scrb11

What do you have to do to get a residency visa for a year?

Also instead of a full year, how about up to 3 months first, so you don't have to go through the visa process?

Maybe a vacation rental so you don't have to worry about signing up for utilities, Internet, etc.

I would think there are agencies, besides the ones mentioned already, which specialize on helping expat Americans, even if you pay a premium for their services.

I think the appeal for Americans moving to Europe isn't just the one location they move to but the chance to visit so many other places within a 2-hour flight.

henricat

If you want to live in France for more than 90 days, there could be tax implications, although there is a tax treaty with the US. And at what point would your estate be subject to the French inheritance regime. If I were contemplating this, I would ask an expert, not those of us on Fodors.

StCirq

Why is "the tax issue"so complex?I It isn't for us, and we live in France and derive income from the USA.

scrb11

Do you pay French taxes on your US income?

Do you get health care in the French system?

emily71

Double taxation is a PITA.

Have you thought about a shorter time period. I agree with another poster that France can be quite isolating if you don't know French. As for meeting people, it takes time to build up a friendship.

I would also post at the expats forums as they can give more RL implications of a move. Good luck/

StCirq

Do you pay French taxes on your US income?

No

Do you get health care in the French system?

Yes

scrb11

So you're a French citizen or have some kind of permanent visa and without paying taxes, you get health care?

Maybe for paying property or other types of taxes than income taxes?

StCirq

I have an Irish passport (as well as an American one). I have no revenues generated in France. I pay U.S. taxes for income generated in the USA.

I pay taxes foncières and taxes d'habitation.

danon

"agree with another poster that France can be quite isolating if you don't know French. As for meeting people, it takes time to build up a friendship."

Any place would be isolating without a solid knowledge of the language.
Meeting the locals / building up friendships might be easier in a small town than in a big city.
Not so sure. Many ex- pats turn to other ex- pats
for obvious reasons.

StCirq

<<Meeting the locals / building up friendships might be easier in a small town than in a big city>>

Maybe, maybe not. There's not a soul here other than the part-time Canadians and our British friend up the road who speaks more than a few words of English.

But then, this isn't even really a town, just a commune. In the nearest town there are a fair number of English speakers, at least shopkeepers and some café owners.

Cathinjoetown

St Cirq, Aren't you required to file French income tax even if you don't owe anything? We filed and reported pensions and Social Security originating in the States and the UK and paid taxes on the private pensions and US SS but not on UK state pensions (I think).

We did not report investment, inheritance or other income not brought in to France. Ended up owing between 1-2k € per year. I may have to scream now if we over paid.

scrb11

If you transfer money to a French bank account, maybe they'll find a way to tax that?

If paying €1-2k gets you health care coverage, I think it would be worth it.

Otherwise, don't see the benefit of paying taxes both in the US and in France.

StCirq

Yes, we have to fill out and file income tax forms, even though we owe nothing. Almost all of our assets have been transferred to French accounts. We are not taxed by our French banks. Our taxes foncières and taxes d'habitation come to about 1500€ a year. We are also entitled to deductions on the taxes we do pay because of the age of the house we are renovating and the types of improvements we are making.

Cathinjoetown

scrb,

As far as I can see, there's no "benefit" to filing and/or paying income taxes in both the US and France. The US requires its citizens to file federal income tax returns no matter country of residence. And, we were obligated to file in France as we had permanent residence status.

We had health insurance through a reciprocal retiree agreement between France and the UK which kicked in when my husband, a UK citizen, reached age 65. Prior to that, we were required to carry full private health insurance.

It is a very good system, much cheaper than Medicare and certainly excellent care.

st cirq,

Sounds like you two are more on the ball than we were. Well, water under the bridge now.

scrb11

What happens with Brexit though?

I saw a short BBC segment about all the UK expats in Spain. They all had no desire to return to the UK but didn't know if Brexit would force them back.

Cathinjoetown

Unclear at this point.

kerouac

There is a bilateral agreement between France and the United States to exempt people from double taxation.

Cathinjoetown

K,

That's true and why I emphasized "file". In the seven years we lived in France we never paid double.

It just appears in retrospect that we might not have taken advantage of some allowances or deductions available in France. We were aware of some that either didn't apply to our property or were available only below our income threshold.

And that's fair.

StCirq

According to our latest visits to the Trésor Publique du Bugue and the Direction Générale des Finances Publiques, we are entitled up to 16,000€ per year in deductions (Form 2042 QE) for dépenses pour la transition énergétique dans l'habitation principale. Of course, we have to meet their criteria for green energy, isolation thermique, double-paned windows and doors, water softeners, and a few hundred other things. And we of course have to provide signed and paid factures and certificats where applicable. We can go back and claim for a period of 2 years, too (which is good because a year ago I wasn't entirely aware of the details of all this). You can even get all of your taxes exonerés if you have little or no income, even if you own and live in a property. Our neighbor did that when her husband took off and he stopped paying child or any other support.

Not only that, but during the 5 years when the house was vacant and I was in the USA dealing with deaths and illnesses and divorces and trying to sell my house in the USA in a lousy market and did not receive any tax bills (and frankly wasn't even thinking about them), our taxes (duh) accumulated to a frightening amount, but my notaire managed to get it reduced to 1/3 of what it was and get us on a payment schedule over 6 months. I just paid the first of the tax-arrears bill this morning. So my experience has been that if you can take on the French bureauacracy in a friendly but persistent manner, they are very willing to be gracious and accommodating.

I don't know of what possible use this info could be to anyone, but there you have it.

suze

Interesting thread. And I wish you good luck making this happen! Exciting idea.

Meeting people would be of zero worry to me. You can do that anywhere with a little bit of effort. Starting with the other people in your daily French class -haha.