In terms of banking, there are a few options open to expats living in France. Some choose to maintain an existing account in their home country, which can be useful for things like paying recurring bills back home. Others choose to open an international account with their existing bank, which may eliminate or reduce penalties … Read more

A new year brings new changes to the French Tax system. They are not as dramatic as they have been in some previous years, but there are still some significant changes.The biggest ones are the introduction of a PAYE system for income tax, and a reduction to social charges on investment income for many retired … Read more

The French government is in the process of a total pension revamp. Currently, there are two main compulsory pension plans: ARRCO and AGIRC. AGIRC applies primarily to white-collar employees, while ARRCO applies mostly to blue-collar staff. These French pension plans are funded by employer and employee social security contributions. Pension benefits for public sector workers … Read more

We know that one of the pitfalls of expat life can be wrapping your head around the taxes and paperwork of your new home country. Let’s face it, taxes can be complicated enough even if you’ve lived in the same country for your whole life! So getting used to a whole new system that works … Read more

Being a legal resident of France gives you access to a wide variety of benefits, including a number of childcare facilities. As an expat family, you can make use of several family entitlements by applying for child allowance, family income support, single parent allowance or housing allowance. In certain cases (mainly family allowance), you may … Read more

French pension rules are complex and have been changed in recent years – and more changes are planned. Typically, a French pension is available to those expats who have lived and worked in the country for a number of years and meet a set of conditions. The French social security system, or sécurité sociale, is … Read more

This guide contains information on the following taxes: • Income Tax – Currently no PAYE system (due to be introduced in 2018)• Social security contributions (which will be automatically deducted by employer from your wage)• Inheritance tax• Tax on Goods and Services (VAT)• Capital gains taxAs a French resident you will have to pay tax … Read more

France is one of the most popular expat and tourist destinations in the world because of its rich culture, high standard of living, modern infrastructure and unique cuisine. However, compared to many other countries in Europe, the cost of living in France is considerably higher. One exception is the UK, which is more expensive than … Read more