The above forms of tax relieves are separated by the author based on the analysis of legislation of both the 1990s
and the 2000s. It should be noted that the same legal phenomena in terms of the legal status were differently
formulated by the legislator at different stages of development of the Russian tax system. For example, prior to
the enactment of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, the release of part of the profit allocated to repay the
losses of the previous years was called tax relieves. Chapter 25 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation also
contains a similar provision. However, under the current legislation in effect since 1.01.2002 relieves for the
corporate profit tax have been completely cancelled. The content of the definition of the tax relief as set out in
the first part of the Tax Code is not confirmed in the second part. The second part of the Tax Code of the Russian
Federation contains a number of various preferences, which the legislator does not treat as relieves formally, but
which in fact are ones. Thus, there is some terminological substitution of some concepts with others, which
creates much more opportunities for violations of the tax law and hinders estimating the shortfall in budget
revenues caused by provision of various kinds of preferences. In this regard, the author shares the views of A. I.
Mayburov about the need for broader understanding of tax relieves (Mayburov & Ivanov, 2012) based on their
actual manifestations in various forms (tax exemptions, tax deductions, tax breaks, etc.).
In view of the above, the author finds it correct to understand tax (fees) relieves as relieves granted to certain
categories of taxpayers (payers) in various forms if compared to other taxpayers (payers of fees), which relieves
provide the opportunity not to pay the tax (the fee), or pay it at a lesser rate, or facilitate the compliance with the
tax duty, provided there are grounds and the entity complies with the conditions as stipulated by the tax
legislation.