An administrative change has come into force at Caf and could have an impact on the finances of beneficiaries.
This is a change that has gone (almost) unnoticed but which many Caf beneficiaries must now keep in mind. The list of documents to be provided to benefit from personal housing assistance (APL) has been modified, with a particularly discreet addition.
As with any assistance, it is necessary to complete a file in order to receive these benefits. This is made up of numerous elements, such as the identity of the applicant or various descriptions of the property. But that’s not all. It is also necessary to indicate your resources to the administration. This is where a change was made. And it is not negligible.
When compiling its file, Caf requests the greatest transparency on its financial resources. Thus, it is now obligatory to notify the organization if you have assets of more than 30,000 euros. Until now, this was not the case. “This concerns all movable (tangible and intangible) and immovable assets (with the exception of the main residence and goods for professional use)”, specifies the Caf at The Internet user.
For the calculation of this assets, it is therefore necessary to take into account the Livret A, the LEP, the Livret Jeune, the LDDS, the PEL, the CEL, any company savings plan or retirement savings plan, or even the life insurance. Added to this is the value of any property that the beneficiary may own, outside of his or her main residence. If the accumulation of these investments exceeds 30,000 euros, then the amount of APL is reduced.
Let’s take the example of Nathalie. This separated mother lives in a T3 in Avignon with her two children, earns 1,800 euros per month and receives 200 euros in alimony. She can therefore claim 154 euros of APL to help her pay her rent. However, as she has 5,000 euros in an A booklet, 3,000 on her PEL and she has been able, over the course of her life, to invest 25,000 euros in life insurance, the amount of her housing assistance will decrease to 133 euros. She therefore loses 252 euros over the year, which the Caf considers to be compensated by the return on her savings.
This declaration of assets being only a… declaration, it could be tempting to reduce the amount of your savings. The Caf delays: “The funds have access to data from the DGFiP (taxes, editor’s note) on property income to control the resources declared by beneficiaries.”
In the event of fraud, suspension and financial sanctions are on the program. Please note, however, that “the asset information is automatically renewed each year, except in the event of the recipient’s manifestation to indicate a substantial change in their assets.”