Single Tax Form (IFU): definition, purpose and declaration procedure

The Single Tax Form (IFU) is an essential document for taxpayers receiving investment income. It simplifies tax filing by summarizing amounts received during a fiscal year. Discover in detail how it works, its usefulness, and how to take advantage of it.

What is the Single Tax Form (IFU)?

The IFU is an annual document that financial and banking institutions provide to taxpayers who have received investment income. It summarizes all gains made during the previous year and is also transmitted to the tax administration.

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The IFU bears the form number 2561 – Cerfa n°11428 and may be accompanied by specific appendices depending on the types of income concerned.

What is the purpose of the IFU?

The main objective of the IFU is to simplify tax filing for taxpayers by offering:

• Reliable, pre-filled information or easily transferable data: Investment income is either pre-filled or can be easily reported (copied and pasted) into the corresponding box on the tax return.
• Traceability of income received: The tax authorities have a detailed summary of the amounts declared by the paying institutions.
• Information verification: The taxpayer can verify the accuracy of the amounts entered on their declaration.

Who is concerned by the IFU?

The IFU is provided to anyone who has received investment income during the year. The beneficiaries concerned generally hold financial products such as:

• Life insurance
• Ordinary securities account (CTO)
• Equity Savings Plan (PEA / PEA-PME)
• Retirement Savings Plan (PER)
• Taxable bank savings account
• Housing Savings Account (CEL) or Housing Savings Plan (PEL)

If a taxpayer holds several accounts with different institutions, each will provide them with a separate IFU.

Who issues the IFU and what does it contain?

The IFU is established by paying institutions, including:

• Banks and financial institutions
• Insurance companies
• Notaries and property management companies (in certain cases)
• Companies distributing dividends to their shareholders.

Composition of the IFU (Form 2561 CERFA 11428)

The IFU form is divided into several sections:

1. Form n°2561 (Main declaration): Identifies the paying institution and the beneficiary. It lists the main income received: dividends, interest on partners' current accounts, activity remuneration (example: attendance fees).
2. Form n°2561 bis: Groups income from specific financial operations, such as futures markets and option warrants.
3. Form n°2561 ter: Constitutes a tax credit certificate transmitted to the beneficiary.
4. Form n°2561 quater: Concerns beneficiaries with a tax domicile outside of France.

When and how to file the IFU?

Filing deadline

Paying institutions must transmit the IFU to the tax authorities and to the taxpayer by February 15th of the year following the receipt of income.

Filing methods

Since 2018, IFU filing has been completely digitized via two options:

• EDI Procedure (Electronic Data Interchange): Used by professionals to transmit information to the tax authorities.
• EFI Procedure (Electronic Form Interchange): Allows filers to directly enter information online at impots.gouv.fr.

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IFU declaration and foreign accounts

If a taxpayer has accounts opened abroad, they must declare them, even if foreign institutions do not provide an IFU. In this case, the taxpayer must calculate the income to be declared themselves.

Conclusion: A key document for the taxation of investment income

The Single Tax Form is an essential tool for simplifying the declaration of investment income. Providing a clear view of gains received, it allows verification of the accuracy of declared amounts and optimization of taxation.

It is therefore essential to check your IFU each year before validating your tax return. In case of doubt, it is recommended to consult a tax advisor or an accountant.