Hi All Warning - technical tax question coming. Skip this thread if you don't like taxes! I currently live in Bulgaria. It's a low tax country which suits me fine, but I got a bit fed up here and I am thinking of a move, maybe to France. All my assets are owned by a foundation, of which I am a beneficiary. Whilst I live in Bulgaria, so long as the foundation keeps the income I won't be taxed on it. I would only be taxed if the foundation were to pay me a "donation". So, for the tax aware among you, how would a move to france affect me? Firstly there is the question of residence. As I understand it, most places in the EU, you are tax resident where you maintain your centre of life. That in fact is the argument the UK tax office used against that poor sod who had been living in Jersey 3/4 of every year the last 30 years and now has to pay 30 million pounds of back taxes. They said he never really left he UK for tax purposes, regardless of the fact that he obeyed the old rules on tax residence. Could I maintain a centre of life in Bulgaria whilst living in France most of the time? What if I were not to make any connection with France at all and were just to live in my girlfriend's French place? Would the tax office seek me out if I was not even registered in France? What are my obligations for registration? Secondly - assuming I cannot evade the iron clutches of the French taxman, if the foundation were not to pay out any income to me and I were to live on personal savings, would the French tax system hold me liable for taxation on the foundation's income? Sorry for teh tecnical nature of the questions. I am just hoping there are some people who have already been in the same boat as me and already know. Peace to all :)
