Do all newspapers subscriptions qualify for a French tax credit?

Some 30% off your abonnement is possible, under conditions, in a scheme set up to help boost the press sector

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Reader Question: Does the tax credit for signing up to a newspaper or magazine apply to all types of publication?

When you subscribe to a news publication for the first time in France, you could qualify for a tax credit worth 30% off the subscription price.

The subscription must have been taken out between May 9, 2021, and December 31, 2023, and last at least 12 months.

This can be a paper or digital subscription. However, when it comes to what qualifies as a news publication, the rules are strict. It must be a newspaper, periodical (published at least four times per year) or digital site which:

The rules are strict

  • Provides “information and commentary aimed at informing the judgment of citizens on political and general news, whether local, national or international”;
  • Devotes most of its editorial space to the above purpose;
  • Has an appeal which manifestly goes beyond one category of readers.

The Connexion is, unfortunately, not eligible for the credit.

The measure does not apply to online platforms, referred to as kiosques numériques, which offer access to a number of different publications, if not all of these offer “political and general information”.

Lists of officially-recognised media are available from CPPAP (see tinyurl.com/ presslist1 and tinyurl.com/presslist2). Foreign publications are not included.

For subscriptions starting this year, the tax credit is only available to people whose taxable income is no more than €24,000 per family quotient ‘part’, plus €6,000 for each ‘half part’, such as a dependent child.

To benefit, you will need to insert the subscription cost in box 7PA in your tax declaration in the following year.

If your tax bill is not high enough to benefit fully as money off, you will receive a payment into your account.

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