More than ever, taxes are expensive for French women and men. Inflation has eaten into their purchasing power; so much so that even those who have benefited from an increase in their income or an increase in their salary do not necessarily live better. And could have paid more taxes next year, if the government had not made the right arrangements. To avoid any threshold effect after an attempt to catch up with inflation, the executive has decided to revise upwards the tax scale that will be applied in 2022, which amounts to reducing the amount that will have to be paid. next year, as Planet has already explained.
Taxpayers who wish to go further may, however, do so. A certain number of devices make it possible to reduce the bill, so as not to have to pay as much in 2023 as you will do this year, indeed recalls the association UFC-Que Choisir on its site, which lists a certain number of these mechanisms made available to taxpayers. First reflex to have? Optimize your tax system. In some cases, the standard deduction applied by default by the tax authorities will be the right choice. It’s not systematic.
Unless there is intervention on the part of the taxpayer, the tax authorities apply a flat-rate deduction on income from work and on income from land. The first amounts to 10% while the second climbs to 30%. In concrete terms, these amounts are therefore deducted from the amount on which the tax payable will be calculated. It happens, however, that the professional or land charges exceed the amounts mentioned. In this case, it is relevant to waive the standard deduction in favor of the actual scheme, if you can justify these costs. It is in 2023 that the Bercy teams will have to be alerted.
Vigilance: for land tenure, this change applies for at least three years.
Naturally, this is far from being the only option that the French can assert. They can incur a certain number of so-called tax-exempt expenses, prepare for their retirement, work to support their loved ones… But all these solutions are not always viable, warns tax lawyer Thomas Carbonnier. Explanations.
Taxpayers who wish – and who can – can indeed incur a certain number of expenses by the end of 2022. It is indeed possible, to reduce their tax base, to opt for:
“There is still time to reduce your tax base, if only by changing your main residence. Moving and then carrying out certain development or energy renovation work can, for example, give rise to credits or reductions in taxes”, first observes the tax lawyer, who officiates at the Paris bar. “Besides, the first question to ask, it seems to me, is that of the objective: do you want to reduce your income to pay less tax or earn more without paying more? According to the response provided, the logic to be put in place will obviously not be the same”, indicates the specialist again.
Naturally, he continues, the situation also varies considerably according to everyone’s situation “A single taxpayer will not have access to the same options as a couple with children and depending on the age of the latter, the devices are not the same. When they are old, but have not yet started to work, it may be useful to detach them from the tax household while continuing to pay them a pension”, considers the lawyer who recalls that the pension in question is deducted from the taxable income of the parents and, unless the child works on a regular basis, should not be taxed for the child. “Often, it’s a win-win situation from all points of view,” he sums up.
Unfortunately, some options may prove to be less effective, as may be the case with the other so-called “tax-exempting” expenses mentioned above. “If there is a tax advantage, it is to encourage the taxpayer to invest his money. It is a telltale sign, it seems to me”, recalls Thomas Carbonnier.
“Let’s take donations, for example: they should above all not be considered as simple tools for tax exemption… because in the end they fulfill their role rather poorly in this case. Let’s come back to earth: when you give 100, even if you tax the two-thirds, we are still 33 euros poorer. If the only motivation is tax, you might as well not give”, slice from the outset the tax lawyer, who also decides to point out the risks inherent in a certain number savings products presented as efficient in terms of tax reduction.
“Investing in the capital of an SME, opting for Sofica, common funds for innovation or this type of product can be a good idea… But we must not lose sight of the fact that this remains a bet, which is therefore fundamentally risky. Here again, it is possible to become impoverished and this is what the tax advantage takes into account. We encourage because otherwise, this type of investment would not be self-evident. why it is essential not to put in the money that we need to live”, indeed recalls Thomas Carbonnier.
There remains, of course, the PER. The latter, useful for preparing for retirement, allows you to do so by reducing tax on entry (with re-taxation on exit)… and is not without its share of risk. Each of these options obviously remains valid, but we must remain vigilant.
“In general, if you want to pay less, you have to opt for this kind of solution, I think. If you want to earn more without paying more, then it is better to turn to furnished property rentals. Nothing prevents, moreover, to marry these two options”, judges the tax lawyer who gives a last advice: “Often, it is very useful to call on the services of a professional”.
