Just one tax form ‘to save trees’
The government has abandoned the tradition of sending out two copies of the income tax forms this year.
THE FIRST income tax forms have now arrived in people’s letterboxes - and unlike in previous years there is only one of them.
Cutting out the duplicate copy of the form is said to be an environmental measure – to save paper.
In past years the second copy was designed for the taxpayer to fill in and keep, so they had a copy of what they had declared. This is because for up to three years the tax office can check up on declarations and ask for balancing payments and having a copy of the data you provided can be important.
Now, instead, the duplicate has been abandoned. Director of Public Finances Philippe Parini said: “This is aimed at limiting the production and consumption of paper in the context of making people more aware of the need to protect the environment.”
The explanatory notice that accompanies the form now includes a section for notes where you can put down the main figures you have declared, however it does not have room for every piece of information that is declared on the main form.
Critics have suggested that the move is inconvenient and may be intended to encourage people to give up on paper declarations and do it on the internet instead – a format which allows the government to process and check on figures declared more easily.
Those who opt for internet declarations get longer deadlines to declare and as of this year they can choose not to get a paper form at all next year. They also get €20 off their tax if declaring this way for the first time.
Internet declarations have also been simplified this year as you no longer need to download an “electronic certificate” in order to make the declaration – you just need to use three identifiers on the www.impots.gouv.fr site – an online declaration number (numéro de télédéclarant), your numéro fiscal from your paper tax form and the revenu fiscale de référence figure from your last avis d’impôt sur le revenu.
If your declaration is unchanged from last year simplifications on the site mean you can now declare in just three clicks, the government says.
You can find a Connexion helpguide on filling out your tax form by clicking here.
