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ali-cat

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    Tax Return - Not FAQs

    in French Finance

    Posted

    Hello All

    Two quick questions on the tax return - not totally covered in the Tax FAQs and I haven't read any discussion in other threads - but apologies if I missed them.

    Interest on savings. 

    We have to declare interest on savings from two sources - an offshore savings account where the interest is paid gross of tax; and a much smaller amount from our UK current account where tax is already paid.  Is the total amount of interest (gross) entered in box TS of form 2047k regardless of whether of not tax was paid in the UK (the FAQs suggest you can then request your UK bank to pay interest gross in the future) or is there another place on the form to enter interest where tax is already paid?

    Plafond Epargne Retraite

    Last year's Avis details various allowances before cotisations are due (as I read it) made up of a 2005 figure and then allowances not used in 2004, 2005 and 2006 (we moved to France in mid-2006).  I suspect these have little relevance to us but would appreciate some explanation if anyone has one?

    Many thanks in advance

    Mr Cat

     

    Exchange rate for Tax purposes

    in French Finance

    Posted

    Last year we made our first tax return for 2006 having become resident for tax purposes in late July 2006.  We have regular monthly income from pensions plus interest on savings which is calculated at the end of the financial year.  Our monthly income is received into our UK current account and 90% of this is transferred to our French current account at a pre-arranged exchange rate via a currency transfer broker.

    For 2006 I calculated the exchange rate on our monthly income as the rate given to us by the currency transfer company which must be correct as this is the actual rate received.  I felt justified in using this rate for the total montly income as the small amount not transferred just accummulates in our UK current account and to calculate it using a seperate monthly, annual average, or year end rate would just complicate things for little material difference. 

    As for the intrerest on savings - the interest was not calculated and credited to our account until March 2007. I could have not declared any interest received for 2006 however I decided to calculate the notional interest received in 2006 and applied an 'official' year end exchange rate to this.

    I intend to do the same this year for the monthly income (again transferred at a pre-determined rate for the year) and having set the precendent last year I will now have to again estimate the notional interest received for 2007.  Unlike last year however there has been so much fluctuation that I intend to apply the monthly exchange rates from HM Revenue & Customs to the calculated interest received.

    I'm not sure if this is helpful or should act more as a cautionary tale but If anyone wants the monthly exchange rates for 2007 - click on the link (I've checked them against the HM R&C site and they are correct).

    PS - In the context of these rates http://www.vatark.co.uk/exchrate.htm the year end rate of 1.36 looks a little unrepresentative.

    Mr Cat

     

     

     

     

     

    cats to france

    in Pets

    Posted

    I haven't been on the forum for a few days & just caught up with the thread.  The information I gave was not from a site, papers or leaflets - it's just what happened to us.  Our vet knew we were not returning to the UK - yet he waited for the blood test results & it therefore took him 6 months to issue the passports.  Sorry if the info I gave was misleading, but it was what happened to us in 2006 ..... we must have had either a very slow working vet or one who did not follow proper procedure!! [8-)]

    All our cats were also very nervous rescue cats - but it is important to get them chipped for their safety & your peace of mind should they ever wander.

     

    cats to france

    in Pets

    Posted

    [quote user="Jacqui Too "][quote user="ali-cat"]

    Your cats will need to be chipped & vaccinated at least 6 months before you intend to move to France, so the passport can be issued after all the necessary blood tests. 

    [/quote]

    I'm sorry but I have to disagree with you on that statement, That would only apply if they were returning to UK.

    To leave UK you only need to wait 21 days after vaccination before traveling to France

    Edit: This discussed not so long ago: http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1196351/ShowPost.aspx

    [/quote]

    I'm sorry as well - but I have to disagree!!  If you want a passport for your pets a vet will only issue & stamp it after the final blood test results are in - which takes 6 months.  We have no intention of bringing our cats back to NI but our vet still had to wait for the full 6 month period before receiving all the necessary paperwork from DEFRA - nor would the airline have taken them without all the proper hoops jumped through.

    The Things They Get Up To !

    in Pets

    Posted

    [quote user="louis"]Ah I want one now - just to see how my husband gets him off the sofa![/quote]

    [:D]  If you have a sofa left - I know what our 3 moggies have done to ours ..... why use a scratching post when there are much more expensive things to shred!!

    cats to france

    in Pets

    Posted

    Just to agree with what most folks have already said - a pet passport is absolutely necessary, regardless if you intend to return to the UK or not. 

    We would not have been able to bring our 3 cats over to France without passports, as the airline would not have accepted them, without one, for the flights.  They checked everything very thoroughly including the date of their vaccines & the vets medical stamp (on the Clinical Examination page of the passport) to prove they were fit to travel.  They are also very strict about the size & style of cat box they would be traveling in - although I think that may only apply if you are flying them out.

    Your cats will need to be chipped & vaccinated at least 6 months before you intend to move to France, so the passport can be issued after all the necessary blood tests.  The micro-chip can be registered in France when you arrive & unfortunately a case of rabies has recently been reported, so their vaccinations should always be keep up to date, for their own good as well. 

    Neighbours cat

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    [quote user="Lisleoise"][quote user="DebP"]...but I don't know how to get involved.[/quote]

    Have you actually spoken with your neighbour?
    [/quote]

    Speaking to the neighbour could be very difficult as they are evidently neglecting their cat & don't seem to care.  I wouldn't want to approach them about it as it could turn nasty.  If it was possible to contact an animal welfare charity & have them call, without the neighbour knowing who contacted them, I personally think that would be the way to go.  Hopefully Christine will be able to offer sound advice about the best way forward or who to contact.

    Thankfully the poor kitty has someone who does care - good luck DebP & please let us all know how you get on.

    Ladies & Gentlemen, introducing .......Ellie!!

    in Pets

    Posted

    [quote user="Pads"]

    what do the other cats think ? 

    [/quote]

    Penny is still avoiding her as much as possible & has a little growl every once in a while, but there is absolutely no fighting or biting between them & they will sit on the sofa together - albeit at opposite sides!!. 

    Solomon ..... poor Solly!!  Ellie absolutely adores him.  She follows him everywhere - up & down the stairs, round & round the kitchen, in & out of the bedrooms - it is hilarious to watch but she is driving him mad!  Thankfully he is very good with her - having little nose to nose sniffs & even the odd lick etc. but it must be like having a mini stalker so eventually he retreats to the one place she can't get ... on top of the kitchen work-tops.  He will sit there for hours (with her 3 foot below him, gazing up lovingly) with a look of despair on his face.  As far as Ellie is concerned "SOLLY ROCKS!!" [:D]

    A non- fluffy French moment!

    in The Complete France Post Bag

    Posted

    Glad you are ok Twinks & have hopefully fully recovered - with Ricard in hand!!

    Three points I would like to make - 1. You were very brave getting out to face the man in the car.  2.  You were very wise getting back in your car & leaving.  3.  Most important - I can't get the visual image of a flailing armed Twinkle, in a red poncho, out of my head!! [:-))]

     

    Im in the LF pub

    in The Lighter Side

    Posted

    Forget the verbs for a few hours Pads, you've done enough for today!!  It's pub time!!  Hope you don't mind me dropping in - I'm on my 3rd glass & listening to the Man Utd match, whilst trying to entertain a stroppy kitten!!

    The average cost of renting in France?

    in Long Term Letting

    Posted

    Weekly holiday tariffs will be very much reduced for long-term rentals.  You would really need to contact owners to find out what the rate would be - but it should be much lower than the weekly rent you will see advertised on most of the sites.

    We rented for 6 months when we arrived & I would strongly advise anyone to rent before buying a property.  It could save you a lot of money in the long run, rather than rushing in & buying the wrong house, in the wrong location & regretting it.

    If you want any of the internet sites I used, please PM me - but a google search for "long-term rentals, in France" will give you hundreds of hits. [:)]

    Ladies & Gentlemen, introducing .......Ellie!!

    in Pets

    Posted

    Thank you valB & mandycats for such a lovely welcome & comments about our new baby!!  Twinks!!  Please don't worry about her being embarrassed by her state of undress - nothing would embarrass this young lady - she's shameless!! [:-))]

    We had a bit of a scare last night - her bad hip puffed up, so we took her to the vet today.  It turned out to be just a little build up of fluid & nothing serious, once more demonstrating that we are over-anxious parents!!  What we did get though was some very good news!!  The vet thinks the reason she still isn't using her left leg is because she has a trapped nerve & she should have full mobility within 3-4 months of getting the pin out!!  We really hope that is the case as I'm sure life would be a lot easier for her with 4 legs!!

    Funnily enough - it's exactly the same diagnosis I got before Christmas, when I lost the feeling & movement in my left leg - & it's now it's virtually 100% better!!

    A couple of photos - the first will give you an idea of what a little minx she is & one we took tonight (as you can see she's recovered fully from her vet visit!)  [:D] I know I'm biased - but isn't she just gorgeous?!!

    [IMG]http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e332/Livingstone_Mark/Trouble.jpg[/IMG]

    [IMG]http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e332/Livingstone_Mark/Ellie2.jpg[/IMG]

    Official exchange rate for French tax return

    in French Finance

    Posted

    SD

    Can you advise what rate to use if the bulk (90%) of your monthly income was transferred via a currency broker at a pre-arranged rate?  Last tax return I used this rate as it was the rate I actually obtained rather than the month by month rate or officially sanctioned annual average.  As for returns on investments - last return I used the official average annual rate.

    Mr Cat

     

     

    Not a good morning

    in Pets

    Posted

    I'm so sorry to hear such sad news, but please don't feel guilty or try to blame yourself in any way.  If you had taken him to the vet & you had still lost him you would have wished you had kept him at home where he was comfortable.  The "what if's" & "why didn't we's" will probably be with you for quite a while & unfortunately they can never be answered, but you will always know that Billy was happy & loved & you really did all you could for him.

    Whats your cat doing this morning

    in Pets

    Posted

    [quote user="RicandJo"]

    If he still knows us.  Poor sod's been there since August..........[:(]

    [/quote]

    He'll know you ...... but will pretend he doesn't until you have fussed over him & spoilt him rotten.  Cats are masters of emotionally blackmail & will only stop the mental torture once he feels you have suffered enough (& he's had his fill of tasty morsels of salmon, chicken, ham etc.....) - at least that's what ours do!! [:D]

    French Animal Sounds

    in The Complete France Post Bag

    Posted

    [quote user="Gluestick"]

    The dog we sort of share, Buster (who is an absolutely gorgeous Springer), is tri-lingual: so there!

    Since he splits his time nowadays between Andalucia, Nord Pas de Calais and England, he knows that "Where are the cats?" is precisely the same as "¿Dónde están los gatos?" and "Où sont les chats ?"

    Smarter than the average pooch!

    [/quote]

    I've spent the last two days testing the cats on their English & French.  Both language tests came up with the same results ..... they ignored me in both languages, with the same look of contempt on their faces each time. [:@]

    French Animal Sounds

    in The Complete France Post Bag

    Posted

    [quote user="Clair"]ronronronronronronron (breath) ronronronronronron (breath) ronronronronronronronronron (swipe)
    [/quote]

    I've been listening & studying them for 2 days now & there is definitely no ronronron ...... did get the swipe though.  That must be the universally accepted communication method for cats. [:D]

    French Animal Sounds

    in The Complete France Post Bag

    Posted

    I may also, unfortunately, not get to use many of these noises myself - but is it still just me that is concerned about ducks?! 

    Surely any well spoken, articulate duck will emphasis the "ack" at the end of a "quack" & will not say "coin" unless it's coming down with a bad cold or has a blocked nose! 

    I think I may be getting a little fixated on this........ [blink]

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