Micro Foncier Abattement: Everything you need to know about this tax system
The micro foncier scheme is a simplified option for declaring your rental income. This tax scheme is aimed at owners with modest rental income, and offers a flat-rate deduction of 30% on gross income, functioning as a simplified flat-rate tax. Accessible under certain tax threshold conditions, this system enables you to optimize your real estate taxation while complying with your reporting obligations.
What is the micro foncier abattement?
The micro-property regime is a simplified method of taxing property income. It applies automatically to landlords whose annual rental income does not exceed €15,000. This threshold applies only to bare rentals, excluding charges and ancillary income.
The 30% flat-rate allowance is the heart of this system. The tax authorities automatically apply this reduction to your gross rental income. It considers that this percentage covers all your actual deductible expenses: works, loan interest, insurance, property taxes. So you don’t need to provide any justification.
The tax base thus corresponds to 70% of your rental income. This amount is then included in your overall income, and is subject to the progressive income tax scale. Social security contributions of 17.2% are also added to this base.
Conditions of eligibility for the micro-property scheme
The 15,000 euro ceiling is the first condition for access to the micro foncier scheme. This amount is calculated at the level of the tax household, and includes all the couple’s property income. Income from furnished rentals is not included in this calculation, as it comes under industrial and commercial profits (BIC), a separate tax regime.
Only bare residential rentals are eligible for this scheme. Rentals of commercial or professional premises, or isolated parking lots, are excluded. Income from historic monuments or special schemes (Malraux, Périssol) is also not eligible for the micro foncier scheme.
You automatically lose the benefit of this system if your income exceeds the threshold of 15,000 euros. The changeover to the actual regime then takes place for the current year and at least the following two years. This rule is designed to avoid frequent changes of regime.
Calculating the allowance and taxing income
Calculating your tax liability under the micro-property scheme involves several steps. First, you add up all your rental income for the year, excluding charges. The administration then automatically applies the 30% allowance to this gross amount.
The resulting tax base (70% of rental income) is added to your other income: wages, pensions, income from securities. All of this is subject to the progressive income tax scale based on your marginal tax bracket. Your effective tax rate therefore depends on your overall situation.
Social security contributions of 17.2% apply to net property income, i.e. after the 30% allowance. These contributions include CSG, CRDS and solidarity levies. They are calculated independently of your tax bracket.
Numerical example of taxation
Let’s take the example of a landlord earning 12,000 euros in annual rent. The flat-rate deduction of 30% represents 3,600 euros and covers all actual expenses, including any work required, without the need to provide proof. His tax base is therefore 8,400 euros (70% of rent received).
If his marginal tax bracket is 30%, income tax amounts to 2,520 euros. Social security contributions add a further 1,445 euros (17.2% of 8,400 euros). The total tax burden is therefore 3,965 euros, representing an effective tax rate of 33% on gross rental income.
Micro foncier or régime réel: what’s the right choice?
The choice between micro foncier and régime réel depends on the level of your actual expenses. If these exceed 30% of your rental income, the actual system becomes more advantageous. You can then deduct all your justified expenses: loan interest, works, insurance, professional fees and management costs.
Micro foncier is particularly suitable for homeowners with no loans and little work to do. Its main advantage is its administrative simplicity: you don’t have to keep any records or keep any accounts. You simply enter the amount of your rental income on your tax return.
You can still opt for the real estate tax system, even if you are eligible for the micro foncier scheme. This option is exercised when you file your tax return, and commits your household for a minimum of three years. It allows you to deduct your actual expenses and offset any property deficit against your overall income, up to a limit of 10,700 euros per year. Please note that income from furnished rentals is subject to the industrial and commercial profits regime, and follows different rules.
A tax optimization consultant can help you simulate both scenarios. This comparative analysis takes into account your projected expenses, your asset situation and your real estate projects. It enables you to identify the system best suited to your situation.
Micro foncier tax return
You declare your micro-property income on form 2042, in the section dedicated to property income. You simply enter the gross amount of your rental income for the year. The tax authorities automatically calculate the 30% allowance and include the result in your taxable income.
You don’t have to fill in the 2044 declaration reserved for the actual regime. This administrative simplification saves you a considerable amount of time. You also don’t have to keep supporting documents for your expenses, unlike the actual regime, which requires detailed accounting.
The declaration deadline corresponds to the general tax declaration calendar. It varies according to your département and the type of tax return you choose (paper or online). Online declarations generally allow a few extra weeks.
Common mistakes to avoid
There are a number of errors that can jeopardize the correct application of the micro-property scheme. Do not include recoverable rental charges in your declared income. Only rents excluding charges should appear on your declaration. Provisions for expenses are not taxable income.
You should also be careful not to mix income from land and income from furnished rentals. The latter come under the industrial and commercial profits regime (BIC) and are declared differently. Confusing these two categories can lead to miscalculations and tax adjustments. Unlike the régime réel, which requires detailed accounting, the micro foncier system exempts you from this obligation.
Keep a close eye on the 15,000 euro threshold throughout the year. If you exceed it by even the slightest amount, you’ll automatically switch to the actual income tax system. Anticipate this situation by regularly monitoring your rental income. This will avoid any surprises when you file your annual tax return.
Optimize real estate taxation with the micro foncier scheme
The micro foncier system offers a simple, effective tax solution for small landlords. The flat-rate deduction of 30% eliminates the need to justify expenses, and considerably eases your administrative obligations. This system is particularly well-suited to rental investments requiring little work and no borrowing.
However, a comparison with the real-estate system requires a thorough analysis of your situation. Your actual expenses, your work projects and your asset strategy directly influence the optimal choice. A costed simulation will help you identify the most advantageous system over the long term, and accurately assess your total tax burden.
Don’t hesitate to call on the expertise of a tax law professional to optimize your strategy. The financial stakes justify personalized support, particularly when making real estate acquisitions or implementing major changes in your asset situation.
Frequently asked questions
The Micro Foncier system raises many questions for landlords. This section answers the most frequently asked questions about this simplified tax regime, its conditions of application, and tax optimization strategies to consider.
What is the Micro Foncier scheme?
The Micro Foncier system is a simplified tax system for owners of unfurnished rental properties. It applies automatically when gross annual property income does not exceed €15,000. The main advantage is the application of a flat-rate deduction of 30% on declared income, intended to cover all deductible charges and expenses. Only 70% of rental income is therefore taxed, with no need to justify actual expenses. This system considerably simplifies taxpayers’ reporting obligations.
What are the conditions for benefiting from the Micro Foncier scheme?
To qualify for the Micro Foncier scheme, three main conditions must be met: firstly, gross annual property income must not exceed €15,000; secondly, only bare (unfurnished) rentals are eligible; thirdly, the taxpayer must not receive income from specific tax schemes such as historic monuments or the Malraux, Périssol, Besson or Borloo schemes. If these conditions are not met, the real tax system must be applied.
How much is the fixed allowance for Micro Foncier?
The flat-rate deduction for Micro Foncier is set at 30% of gross rental income. This allowance is applied automatically by the tax authorities, and is intended to cover all deductible expenses: property tax, management fees, maintenance work, insurance, loan interest, etc. In practical terms, if you receive €12,000 in annual rental income, only €8,400 (70% of €12,000) will be subject to income tax at your nominal rate, plus social security contributions.
How to choose between the Micro Foncier and the régime réel?
The choice between Micro Foncier and régime réel depends on your actual expenses. If your deductible expenses represent less than 30% of your property income, the Micro Foncier system is advantageous, as the flat-rate allowance will be higher than your actual expenses. On the other hand, if your expenses exceed 30% (particularly in the case of major works, a substantial loan or an old property), opting for the actual system will allow a higher deduction and further reduce your tax base. To better understand which system to choose for your situation, this option is irrevocable for three years.
How do you declare your property income under the Micro Foncier scheme?
The Micro Foncier tax return is particularly simple. Simply enter the gross rental income in box 4BE of Form 2042 of your annual tax return. The tax authorities then automatically apply the 30% allowance. You don’t need to provide any proof of expenses, and you don’t need to file a specific property tax return (form 2044). This administrative simplicity is one of the main advantages of the Micro Foncier scheme for small landlords.
When is it better to switch from the Micro Foncier system to the real estate system?
If your deductible expenses exceed 30% of your rental income, you should opt out of the Micro Foncier scheme. This applies in particular to the following situations: major renovation work, recent acquisition with a high-interest loan, old property requiring costly maintenance, or prolonged rental vacancies. The “régime réel” also allows you to create a property deficit that can be deducted from overall income (up to €10,700 per year). This strategic option requires an in-depth tax analysis of your assets, particularly in terms ofcapital gains tax.