Social tax

General Discussion
1

Can anyone tell me why we have received a bill for social tax when some friends of ours haven’t. We had to pay last year 1200€ and have just had

Notification that it will be 1900€. Why is it some people have to pay this and others don’t has anyone else a similar tale

2

Well another trip to the tax Office and yet again no joy with my plight, did manage to leave in writing for her superior my letters of complaint and why now awaiting their response which I probably know already !!

3

Thank you all for your responses I will be going back tomorrow to speak to someone more superior and will be asking all the questions you all have suggested before going further I will keep you all up to date and thanks Tim I will let the connection know

4

Hi June, if your local tax office is not being co-operative then the next step to take (I have had ten years experience of dealing with this sort of problem for clients) is to present your case to the Conciliator Fiscaux of your department. Your tax office should give you the address but if not it is on the tax office website. If the conciliator does not give you the correct answer( which is sometimes the case) then I generally refer the matter to the main tax office in Paris.

You may also care to note that the "Connexion" newspaper is very good at taking up such matters and maybe you should write to them about it.

You definitely do not have to pay this "tax" so keep at it. It is very frustrating dealing with the French tax authorities at a local level and it will take some while to sort out.

5

Well yet again the tax office are insisting this has to be paid and we are not entitled to get this back even although we took all the proof and every documents we had so where do we go next can anyone advise please. This is so frustrating !!

6

Thank you Tim and Debra I now have all documentation and will be paying a visit this week to the tax office will let you know what happens

7

Hi June, your UK pensions which derive from a civil service pension are not subject to either income tax or social contributions in France. They are specifically excluded under the Double Taxation Agreement between France and the UK. You appear to have found a rather keen French tax officer, of which there are many, who does not know the rules.

8

Thanks Julia, yes we do pay Urssaf as we were in the same boat and joined just before the change.

9

Hi both

yes the tax taken is then deducted from the final amount. Don't forget that tax bands are higher here than in UK, for instance, I believe the tax free allowance on income in UK is just over £10,000,

June, you may have said earlier in discussion, are you in CPAM, we moved here just before the law for early retirees changed,we managed to get into the system. Do you have to pay URSSAF charges ?

Julia

10

Thank you ladies you have been very helpful as have others too. Julia is this payment deducted from the tax bill ? Don’t mean to sound stupid but these things baffle me thanks

11

Hi June

just picked up on your discussion, my husband and I are early retirees, lived here since 2006. We pay social charges, high rate on our investment income. Also have to pay social charges on income, government employee pensions, which are taxed in UK. From last year social tax was included in our impot bill. We also have to pay URSSAF which is basically our contribution to CPAM (health). URSSAF payments are calculated from our income on the impot declaration form. We shall continue to pay these charges until I reach UK retirement age (I am older than my husband).

The tax deducted from government pensions is calculated and deducted on the french impot form. Even though, pensions are taxed in the UK, if your total income is above the minimum here, you will pay tax on the total of your income.

They get us both ways, tax and social charges ! Also last year we received demands to pay in advance, this you must do, it is then deducted from the bill received in Sept.

hope this helps.

Julia

12

Thanks Ian

13

It may cost a little, but the best thing is to take an Accountant (Comptable) There are plenty around, and often you can put their fees down as 'expenses' - they can cave you a lot of money, hassle and general running aroud.

14

Thank you so much Debra I will continue gathering all the information you have sent me and go again armed I will let you know the outcome eventually

15

Well been to tax office and they say it has to be paid took all relevant information government pension details but still no joy. Just at a loss with this have always declaimed on our tax forms now going to contact the conciliateur fiscal if I can find them ! This is so unfair

16

Yes Debra it is social charges and not CMU. Thanks for your help

17

Sorry Debra yes our pensions are government service pensions.

18

Thank you Debra that is very useful information, how do I go about claiming this back as I wouldn’t know which government body to approach

19

Thanks Doreen but we are early retirees so don’t have an S1 thanks for the info anyway

20

Thanks Debra no we are early retirees and have declaimed our work pensions and the tax we pay on our tax forms as our friends have