Overall cap on tax breaks: €10,000 or €18,000, what counts and what doesn't

The overall cap limits the total tax benefits obtained in exchange for an investment or service. The cap is €10,000 for most schemes. It is €18,000 for certain benefits, including overseas tax reductions and subscriptions to SOFICA capital. Gifts to charities are excluded from the calculation.

These amounts are confirmed in the official sources consulted for benefits from 2013 to 2025. This page does not state them for expenses in 2026.

It covers the principle, the two caps, the list of eligible benefits, and the list of exclusions. It does not address the treatment of a benefit exceeding the cap, nor the reporting requirements: these two points should be verified in the current regulations before investing.

The principle

The overall cap is set out in Article 200-0 A of the French General Tax Code (CGI). It applies to benefits granted in return for an investment or service received by the taxpayer. The cap is global: it does not apply to a single scheme.

The economie.gouv.fr website (page dated April 16, 2026) presents it as an annual limit, calculated for the same tax household. The government's simulator refers to the benefit provided by certain deductions, reductions, or tax credits, limited to €10,000. The list of affected programs is provided below.

The two ceilings

These amounts are those of the BOFiP (version of 27/08/2026), which indicates a ceiling of €10,000 or €18,000 applicable since January 1, 2013. The practical guide to 2026 tax (2025 income) uses the same figures for benefits from 2013 to 2025.

The €18,000 cap has its own starting dates. According to the BOFiP, it applies from the 2014 tax year for overseas income and SOFICA investments, and from the 2015 tax year for overseas Pinel investments.

Before 2013, the rules were different. From 2009 to 2012, the limits combined a fixed amount and a percentage of taxable income. In 2009, for example, it was €25,000 plus 10% of taxable income. Since January 1, 2013, the limits have been €10,000 and €18,000.

What is included in the cap

The list is found in paragraph 70 of the BOFiP BOI-IR-LIQ-20-20-10-10. It is based on the legislation in force on January 1, 2026. It includes, in particular:

• Robien and Borloo; ;
• the "Madelin" reduction for subscriptions to the capital of SMEs, FCPI and FIP; ;
• subscriptions to SOFICA capital; ;
• Pinel; ;
• Denormandie former; ;
• Scellier; ;
• LMNP; ;
• Loc'Avantages; ;
• leisure real estate investment; ;
• tax credits for home employment, childcare, forestry investments and charging stations.

Limited-time lines

Several lines in the table include a note that defines the period in question:

• Robien and Borloo: expenses paid or investments made no later than 2009; ;
• leisure real estate investment: expenses or investments no later than 2010; ;
• Scellier: acquisitions made up to March 31, 2013; ;
• charging stations: expenses incurred between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2025.

Pinel also includes a period rating in this table, which should be read in the BOFiP before any conclusions are drawn about your case.

For Robien and Borloo schemes, the BOFiP (Official Bulletin of Public Finances) refers to provisions that have expired or been repealed but continue to have an effect. A deferred tax benefit remains subject to the ceiling for the year in which the investment is made (see below).

Being listed does not mean that a scheme is currently open for new subscriptions or spending. The status of each scheme must be checked separately.

Be careful with the word "Madelin".«

In this list, "Madelin" refers to the tax reduction for investments in the capital of SMEs, FCPIs, and FIPs. It does not refer to insurance contributions for self-employed workers, which are also called "Madelin contracts" on other pages.

What is excluded from the cap

According to the BOFiP (French Official Tax Bulletin), benefits linked to personal circumstances or to a general interest objective without compensation are generally not subject to the cap. The BOFiP expressly excludes, in particular:

• gifts to associations and patronage ;
• the family quotient and the discount; ;
• foreign tax credits; ;
• tuition fees; ;
• union dues; ;
• the Malraux reduction, starting with the taxation of income from 2013.

He also cites categorical exemptions and allowances as being outside the scope of this provision.

The BOFiP (Official Bulletin of Public Finances) regarding gifts confirms that the amount of the tax reduction for gifts is not included in the overall limit. A gift to a charity is not taken into account in the calculation.

Reports and deferrals

When a benefit is deferred or spread over time, it is taken into account for the application of the cap for the year in which it is claimed. It remains subject to the cap for the year in which the investment is made.

Do not confuse this mechanism with the carry-forward of the "Madelin" SME tax reduction. For this reduction, the portion exceeding the specific reduction limit can be carried forward for up to and including the fifth following year. This applies to the reduction limit itself, not the overall limit.

The BOFiP updated its comments on this reduction on August 27, 2026 (see the following section). The five-year deferral should be reviewed in the updated version before any decision is made.

The 2026 Finance Law in the BOFiP

The BOFiP news item (version of 21/04/2026) cites Law No. 2026-103 of 19/02/2026 on finance for 2026. It mentions it in connection with the elimination of the tax reduction for interest on deferred payment, provided for in Article 199 vicies A of the CGI.

The box in the version dated August 27, 2026, announces something else: an update to the comments regarding the income tax reduction for cash investments (SMEs, FCPI, FIP, socially responsible enterprises). This page has not reviewed these updated comments. Its information about the "Madelin" SME tax reduction should be verified in this version.

The ceilings mentioned above are confirmed for benefits from 2013 to 2025. For expenses in 2026, article 200-0 A of the current CGI should be read before deciding: this page does not take a position.

Numerical example (fictitious profile)

Situation. A hypothetical couple received, for the same tax year, a €3,500 tax credit for in-home employment and a €4,000 "Madelin" SME tax reduction. They also made a €1,500 gift to a charity, which entitles them to a tax reduction of 66% (€990). They are considering a new investment that would provide an additional €3,000 in tax benefits, subject to the applicable cap. These amounts are hypothetical.

Issue. How much space remains below the €10,000 ceiling?

Strategy. Add up only the benefits that fall within the scope, exclude gifts, compare to the ceiling before signing.

Result.

With the new investment, the total amount taken into account exceeds the €500 limit. What happens to this portion is not explained on this page; you must verify this before subscribing. The example uses the amount of the benefit provided by each scheme, as presented in the simulator. The €10,000 limit is the one confirmed for benefits until 2025. This example does not replace a calculation on your tax return.

This profile is fictitious. The figures illustrate the mechanism and do not predict any outcome for your situation.

What changes depending on your situation

• The nature of your benefits: not all of them fall under the cap, and some are subject to the €18,000 cap.
• The total of your benefits over the year, across all schemes, for your tax household.
• The date of your expenses or investments: several lines in the list are time-bound.
• The existence of deferrals or spreading over previous investments.
• Gifts, which are not included in the calculation.

The rule depends on your situation. No results are guaranteed.