Ace the 2026 CGFM Exam – Turbocharge Your Path to Financial Mastery!

The correct choice is Value Added Tax (VAT) because it is a type of indirect tax that is levied at each stage of the production and distribution process. The key feature of VAT is that it is charged on the value added to goods and services at each stage of production, from manufacturing to final sale. This means that every entity in the production chain contributes to the tax, allowing for a cumulative tax effect based on the incremental value added at each phase.

When a business purchases raw materials, it pays VAT on the purchase. As that business transforms the materials into products, it adds value and charges VAT on the sales price when those products are sold to the next entity in the supply chain. This continues up until the final consumer makes a purchase. Each business in the chain can then reclaim the VAT it has paid on its purchases, which avoids double taxation on the various stages of production.

In contrast, sales tax is typically only charged on the final sale to the consumer and is not accounted for at each stage of production. Use tax applies to the purchase of goods for use when no sales tax was paid, whereas income tax is levied on the profit a business or individual earns and is not directly related to the production process itself. Thus, VAT