More people ask for help with tax

REQUESTS to be let off paying tax, or to have more time to pay are up 9% compared to last year.

With income tax payments due by Monday (or by next Saturday by internet), people seeking a remise gracieuse or a délai de paiement this year are steeply up compared to 215,000 requests last year, says France Infos.

People are asking to be let off paying tax or to have more time to pay without penalty, which tax offices have the discretion to do if people write or visit to explain their reasons for having exceptional difficulties in meeting their bills.

This is also possible for other taxes, such as those on local property. Some 405,000 asked for help with their taxe d’habitation last year, a figure which is also expected to rise this year.

The payments next week are either the last instalment of the year for those that pay in three instalments, or a full payment for tax on 2013 income for those that pay in one go.

However, while many ordinary taxpayers are struggling, certain large companies are still successfully minimising their tax - Le Figaro says Google France’s accounts show it paid just €7.7million for 2013’s income, although an independent study estimated its business income at around €1.4billion.

Google says it respects the tax laws of the countries it operates in. Nonetheless, earlier this year tax officials told it they would be undertaking a redressement fiscal - a re-evaluation of what its real taxable incomes are compared to what it has been declaring, with a view to potentially levying extra tax and penalties.