France

How You’re Taxed in France

Although tax rates in France can be high, there are opportunities to legitimately reduce what you have to pay. Many retired UK nationals find they can save tax when they move to France by taking specialist advice before they move.

Once you’re resident in France, you could potentially pay:

• Income tax of up to 45%
• An additional 3% to 4% for higher incomes
• Tax on capital gains from property and investments
• Social charges of up to 17.2%
• An annual wealth tax of between 0.5% to 1.5% on real estate assets

Even if you’re not resident, you could be liable for French taxes, for example, when buying or selling French property.

With our expatriate tax advice, our clients in France are able to enjoy extremely favourable tax treatment on their capital investments and assets.

Estate Planning for France

French succession tax works quite differently from UK inheritance tax and the effect on your heirs depends on their relationship to you. Stepchildren and unmarried partners, for example, are seen as ‘non-relatives’ and could face tax rates as high as 60% on inheritances and gifts.

You should also be aware that France’s ‘forced heirship’ succession law defines how your legacy is divided. This means your natural children could inherit up to 75% of your estate regardless of whether that’s your intention. However, you can override this by opting for your respective UK law to apply under the ‘Brussels IV’ EU regulation. This is a complex approach and can have unexpected consequences, so you should take personalised advice to make sure it’s suitable for your aims and objectives.

Our advisers can present legitimate options to ensure your estate is distributed according to your wishes while protecting your heirs from paying more tax than necessary.

Tax-Efficient Opportunities in France

An ‘assurance-vie’ is a French investment structure that can provide considerable tax advantages in France, if used correctly and with specialist advice. It can also be useful for estate planning purposes.

Although an assurance-vie is a possible solution, there are many products on offer with significant differences between them. You need to look at how they work and the jurisdiction they are based in and consider which one would be best for your objectives.

UK Pension Planning in France

There’s more choice than ever for accessing your UK pension savings. Blevins Franks can advise you on the pros and cons of each option, including transferring to a QROPS, as well as the local tax implications in France, so you can make a fully informed decision on the best solution for you.

Investment Advice for France

Our specialist expertise can make sure your finances are structured as tax efficiently as possible for France, with an investment strategy personalised for you.

We start with an objective assessment of your risk profile so that we can recommend portfolios designed around your personal situation and objectives. We have access to some of the world’s best investment managers to make sure your money works as hard as it can for you.

Information in French

Full details of the regulators for the various Blevins Franks companies is detailed at the foot of this page.

As noted there, Blevins Franks France SASU (BFF), is registered with ORIAS, registered number 07 027 475 to provide advice in France and other EU countries in line with its [IDD] passporting permissions, and authorised as ‘Conseil en Investissements Financiers’ and ‘Courtiers d’Assurance’ Category B (register can be consulted on  www.orias.fr). Member of ANACOFI-CIF. BFF’s registered office: 1 rue Pablo Neruda, 33140 Villenave d’Ornon – RCS BX 498 800 465 APE 6622Z. Garantie Financière et Assurance de Responsabilité Civile Professionnelle conformes aux articles L 541-3 du Code Monétaire et Financier and L512-6 and 512-7 du Code des Assurances (assureur MMA).

For information about Blevins Franks France SASU in French click on the button FRENCH VERSION on the right of this section.

Speak to Blevins Franks to take full advantage of the tax and investment opportunities available to British expatriates living in France. Arrange a free consultation with a local adviser.