France's Tax Authority Delays 2026 Refunds in Two Waves

The Direction générale des Finances publiques (DGFiP) is processing income‑tax refunds for the 2026 fiscal year in two scheduled batches. The first wave of payments was made on 24 July 2026 and the second is planned for 31 July 2026, covering approximately 12.6 million French household tax accounts with an average refund of €1,057.

Delays can arise because the refund schedule is technical and does not depend on individual amounts or circumstances. Taxpayers must also be eligible for a refund, typically due to credits, deductions, reduced income, or indexation of the tax scale. Payments are normally issued by bank transfer; if banking details are missing, outdated, or incorrect, the DGFiP sends a postal cheque, which adds processing time. Taxpayers are advised to verify their eligibility on their personal space at impots.gouv.fr and to correct any IBAN or banking errors promptly.