The fight against tax fraud has become a major preoccupation for tax authorities in France. In response to this problem, the government has introduced a new tool: the tax police. This measure is an important step in the crackdown on tax crime, which is becoming increasingly severe. In this article, we’ll look at the introduction of the tax police in France and its impact on tax policy, as well as the importance of calling on the services of a tax lawyer specializing in criminal tax matters.
Paying taxes is a legal obligation for all taxpayers. However, it is important to know that the tax authorities can check taxpayers’ tax returns for compliance.
Legal entities that own real estate in France are subject to a tax of 3% on the value of their properties. This tax on the fair market value of real estate was introduced by the 1983 Finance Law with the objective of ensuring visibility of the chains of ownership of properties by French and foreign entities, allowing the identification of shareholders and thereby verifying the proper application of the Wealth Tax (ISF), now replaced by the Real Estate Wealth Tax (IFI).
This control can generally lead to a rectification of the prices or valuations used in documents subject to the registration formality (these are numerous and include transactions involving movable and immovable property (gifts, transfers, inheritance in particular, but also IFI).