Less than three months before the start of the testing phase, only 35% of companies have advanced in the process of adapting to the new tax system. Another 63% are still in the planning phase or in the early stages, and a smaller portion have not even started to act. This is the conclusion of a study carried out by Thomson Reuters.
Specializing in solutions for the legal, tax, auditing and accounting areas, the company carried out the second version of the survey between July and August with professionals in the corporate tax area and detected that 69% of those interviewed are concerned about the changes and expect significant impacts from the reform in the next five years. Even so, the majority have not yet turned the warning into concrete action.
“Since 2024, when we carried out the first survey, we saw that many companies accelerated their work to prepare, investing in technology and people development to anticipate risks in the new tax environment. But there is still a long way to go”, says Edinilson Apolinário, leader of the tax reform area at Thomson Reuters.
According to the executive, this preparation is essential, since the taxation system will become completely digital. “It’s more or less what we already see today when calculating Income Tax, but with much greater complexity due to the amount of data. Therefore, preparation, including for people, is essential”, says Apolinário.
Technology at the center of the turn
The research points out that technology and specialized partners will be the decisive factors for success in the transition. Around 66% of those interviewed said that adapting electronic tax documents to the new taxes — IBS, CBS and IS — is a “relevant, but difficult” task. This is because this adaptation will affect not only tax systems, but also the management software environment, so-called ERPs, and customer and supplier relationship systems, or CRMs.
“The change will affect more than the tax area, it will also affect purchasing, sales and even logistics platforms, which will need to be updated to comply with the new rules”, says Apolinário.
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Studies show that 27.9% of companies hired specialized consultancies to measure the impact of the reform on prices and contracts. More than half also seek external support to understand regulatory changes, a strategy that, according to the study, has become a competitive differentiator in the market.
Race against time
For Apolinário, the biggest challenge for companies from now on is time. “In 2026 we will have the first big test. Companies will need to issue tax documents and comply with all ancillary obligations under the new model, albeit with a symbolic rate of 1%. In 2027, the system goes into full operation, and those who have not prepared themselves will have to race against the clock”, he states.
He reinforces that the new system will be completely digital and will require broader integration between areas that previously worked separately, such as tax, accounting, purchasing, sales and technology. “The volume of data will be enormous and the level of automation will be extremely high. Companies that do not invest in efficiency and intelligent systems will be subject to errors and penalties”, he adds.
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End of incentives
Another point of attention is the gradual end of tax incentives such as ICMS, which was seen as a competitive differentiator by many companies. According to the executive, these benefits will begin to be reduced by 2029 and will disappear by 2032.
For Apolinário, this transition will change the logic of competition between companies. “Operational efficiency becomes mandatory. With the end of incentives, what will differentiate companies will be the ability to use and integrate technology, compliance and financial strategy”, said the person responsible for the research.
The replacement of ISS/ICMS by IBS and PIS/COFINS by CBS represents 38% of the impacts expected by companies, according to the study. Another 46% are linked to the management of tax credits and incentives, especially due to the change to the cash basis and the elimination of regional benefits.
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More than a tax adjustment, the reform is seen as a watershed in the way companies operate. By digitizing processes and centralizing investigations, it tends to reduce complexity and increase transparency, but requires a high level of technical and technological preparation. Therefore, the urgency to prepare for change.
