In almost all developed countries except France, Switzerland and Singapore, the income tax (IR) is taken directly from the paychecks of household, month after month. This system called "withholding tax" has two advantages: it makes life easier for taxpayers and allows the State to recover almost certainly the tax due, and it regularly.
France should she finally opt for this system, after several failed attempts? Francois Hollande has thought before abandoning the project too. The latest study on the subject of compulsory Council (OAC), an organization linked to the ECA, rather gives reason to critics of the withholding tax. "Some of the arguments advanced in favor of historically withholding their lost weight," said Wednesday, during the presentation of the study, Didier Migaud, the first president of the Court of Auditors.
Indeed, 73% of monthly paid by French taxpayers are now: they pay their IR month after month. Payment is made by monthly installments or third provisional, in 90% of cases it is done electronically (direct debit transfers). The tax return has also been improved, many are now pre-filled boxes. In short, the taxpayer, the French system is relatively simple to use. And the withholding tax is not a panacea: the taxpayer must file a tax return and having to adjust to the tax the following year.
Another consequence of modernization introduced in France, the tax already covers very well the IR, to 99%.
The withholding tax would actually an advantage for the French: they would pay a tax based on income of the year. Currently, households that see their revenues decline, due to retirement, unemployment, divorce, have to pay high taxes compared to their resources in the year, this tax is computed on income, best, of previous year. 30% of households fall into this category each year.
But the CPO believes that this problem can be solved without going through the withholding tax. It is already possible in France to modulate its monthly installments or obtain payment periods, in case of declining income. Would require the IRS to better communicate on these facilities, says the CPO.
Costs for the company
The tax could also opt for the taxation of income during the year: the deposits paid in taxes would be calculated on the estimated income for the year. There would regularize the following year, when revenues definitively known. This system would have an advantage over the withholding tax: the company would not be involved in tax collection.
Indeed, if the direct debit from paychecks, the employer is the tax collector. It can even be the one to calculate the total revenues. In the latter case, he knows if his employee receives other income from savings or property, and he knows the wages of their spouse. Besides the privacy issue, this can affect wage policy – why increase someone whose spouse is very easy? This design maximum role of enterprise is rare and only affects Canada. It remains true that the withholding tax involves costs for the company, from four to two hundred euros a year in different countries.
Anyway, switching to the taxation of income of the year it takes place via the IRS or the withholding tax levied by the company, is a problem, that of the transition year. Could not ask taxpayers to pay that year double tax on the earnings of the year and those of the previous year.
The solution most often proposed is to cancel the tax assessed on the income of the previous year. An acceptable solution since in practice the tax authorities would not suffer any break in the perception of the IR. But at a cost: it would continue to grant tax benefits (employment at home, donations?) On revenues of the previous year. The bill would be 5 to 10 billion euros calculated the CPO. Not very appropriate at this time of fiscal crisis.
With regard to the withholding tax, "the balance tips towards more disadvantages than advantages to," said Didier Migaud.
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