Update your tax details to avoid a fine in France
Ensure your bank details are correct and confirmed on impots.gouv.fr to prevent late payment penalties
If you switch bank accounts, you must confirm your direct debit on a tax return
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A reader reports being hit with an €80 fine after failing to realise that they had to tick a box on the tax website relating to a change of bank account.
They were charged an extra 10% on last year’s tax bill as a late payment penalty after a failure of their direct debit tax payment.
Bank takeover switched accounts
The problem arose after they were among those who had to change to CCF (Crédit commercial de France) after it took over HSBC France at the start of last year.
When CCF took over HSBC’s accounts, it said customers would have new bank account numbers, but that the bank could change over many, but not all, of their key direct debits.
The reader said they later realised that their bank details had been changed for them at impots.gouv.fr but the fine arose as a box was not ticked confirming direct debits.
If you have changed banks or have a new account number – in this situation or out of choice – we recommend that you check manually that the new details are correct at impots.gouv.fr.
Read more: Is it always possible to correct an error in French tax income declaration?
You can do it this your personal space under Prélèvement à la source and then Mettre à jour vos coordonnées bancaires.
After checking the details are correct (or inserting them), click to validate a mandate for the bank to take payments from this new account.
