lucky Invoice" program and encourages consumers to take invoices and denounce violations.
