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      The tax readiness advantage

      Tax leaders are operating amid continual disruption, with regulatory change, geopolitical volatility, digital tax administration, ESG scrutiny and rapid advances in AI all raising expectations of the tax function.

      The 2026 KPMG Global Tax Readiness Dividend reveals a clear divide between tax functions built for speed, coordination and AI-enabled insight and those constrained by fragmented systems and reactive execution. Drawing on insights from more than 2,000 senior leaders across 25 jurisdictions, the report shows how tax readiness is shifting from a compliance priority to a performance multiplier for innovation, resilience, workforce outcomes and enterprise value.

      The report identifies the operational capabilities most closely linked to scalable tax readiness and long-term performance and provides practical guidance to help tax functions strengthen readiness and operate more effectively in today’s environment.

      Wim Steppé
      Wim Steppé

      Director | Tax, Legal & Accountancy

      KPMG in Belgium

      The five dimensions of tax readiness

      This research identifies five interconnected dimensions that shape tax readiness and separate scalable, adaptive tax functions from those stuck in fragmented modernization. Readiness leaders build maturity across all five, not just isolated strength in one or two areas. That coordinated readiness delivers measurable operational and enterprise advantage.

      The widening tax readiness curve

      Most organizations are still in the early or mid-stages of tax readiness, with only a small minority achieving fully integrated, enterprise-aligned operations.

      Readiness is becoming a performance multiplier

      Organizations in the top quartile of tax readiness are 4–6× more likely than those in the bottom quartile to outperform peers on innovation, resilience, workforce capability, and enterprise value. Tax readiness is now a leading indicator of how effectively organizations coordinate decisions and create value in a complex environment.

      Meet the readiness leaders

      A small group of organizations in the top quartile of tax readiness demonstrate stronger ability to operate effectively under increasing complexity and continuous change. These readiness leaders achieve significantly better outcomes in AI enablement, workforce capability, resilience and overall enterprise performance.

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      2026 KPMG Global Tax Readiness Dividend

      Discover what sets tax readiness leaders apart and find out where your organization stands.

      Download the report

      About the research

      The 2026 KPMG Global Tax Readiness Dividend is based on a quantitative survey of 2,084 senior leaders across 25 countries, including C-suite, tax leaders and other functional executives across finance, legal, risk, operations, strategy and technology. Respondents represent organizations with annual revenues ranging from US$500 million to over US$50 billion, across multiple industries, including banking, asset management, insurance, consumer and retail, healthcare, life sciences and pharma, energy and natural resources, and technology.

      Survey findings are complemented by qualitative interviews with tax leaders and insights from KPMG tax professionals worldwide.

      How can KPMG in Belgium help?

      Located at the heart of Europe, ​Belgium is often at the center of (international) tax developments. As new obligations continue to emerge, from Pillar2 compliance requirements to evolving reporting and filing expectations, tax leaders are under growing pressure to navigate increasing complexity while maintaining control and transparency.

      For many Belgian organizations, the convergence of tax deadlines, ongoing regulatory change and the continued digitalization of tax administration highlight the importance of tax readiness.

      Staying in control of tax information and preparing for new compliance requirements is becoming increasingly challenging. As a result, the business case for robust tax management platforms, calculation engines and integrated data capabilities continues to strengthen, requiring organizations to make strategic decisions that not only address today’s requirements but also help future-proof the tax function.

      To help organizations respond to these challenges, KPMG tax professionals leverage global experience, leading practices and technologies such as our KPMG Digital Gateway platform to enhance visibility, streamline compliance and support more effective tax operations.

      Want to understand how your organization can strengthen its tax readiness and prepare for future requirements? Get in touch with our KPMG Belgium tax specialists to discuss your priorities and opportunities.

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