Single parent tax relief may be cut
A reduction on single parents' tax even when their children are grown up could be removed
TAX relief granted for single parents – whose children have left home, should be progressively phased out, the Senate has said.
At present single parents who raised their children alone continue to get a half “part” to reduce their taxable income.
Parts are allocated to households depending on factors such as the number of children and whether there are people with disabilities. Your taxable income is divided by the total, thus helping you pay less tax and stay out of the higher tax bands.
Unlike extra parts offered to married or pacsed couples, the demi-part for single parents lasts a lifetime, even once the child has left home.
A legal change that has been voted by the Senate would reduce the tax advantage gained by 10% per year starting with 2009 income (declarable in 2010) until it is phased out.
Budget Minister Eric Woerth has supported the change, saying there is no reason for the advantage to continue when the person benefitting has no extra associated expense.
However it remains to get the final go-ahead by the National Assembly when the Finance Bill, in which it is included, is adopted.
According to calculations by the paper Le Parisien, the demi-part represents on average €400 less tax to pay.
Photo: Singleparentspecials
