French income tax declaration: Official calculator for travel costs

[Clair]

If you use your car to travel to work, you can declare it as a deduction on your tax declaration.

The usual default deduction applied is 10% unless you think your costs

are higher, in which case, you have to tick the right box and give your

own costs.

The 2007 official calculator is now online to help you work out your real costs.

You will find the calculator here:

http://www.impots.gouv.fr/

The actual worksheet (barême) is here (pdf file) if yoy want to see how the calculation works.

[Lou]

Hi Clair

Thanks for the links - I've not yet read the worksheet info in full, but wondered if you happened to know - does this apply if you use your car to travel TO work or rather if you use your car FOR work purposes?  Do they require any evidence??

Lou

[Clair]

I really don't know if this also applies to the necessary use of your car for your work.

You might find more details here: http://www.impots.gouv.fr/

As far as evidence is concerned, for the purpose of travel to and from work, I've been told by their advice line that they might ask for a worksheet showing how the total was arrived at (car fiscal CV, distance work-home, number of days worked in 2006...) I have all my calculations on a spreadsheet. [:)]

[Will]

Yes, it includes use of the car in the course of your work, if this is not reimbursed by your employer.

Mrs Will puts all her kms through, and, because she has to provide the car, insure it (for full passenger liability which is very expensive) etc. she gets other allowances too to cover the insurance, servicing and so on.

[Charlotte3]

Hi there,

You can claim for travel TO work if you live more than 15 kms from your work. Any less and you're on your own.....this is for an employee, I don't know what happens if you are self employed.

Aly

[Lou]

Many thanks all for your replies. 

Aly, there didn't seem to be any reference on the impôts site Clair quoted that mentioned the 15km rule (though I may have missed it!) - can I ask where you got this info from/how did you know this?  I ask because I was quite pleased about Clair's info but live just short of 15 km away from work!

Thanks

Lou

[Charlotte3]

Lou,

I only know about this because all the guys in work were talking about it one day. I said that I had never heard about it and like you, hadn't seen any reference to it anywhere ( even on my tax form).

The problem is that they are convinced that the signpost at our village says 15kms to Gorron, but it actually says 13kms. Being French they won't be told however, and have said that they will help me fill in the appropriate part of my tax form when I get it.

I will keep you posted,

Aly

PS. Apparently ALL the French around here know about this and exploit it to the full!

[Karen_Ian]

Wow thanks for that...didn't know anything about it.

I shall certainly be looking into it - though trying to get the mileage figures for last year will be a bit of a job.

I'd best get something set up now for this year.

Thanks for the links

Karen

[Cerise]

The 10% can be deducted by all employees regardless of how far they live and  how they get to work.  It covers all sorts of expenses like lunch etc.  The frais réel is for if you feel that your expenses are more than  10% in which case you have to justify.  Mr C works less than 15 km from the house but 10% deducted by the nice man at the tax office - I'm not confident enough to fill ion my own forms!

[Lou]

Thanks Cerise, I think I was beginning to come to that conclusion after wading through all the stuff on the impots site!

Sort of on the same subject - I've just got an amount of money from my boss for travel expenses - I had to go to another office for a couple of days which is much further than my usual place of work so he's reimbursed me for the extra petrol.  My question is do I have to declare this on my tax return (it's been done separately to my normal pay slip/cheque) and if so where?  I had a look at last years form and couldn't see where I might put this amount. Is it tax-free??

Lou