Abstract: The object of this research is the attractiveness of precious metals in ingots as an investment instrument for population. The goal consists in the analysis of the impact of the fact of value-added taxation (VAT) of transactions involving precious metals in ingots upon their investment attractiveness for population. The author outlines several potential vectors for investing in precious metals (in form measured and precious metal accounts); analyzes the profitability of the various ways of investments; and makes a comparison with the most popular method of financial investment among population – bank investment. The information base for this research consists of the normative and legislative acts, electronic resources, and statistical information. The author formulates a conclusion that value-added taxation of transactions involving precious metals in ingots does not significantly affect their investment attractiveness, as it is mostly defined by the profitability that depends on the dynamics of the precious metals prices. Therefore, the proposed legislative bills on abolishment of VAT for transactions involving precious metals should be argued using other evidence.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the experience of incentivizing the activity of industrial clusters in the Russian Federation. The author examines the tools uses as the support measures of their activity, and notes that at present tax instruments are practically out of use. The applied direct methods for supporting the activity of industrial clusters (subsidies) are insufficient and have a number of shortcomings; however, the supplementary indirect methods (tax reductions) are capable of increasing the overall effectiveness of implemented measures. As the indirect support measures, the author recommends using the tax instruments in form of the zones with preferential tax regimes. The information framework for this study contains normative and legislative acts, electronic resources, reports on realization of government programs, and statistical data. The main conclusions consist in the following theses: 1) insufficiency of direct support measures of the activity of industrial clusters (primarily due to the limited circle of receivers); 2) pertinence of using integrated tax measures for incentivizing the activity of industrial clusters; 3) most acceptable, from the author perspective, form of incentivizing the activity of industrial clusters is the extension of special economic zones regime to them.