French Law Consultancy

How French Inheritance Tax Works

French Inheritance Tax law is not something someone thinks of first when acquiring their dream property in France whilst still relatively young. However, if you are looking at acquiring assets in France, you should also be aware of how French inheritance tax works.

Whilst you can elect English law to apply to the distribution of your French estate, you cannot elect English tax upon distribution of the estate. If you live in the UK, French inheritance tax will still apply to your French property even if you reside in the UK. If you live in France, French inheritance tax applies to your worldwide estate, including property outside of France, even if you elect English law.

Get in touch with us and we will help you understand how French inheritance tax works, whether or not it applies to you and your estate, and how to creatively minimise your inheritance tax. We provide an easy to understand explanation of French inheritance tax and creative inheritance tax planning options.

It is important therefore that you understand the French Inheritance Tax consequences of your estate planning and don’t fall prey to problems that can see you or your beneficiaries paying up to 60% inheritance tax upon transfer of a French estate.

We are experts at explaining creative, fully costed legitimate inheritance tax solutions.

We can also discuss, explain and arrange lifetime gifts of French property and liaise with your UK accountant or Solicitor of Independent Financial Advisor to assess the suitability of tax planning in both jurisdictions, and whether the inheritance tax double tax treaty comes into play.

We make the complicated seem simple.

French Law in Plain English. Get in touch with us to discuss your French estate planning.