Investment Advice for Expats in France

For many, starting a new life in France can be a dream come true. But when it comes to taxes and managing your finances, things can quickly become very confusing, especially for those unfamiliar with the French way of life and the complex laws that govern areas such as healthcare, taxes, pensions, and inheritance. This is where Kentingtons come in.

Kentingtons is an independent financial adviser who is able to guide you through the complex world of French financial planning, tax and investments, providing expert financial advice to help expats navigate these complexities. We offer invaluable investment advice for expats in France as well as French residents who are looking to make the most of their financial position. We are here to talk about more than just the must-dos; we’re here to tailor a plan that fits your unique situation with personalised advice. We can mix our knowledge and insights of the French financial system, which is underpinned by robust financial regulations, with a global perspective to ensure your savings and investments work hard for you and are as tax-efficient as possible.

When people move to France, for many expats it is common to have tax questions, however, not everyone considers the actions that they need to take with their savings and investment strategy; many preferring to leave their money where it is, that being familiar and comfortable. This is where sound independent financial advice is important.

Why Plan for French Tax When Moving to France?

Sticking with what is familiar may be comfortable, however, it may also cost you dearly in excessive tax, administration troubles and conflict with the French tax authorities. Becoming a tax resident in France means you may have to pay tax on your worldwide income. UK ISAs, for example, are not recognised in France.

Tax residents are determined by criteria such as the number of days spent in France, having your main residence in the country, and holding economic interests such as owning a business or financial assets in France. Failing to meet the correct criteria or misunderstanding your tax resident status can lead to unexpected tax liabilities.

It is essential to review your tax position before moving to France to ensure compliance and avoid unexpected liabilities.

French Tax Friendly Investment Structures

Using tax-friendly investment structures, including a range of investment options and investment vehicles such as assurance vie, can save considerable tax (income tax, inheritance tax, capital gains tax) for French residents and drastically reduce administration, not to mention ensuring compliance with French law.

These structures offer significant tax benefits, tax reductions, and favourable tax implications for expats, making them especially attractive for those seeking to optimise their wealth in France.

Investments and assurance vie are popular choices for expats seeking to optimise their financial planning in France.

French Qualified Financial Advice That is Regulated and Authorised in France

As French qualified and regulated advisers, with significant UK and international knowledge, Kentingtons can help you with your savings and investments by providing specialist advice tailored to the unique needs of expats, as part of your overall French financial planning. We can explain how your savings and investments will be assessed if they remain where they are, and the tax avoided by following our advice and doing something tax friendly. The difference in taxation can be notable.

Kentingtons can also help you develop effective investment strategies and recommend suitable investment funds for expats in France, ensuring your portfolio is optimised for long-term growth and tax efficiency.

French Tax Friendly Whilst Thinking Global

Tax-friendly does not necessarily mean that the money has to be located in France; however, it must comply with French law to gain generous tax advantages (and, of course, avoid any issues with the French tax authorities).

We offer structures that can be in almost any currency, easily moving between them at minimal cost. When moving money between countries, it is important to manage cross-border transfers efficiently and be aware of international transfer fees, as these can impact your overall costs. Traditional banks are often used for international transfers due to their accessibility and security, but they typically charge higher fees and have slower processing times compared to online transfer services. Moreover, we consider what happens if / when you leave France, ensuring that it continues to be viable if you choose to move to the UK.

Paperwork is offered in English and there is even tax reporting for the UK, giving you total flexibility and peace of mind. Opening a French bank account is also essential for day-to-day transactions and can help facilitate international transfers, making your financial management in France much smoother.

Investment Philosophy

Our objective is to think low cost, be transparent, be totally impartial, to diversify, focusing on quality. Our investment philosophy aims to maximise investment return and support long-term financial security for expats. As part of our comprehensive approach, Kentingtons can help with tailored investment strategies, retirement planning, and pension planning. If you would like to know more about our investment management philosophy, please follow this link.

Advantages of Being a Client of Kentingtons

We offer a free consultation to all prospective clients, providing an easy and no-cost way to discuss your needs and explore how we can help.

Many privileged premium services that Kentingtons provide are exclusive to investment clients, at no extra cost. Kentingtons does not offer standalone tax advice, however, as a client, if you need a tax study, for example, you are selling a property, we will do detailed Capital gains Tax computation for you, and it is all simply just part of the service. We also help clients identify and claim any available tax credits and manage any potential tax charge on their investments.

Our financial planning services are always designed with tax efficiency in mind, ensuring you benefit from optimal tax outcomes.

Exclusivity

Because of the premium advantages that come with being a client of Kentingtons, our service is exclusive to those with a minimum of €350,000 in liquid assets. This enables us to serve fewer clients, so we have more time for you, whilst keeping costs as low as possible. Our services are particularly suited for expats, UK nationals, and French citizens seeking tailored financial advice. For expats moving to France, establishing legal residency and obtaining health insurance are important steps to ensure compliance with French regulations and access to essential services.

If you wish to know more about becoming a client of Kentingtons and what wealth management advice we can provide, please do contact us.

The information on this page is intended only as an introduction only and is not designed to offer solutions or advice. Kentingtons can accept no responsibility whatsoever for losses incurred by acting on the information on this page.