EXPAT CPA

We are preparing French taxes for expats living in France and are helping to set up a business in France. Our clients hail from all parts of France – bankers and artists in Paris, mountain guides in Chamonix, professors from Provence and Bordeaux and wine-makers from Champagne.

Our partners have worked for a significant number of years for one of the 4 leading international firms of accountants, enabling the firm to undertake assignments with significant exposure to international standards. They both have experience in France and USA and they speak French, Russian and English.

Over the years, our firm has developed and consolidated a network of experts to assist our clients.

Our Prices

Expat tax return : starting at 200€

Setup a business : starting at 300€

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MEMBER FIRM OF THE ORDER OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS

OUR  ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS

There are three qualifications that determine if an expat is considered to be a French resident.

Meeting any of the following requirements is sufficient to qualify as a tax resident.

  • The primary home of the family is within a territory of France, or if there is no family home the primary residence location is within French territory. The further definition is spending over 183 days within France, or having spent more of their time within France than another foreign country.
  • The primary professional activity or employment is derived in France. If there are professional activities taking place in several countries, a person is a French resident when most of their activities occur in France.
  • A person’s center of activity for economic purposes is in France.

In France, “family units” are taxed. Married couples are required to submit a joint return.

A tax treaty is a bilateral agreement made by two countries to resolve issues involving double taxation of passive and active income. Tax treaties generally determine the amount of tax that a country can apply to a taxpayer’s income, capital, estate, and wealth.

You can find the one applicable in France here : https://www.impots.gouv.fr/portail/les-conventions-internationales

French taxes are based on a calendar year.
The date of payment depends on residency status, the location of the taxpayer, and how taxpayers file their taxes.

Residents who file paper returns must submit them by the 30th of May. For residents who e-file, their returns are due in June on one of three dates – the 9th, the 16th, or the 23rd, dependent on the taxpayer’s address. And non-residents are required to submit their taxes by the 30th of June.

Rates per household

Below €9,700 0%
From €9,711 to €26,818 14%
 From €26,818 to €71,898 30%
 From €71,898 to €152,260 41%
Beyond €152,260 45%

Under French law, all income will be subject to tax unless it is specifically excluded by the tax authorities. The tax rates in France are progressive.

In France, there is a standard 10% exclusion on Income. Non-residents are not able to claim this exclusion. Their  is also a minimum tax rate of 20%.

This tax regime applies to individuals who were not residents of France during the five calendar years prior to being hired in a company based in France which recruits them:

  • either the employee is “recruited by a company” that has links with the original company based abroad [intra-group] transfer. These links may relate to share capital, or be legal or commercial in origin… This applies, inter alia, to employees who are posted or made available as part of an intra-group transfer, for instance, from a foreign parent company to a subsidiary based in France ;
  • or the employee is directly recruited abroad for a position in a company in France [external hire].

The expatriate regime provides entitlement to income tax exemptions on:

  • expatriate bonus ;
  • 50% of income from investments from foreign sources ;
  • 50 % of certain intellectual and industrial property rights from foreign sources  ;
  • 50 % of capital gains on the sale of securities and ownership interests from foreign sources.

A resident of France for tax purposes, is taxed on the worldwide income. International  tax treaties can exclude some income types. However, when excluded income must still be taken into account when determining the French tax rate applicable.

The gain is equal to the difference between the sale price and the purchase price or the declared value, when the property was received by donation or inheritance . The real estate capital gains regime varies according to the sale price, the nature of the property and the duration of the holding.

The tax brackets are as follow:

Holding period Deduction rates each per year
Tax base on income		 Deduction rate per year
Base for social contributions
Under 6 years 0 % 0 %
From the 6th to the 21st year 6 % 1.65 %
22nd pass year 4 % 1.60 %
Beyond the 22nd year Exemption 9 %
Beyond 30thyear Exemption Exemption

They are capital gains tax exemptions

Property sales escaping the tax on real estate gains are recorded in the II et III de l’article 150 U CGI.

In particular, exempt :

  • The sale of the principal residence and its immediate dependencies needed and sold simultaneously or nearly simultaneously;
  • The sale of a right of raising the conditions of the article 150 U II-9 CGI ;
  • The sale of a property located in France by non-resident taxpayers under certain conditions (CGI art. 150 U II-2 à 9 et III)
  • The capital gains realized on the occasion of the sale of goods for a price less than or equal to €15,000 for a single person, €30,000 for a couple;
  • Those carried out on the occasion of the sale of property held for over 30 years.
  • The sale of a property in the case of expropriation under the terms of reinvestment (CGI art.150 U II-4)
  • The sale by retired or disabled modest (CGI Art. 150 U III)

We definitely stand behind the work that we do. If you are ever questioned by the French Tax Administration about a return that we prepared, we will review the letter for you and advise on the course of action that should be taken.

Specifically:

  • If we made a mistake in your return, we will find an amended return free of charge (this is a very, very rare occurrence).
  • If the return we prepared is correct but the French Tax Administration still has some questions about it, we’ll advise on the best and simplest way for you to handle their inquiry. It may be as simple as calling them and speaking to an agent or mailing a letter to the agency.
  • If the French Tax administration disagrees with the figures you provided us that were used to prepare the return (for example you omitted income from sale of bonds), we can file an amended return for you (this would be a payable service as you had not provided us correct information).
  • In very rare cases the French Tax administration might audit you. In that case we can offer you our Representation Service – whereby we would take on your case and deal with the agency on your behalf.

You can find several tax calculators on the French government tax website www.impots.gouv.fr. These include:

  • An income tax calculator
  • A wealth tax calculator
  • A travel expenses calculator
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PRESENTATION OF OUR TAX SERVICE FOR EXPATRIATES

We are a firm of public accountants providing  tax and accounting services to expats and  subsidiaries of international companies.

INDIVIDUAL

€17/month
  • FOR INDIVIDUALS
  • 1. Tax returns
  • 2. Tax Optimization
  • 3. E-Filing
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BUSINESS

€25/month
  • FOR BUSINESSES IN FRANCE
  • 1. Choice of legal entity
  • 2. Liaison with lawyers and banks
  • 3. Annual financial statement in IFRS, US GAAP and French GAAP
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  • Your accounting is done in France, in Paris and reviewed by a Chartered Accountant.

  • You can meet us at our office without difficulty.

  • We speak fluent French, English and Russian.

  • We answer all your questions over the phone.

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Business Hours

Monday-Friday: 8:00 AM- 8:00 PM

Phone

+33 185 121 112

Email

contact@conseilaudit.com

Conseil & Audit

66 Avenue des Champs-Élysées
75008 Paris

CONSEIL & AUDIT

66 Avenue des Champs-Élysées
75008, PARIS
Phone: +33 185 121 112
Email: contact@conseilaudit.com

CONTACT US

We are listening to all your questions. We are proud to be able to bring you our expertise to help you optimize the management of your wealth.

    I am looking for a chartered accountant specializing in expatriates
    I wish to reduce my taxes in France
    I need advice on how to file my income tax return

    WE MAKE IT EASY

    1. Contact us

    You can give us a call or fill in the form on this page.

    2. Complete Tax Questionnaire

    Best in class questionaire: organized, simple to use.

    3. Sign Engagement Letter

    When we recieve your documents we will analyze your situation and draft an engagement letter. This way our client are 100% aware of job scope and total cost before we get started.

    4. Relax while we work

    After you sign the engagement letter we begin work on your tax return.
    Our normal turnaround time is fifteen business days after you sign the engagement letter.

    5. Pay and Review

    Once you confirm that you are happy with your return we will e-file it on your behalf.

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    About Conseil & Audit

    OUR DNA

    All of our staff are current CPA – we do not have junior staff, and unlike other firms we do not outsource work to data entry firms. All work will be done by your assigned tax preparer, and your return will be reviewed by at least one more CPA (supervisor on the case), and often a second (we randomly select returns to be reviewed by Nicolas himself). We value quality above all – and every return that is released to the client passes a rigorous review process.