Rififi fiscal at Fortis | Echo

Many employees of BNP Paribas Fortis have received a notice of rectification of their personal income tax return for the 2016 financial year. The tax authorities question the calculation of the all-purpose benefit for their company car. The bank turns to the State Council.

Company cars have multiplied at BNP Paribas Fortiswhen the bank launched a cafeteria plan in 2012. A total of 6,000 employees then opted for a company car, without a gas card. They are therefore very likely to be potentially affected by this recovery.

The tax adjustment, announced by La Libre on Tuesday on its website, disputes the deduction of certain personal contributions paid by the bank's employees for their company car (including gasoline stumps). So far, the bank calculated the benefit in kind after deduction of these personal expenses but the tax "reviewed its initial position ", we read in an internal communication. The bank does not want to comment on the subject outside its walls.

From now on, the administration "rejects the deduction of a certain number of contributions and therefore wants to impose on employees a benefit of any complementary nature ", always according to the bank. What amount are we talking about? Difficult to say, the calculation is variable depending on the case, but it seems that it can relate to several hundred euros.

BNP Paribas Fortis "does not share the point of view of the tax administration and has therefore decided to initiate proceedings before the Council of State". Will the latter hear the arguments of the bank? "Only after the opinion of the Council of State will it be known whether these tax adjustments are applicable or not "responds the CGSLB which issued a leaflet Tuesday in the bank. "This opinion is not suspensive and may take some time "adds the Liberal union.

The unions have met the management on this subject, adds the CGSLB. The bank "firmly refused to intervene financially in this case (…) and will be limited to providing legal-administrative badistance (standard letter, procedure to be followed, etc.)"adds the union.

The CGSLB adds that since 2018 personal contributions for the car have been paid at BNP Paribas Fortis in 'units', these convertible points set up by the bank last year. Gold, "these units are not deductible"says the union. He adds: "Some of our wages have been turned into units, hopefully this time the system is based on more stable tax bases … "