IRS: Taxpayers Have 10 Years to Claim Refunds on French Taxes

IRS Statement (June 26, 2019)

This year, the United States and the French Republic memorialized through diplomatic communications an understanding that the French Contribution Sociale Generalisee (CSG) and Contribution au Remboursement de la Dette Sociate (CRDS) taxes are not social taxes covered by the Agreement on Social Security between the two countries. Accordingly, the IRS will not challenge foreign tax credits for CSG and CRDS payments on the basis that the Agreement on Social Security applies to those taxes.

Taxpayers have 10 years to file a claim for refund of U.S. tax with respect to a foreign tax credit. The 10-year period begins the day after the regular due date for filing the return (without extensions) for the year to which the foreign taxes relate. The IRS will update information on claiming these taxes as foreign tax credits soon.