Millions in France will see tax authorities take funds from their accounts next week

Bank accounts at the ready? Next week, French tax authorities will take funds from millions of taxpayers who did not pay enough income tax last year.

The payments are related to this spring’s income tax declaration (for 2025’s income), with these payments being the final correction for outstanding balances. 

For those who paid too much, refunds were paid out in the summer on July 24, July 31, or in a cheque sent through the post. 

Upcoming correction payments are either taken in one lump sum on September 25 if the final amount owed is €300 or below. 

If the outstanding amount is above this, the payment is split into four equal payments on September 25, October 26, November 25, and December 28. 

If you owe the authorities anything, it will be signalled on your tax notice (avis), which you should have received over the summer.

Check bank details are correct

Tax authorities will take the money automatically via direct debit, and you must therefore ensure they have up-to-date bank details for you. 

You can update bank account details through your personal log in on the French tax website, through the ‘Prélèvement à la source’ section and then ‘Mettre à jour vos coordonnées bancaires’. Alternatively, you can go to ‘Paiements’, ‘Gérer mes contrats de prélèvement’, then ‘Mettre à jour vos coordonnées bancaires’.

You will need to sign a new direct debit mandate to authorise the tax authorities to take money from you. 

Unlike property taxes, which can be paid through several methods including cheques and bank transfers, these income tax corrections are usually taken through direct debit, so you are required to hand over bank details to the tax authorities. 

Only bills of €300 or less (i.e, payable in one sum), and where tax authorities do not hold your bank account details, can be paid through alternative methods such as a bank transfer or cheque. 

If this applies to you, information on how to pay should be on your avis, or through the Service public help website here.

The direct debit deductions will come up in your bank history as ‘Direction générale des finances publiques’ with the motif ‘solde impôt revenus 2025 n° de facture XXX’. 

If you fail to hand over the correct bank details, or the money cannot be taken out due to insufficient funds, you risk penalties including a late payment surcharge of 10%. 

If you are struggling to pay your taxes, including additional income tax, read our article here for advice.