Help with tax please

[amber]

Hi

I am hoping somebody can help me with some questions about tax. My partner and I receive a pension from the UK government and is taxed at source. We need to register for tax and I have printed off the relevant forms, I think, but still unsure.

We have completed the F85, but I m struggling with the rest, could some kind person contact me, I would just like to have a chat with someone to clarify a few points and set my mind at rest before going into the office.

I have read many threads on this subject, and the more I research the more I seem to confuse myself.

Thanks in advance

[Carole]

Hi Amber

Sorry I cant help you as this is my first year.

However, can you tell me where you find the forms (and which ones) that need downloading. I am single and a pensioner with minimal income (worse now due the exchange rate) so hopefully I will not have to pay too much, and hopefully maybe none!!

[cooperlola]

Carole, I did a little summary of this, with the forms in a recent post:

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1183174/ShowPost.aspx

I don't think I forgot anything!

[amber]

Carole

I got the information from the post cooperlola mentioned.

I am still not clear though, we don't need the France individual form, and  I am struggling with the 2047. I have an appointment at the Hotel des Impots Friday so hopefully I will get help there.

 

[Sunday Driver]

Amber

Completing the French tax forms is quite straightforward.

Start with the main form 2042 and fill in your personal details on page one and tick the box for your marital status and enter your year(s) of birth.

Then on form 2047, your gross UK government pension goes in section VII. REVENUS EXONÉRÉS PRIS EN COMPTE POUR LE CALCUL DU TAUX EFFECTIF - the form explains which figures go where.

You then transfer the total to box TI on your form 2042.  That's it for your pension.

If you have any UK saving interest, then this goes in section IV. REVENUS DES VALEURS ET CAPITAUX MOBILIERS ET REVENUS ASSIMILÉS  2 - REVENUS DES VALEURS MOBILIÈRES ÉTRANGÈRES ET REVENUS ASSIMILÉS

Put the gross figure in Column 5 under Royaume Uni, then transfer the total across to box TS on the form 2042.  That's it for the interest.

Finally, complete a form 3916 for each foreign bank account that you have.

Unless you have any other worldwide income to declare, that's your tax declaration complete.  Needs to be in by 31 May.

 

[mint]

Thanks a lot, SD.  I read and made notes of your answer to Amber as I needed your help as well.

Now, I just have to wait for the forms for 2007 to appear on the impots site, is that correct?

[amber]

Thank you so much Sunday Driver, all making much more sense.

Amber

[ChaletGirl]

Hi, we just bought a second home last year, so will need to complete our first tax return. Which forms do we need? The ones online still seem to be 2006 not 2008.

[Sunday Driver]

When you say you bought a second home, is your principal residence still in the UK?  If that is the case, then you do not have to complete a French tax return and you will continue to pay your tax in the UK.

 

[Just Chris]

This is our first year, and will be our first tax form submission, too.

We're not too phased about filling in the form, but maybe someone could give a little extra advice on the following:

As we will already have paid tax in this last year to the UK on our pension, and any interest from savings will also already have been taxed in the UK, how do the French know what has already been paid?  Do they still tax us anyway and leave it to us to claim back the difference, or is there some consultation between the the relevant tax authorities in each country?

Do we have to provide copies of all bank statements (and any other documentation)?

What exchange rate do we use?

I appreciate that once we're in the system, we will arrange for our pensions (and savings interest) to be paid gross.

Chris

[bellaboo]

I know this sounds stupid but is an Isle of Man account classed as a UK bank account.  I filled in all the tax forms last year except the bank account one and took them to the local tax impot office who checked them and they didn't mention this form.

[Sunday Driver]

[quote user="Chris n Julie"]

This is our first year, and will be our first tax form submission, too.

We're not too phased about filling in the form, but maybe someone could give a little extra advice on the following:

As we will already have paid tax in this last year to the UK on our pension, and any interest from savings will also already have been taxed in the UK, how do the French know what has already been paid?  Do they still tax us anyway and leave it to us to claim back the difference, or is there some consultation between the the relevant tax authorities in each country?

You declare your pension and savings here and complete an FD5 tax reclaim form which you obtain from HMRC. Once you're in the system here, the French tax office stamps the form and sends it to Nottingham who then amend your UK tax code to zero and process your refund of UK tax paid since the date of your arrival in France.

Do we have to provide copies of all bank statements (and any other documentation)?

No.  All you have to do is fill in the forms, sign them and post them off to the tax office.  You must retain all supporting documentation in case you are subject to a tax audit at some future time.

What exchange rate do we use?

You can use the actual exchange rate as at the date of each transaction.

I appreciate that once we're in the system, we will arrange for our pensions (and savings interest) to be paid gross.

Chris

[/quote]

[Sunday Driver]

[quote user="bellaboo"]

I know this sounds stupid but is an Isle of Man account classed as a UK bank account.  I filled in all the tax forms last year except the bank account one and took them to the local tax impot office who checked them and they didn't mention this form.

[/quote]

An IoM account is a foreign account, so has to be declared.  Not all tax offices seem to be aware of the form 3916 - our's didn't even stock the forms...[:(]

If necessary, you can download the form from the French impots website [url=http://www.impots.gouv.fr/portal/deploiement/p1/fichedescriptiveformulaire_4554/fichedescriptiveformulaire_4554.pdf]HERE[/url].

 

[Doodle]

Hi Sunday Driver,

I have a guernsey account. This is my first tax year in france . I will receive my first interest payment from my guernsey account in June. My question is, do I have to inform the french tax office of this account even though I have not received interest on it or do I declare it next year?

Sorry but this is the first time ever I have filled in a tax form so am a bit unsure about what I'm doing.

By the way thanks for the reply to amber it has helped me enormously.

Christina

[Clair]

You declare in 2008 what you received in 2007.

[Just Chris]

Thanks, SD - all is now clear !

Chris

[Diana Middleton]

Hi Amber

I welcomed your question and am looking forward to the replies.  I must now register for tax this year.  Like you I receive a state pension and also have savings (dwindling fast) which are taxed at source.  Last year I declared my intention to be taxed in the UK.  Not possible this year as I am a permanent resident here.

Can you please tell me what forms I need to start with and where you got them from?  I shall then watch this space for further input.

Many thanks

Diana

[Benjamin]

Welcome to the forum Diana Middleton.

You have to collect the forms yourself for the first return from your local Centre des Impôts (maybe ask your neighbours for the address). You'll need form numbers 2042, 2047 and 3916 although this later one is sometimes unknown by some of the Centres. They'll probably be available at the end of this month or the start of May.

In subsequent years they'll be posted out to you or you could even try submitting online from year two onwards. [:D]

[Cat]

I have just posted a French Tax FAQ, kindly put together by Sunday Driver and Cooperlola, that may help with some of this...

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1196188/ShowPost.aspx#1196188

[Doodle]

thank you sooooooo much.

Christina

[allanb]

[quote user="knee gel"]I have a guernsey account. This is my first tax year in france . I will receive my first interest payment from my guernsey account in June. My question is, do I have to inform the french tax office of this account even though I have not received interest on it or do I declare it next year?[/quote]I don't think this is mentioned in the FAQ, but you have to report any account outside France that existed at any time during the tax year, whether or not you received any income from it.

Note to forum admin: would it be useful to add this to the FAQ?   It comes up quite often.

[allanb]

[quote user="knee gel"]I have a guernsey account. This is my first tax year in france . I will receive my first interest payment from my guernsey account in June. My question is, do I have to inform the french tax office of this account even though I have not received interest on it or do I declare it next year?[/quote]I don't think this is mentioned in the FAQ, but you have to report any account outside France that existed at any time during the tax year, whether or not you received any income from it.

Note to forum admin: would it be useful to add this to the FAQ?   It comes up quite often.

[cooperlola]

It is touched upon here, allanb:

"Q         Which forms do I need?

A         There are three basic tax forms - form 2047, which is a sort of work sheet for preliminary calculations before completing the main tax declaration.  Form 2042 is the main tax declaration form -  enter your personal details on page 1, tick the box for your married status and enter your respective years of birth (these are important because they determine the way your tax is calculated. 

The third one is form 3916 (available to download here) listing each foreign bank account that you have. Unless these accounts change, this form only needs to be filled in once.  "

[Benjamin]

[quote user="allanb"][quote user="knee gel"]I have a guernsey account. This is my first tax year in france . I will receive my first interest payment from my guernsey account in June. My question is, do I have to inform the french tax office of this account even though I have not received interest on it or do I declare it next year?[/quote]I don't think this is mentioned in the FAQ, but you have to report any account outside France that existed at any time during the tax year, whether or not you received any income from it.

Note to forum admin: would it be useful to add this to the FAQ?   It comes up quite often.

[/quote]

If it's the 3916 you are referring to then it's covered under the question What forms do I need?

Edit: Oops Cooperlola beat me to it.

[Cat]

I've added to the paragraph to make it a little clearer...

The third one is form 3916 (available to download here) listing each foreign bank account that you have.  This form must be completed for all accounts held outside France that were in existence at any time during the tax year, even if if you did not receive any income from them. Unless these accounts change, this form only needs to be filled in once.