The taxman has just contacted many French people by e-mail and it is better to look at the information provided.
In recent days, the Directorate General of Public Finance (DGFIP) has appeared in the mailboxes of millions of French people. Good news? Bad news? Generally, when taxes disembark, it is a source of anxiety. While an email from the taxman must arrive at the end of the month indicating the exact amount to pay or be reimbursed by the Treasury, the DGFIP this time something else.
For most French people, taxes means paying. Right, of course, but not only. Doing your tax return also makes it possible to open certain rights, sometimes unknown to the general public, depending on the income brought to the attention of the taxman. This is the object of the communication sent by Bercy.
The object of the email is not very attractive. His title: “Have you thought of the popular savings book (LEP)?” However, it deserves to be opened and be read carefully because it can bring in a little money. As its name suggests, the LEP is a savings book and it works like booklet A. We can freely place and withdraw money on it, immediately, and this generates interest, without paying taxes.
This is where the LEP is attractive. Indeed, its performance is higher than that of booklet A. Currently, its rate is 3.5%, compared to 2.4% for its big brother. The 1er August, these rates will be revised downwards and should be of order 2.2% for the LEP and 1.7% for the A.
To better measure the gap, a person who has 5,000 € placed on the two booklets will receive, at the end of 2025, € 186.25 of interest thanks to the LEP, against € 129.58 thanks to the booklet A, i.e. an additional € 57. Hence the interest of looking at this device.
But it is not open to everyone. It depends on an income ceiling, detailed on the site Service-public.fr. In addition, it is not possible to deposit more than € 10,000 on it. Beyond that, only interest accumulates but no payment can be made. And a single LEP can be opened per person.
Available for the less affluent, the LEP appears as a real financial spare wheel. “Households with modest income have drawn from their savings to meet their expenses” notes Philippe Crevel, director of the circle of savings.
Be careful however: each year, the banks carry out an income control of those who hold a LEP: if the ceiling is exceeded, then the booklet is closed and the money transferred to another account.