A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TAX AWARENESS AMONG WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

Abstract

Women entrepreneurs are known to be instrumental agents of change in fostering economic growth, job creation, and innovation in developing and developed nations alike. Though women's participation in entrepreneurship is increasing, many of these enterprises still face challenges in accessing finance, complying with regulations, and developing tax literacy. Tax literacy is considered an important but understudied dimension of entrepreneurship sustainability and formalization among women entrepreneurs. Tax literacy is considered to be an awareness of tax obligations, tax compliance, and tax benefits. This paper examines the association of tax literacy with the performance, compliance, and growth of women-owned enterprises. Using primary data collection and secondary data, this paper examines tax awareness, tax record-keeping, digital tax, and utilization of government incentives by women entrepreneurs of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). From the findings of the study, it seems obvious that inadequate tax knowledge has profound effects on tax compliance confidence,intermediary dependencies, and strategic financial planning. On the other hand, tax literacy is positively correlated with improved regulatory compliance, effective cash management, access to formal credit, and participation in support programs by governments. 325 326 :: GST 2.0 Reforms and India's Inclusive Growth Agenda: Policy Pathways to a Viksitt Bharat Additionally, the paper examines other socio-cultural and educational aspects of tax literacy and how digital technologies and financial education programs contribute to bridging tax knowledge gaps. It is quite clear that developing tax education infrastructure that is specifically designed for women entrepreneurs is crucial for increasing enterprise resilience, reducing informality, and fostering economic development. By adopting a gender perspective in fiscal policy discourse, this study is crucial for developing tax literacy initiatives for policymakers, financial institutions, and entrepreneurial support agencies. It becomes apparent that empowering women through tax literacy is not just about tax compliance; it is a strategic approach to economic equality and enterprise development