bigears
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Posts posted by bigears
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hi
The intension was to make it our principal residence so that tax doesn't have to be paid. My limited understanding was that we could declare ourselves as being french residents, file 2 french tax returns and the french house becomes our principal residence. Closer to the time, I will of course seek professional advice. If there is a legal way of not paying tax I would like to find it.
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hi
I, like cathy am not thinking of selling up and returning to the uk. We will in all probability sell our maison secondaire at some point n the future and buy another on the continent, probably again in france. I obviosly want to minimise any tax liability. We will probably go down the route of transfering our residency to france in good time before we do it so as not to incur any tax liability on either side of the channel.
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hi
I don't like the sound of this. Does the notaire inform the uk tax authorities of a house sale involving a uk resident?
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hi
Could someone please clarify. If as a UK resident you sell your maison secondaire here in France and pay CGT (or whatever the french tax people call it) on it, do you still have a CGT tax liability in the UK?
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hi again
Forget travelling back to the UK, my sister in law lost her incapacity benefit after being assessed by a french doctor in Toulouse working on behalf of the UK authorities.
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hi again
I'm surprised that legislation doesn't stiplate an age. My grandson is five and is desperate to ride on my scooter when he is here on holiday. We obviously need a helmet.
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hi
What is the minimum age for a pillion passenger on a french reged bike?
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Hi
just saw this whilst looking at the 2008 UK budget details.
• From April 2010, all long-term recipients of incapacity benefit will attend work capacity programmes.
Wonder how this will work for those living outside the uk.
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hi from tasmaniaBe carefull trying to insure a french resident for use of a uk registered vehicle. Main stream insurance companies like admiral state that each driver has to be uk resident. Talk to them about it directly.
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ernieThe gendarmes are very keen on policing stop signs at junctions. I drive 2 and 4 wheels and always stop before looking for an opportunity to proceed, foot down on my scooter. The exact number of seconds I don't know, just stop then look and move away when clear. I have experienced hidden gendarmes policing this rule, they normally look very disappointed when you stop correctly.
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hi
To my mind, IB is a negative benefit and the number of people on it is a national disgrace. Whatamess, I do not know your or your partners circumstances, nor do I wish to, I'm sure you both can justify why you are both deemed to be incapacitated for the rest of your lives as can all people in your position. It must be a nice feeling not to have to worry, as many on this forum are now doing, about the cessation of health care provision. I know many on IB living the good life in france, it is my opinion from observation, that most are capable of undertaking meaningful work, but I'm no expert. If uk joe public was shown some video footage of the activities some of these people get up to, there would be an outcry. Self esteem is something to do with feeling good about yourself with regard to what type of person you are and how you have conducted yourself. Are you sure you do not want to run a business to make even more money? Best not to broadcast your circumstances unless you are in the company of likeminded people. A very good friend of mine a fireman, who has recently retired, was told for his last ten years of service that he could get out with his bad back condition. He nevertheless soldiered on and retired normally. I have discussed these issues with him and he said he was not that sort of person, he could not do it, perhaps something to do with his self esteem. Good luck to you in your new life in france but please be wary of having this type of discussion in the company of anyone with bigears. I will not take any further part in this discussion.
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hi
If you are incapacitated do you think you can take on such a committment to work? Are you both incapacitated? My sister in law who was early retired as a teacher (with incapacity benefit) was obliged to attend a medical assessment in Toulouse shortly after they moved full time to france and the french doctor pronounced her fit. To be fair, she did not contest the decision and she continues to live an active life renovating properties with my brother. In fact her back is much better than mine. I have met a number of couples in france from the public sector who both have sickness retirement who now live an active healthy life in france. You are classed as retired people because of your incapacity, please do not take the michael out of the rest of us who exited the public services without any benefit. Funnily I have not met people from outside of the public services in such a position.
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hi
we only have our woodburners for heating but I keep looking for a secondhand esse ironheart (think thats the neme). Its a woodburning cooker which also is a heater, the best part is you can see the fire. I personally would not install a central heating sysem based on a woodburner. For heating upstars (we currently don't bother, the heat goes up the ope stairs from the kitchen), I would choose electric heaters. Two sources of heat is a good idea.
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hi
I cannot see the UK adopting the euro. An opportunity was missed a few years ago to sell adopting the euro to the british public. I don't hear any mention of it today. The british press used to ridicule the euro as a serious currency, not any longer. Its a good time for people, who have the facility to move money from their euro account to their sterling account.
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Hi again
Glad to see someone else is trying to keep this thread alive, I though it was almost dead.
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hi
Surely the saga of uk reged cars driving around france 'illegally' can only be dealt with by the french authorities. Until they have a will to deal with it, the situation will continue. May I suggest that people who feel strongly about this, as with other issues, make their feelings felt to the french authorities.
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hi
Llantony, we are in that category. We are early retired (teacher and university lecturer) but not on sickness grounds, so no possibility of e121. We downsized in the uk to a new house which is maintenance free, we already had a maison secondaire in france (still doing it up).. We live between the two. We remain resident in the uk and will do so until my wife is able to get an e121, at that point we will decide what we want to do. From this point in time I will be surprised if we make the move full time to france. For many reasons we both want to keep a uk home indefinately. The uk housing market goes dormant for long periods then it goes daft, we don't want to be in the position of some who cannot afford to go back and live in a house/area of their choice.
We have a french registered (and insured) car and will in the next few weeks purchase a uk registered small car to leave in the uk, as it is technically illegal to use the french registered one in the uk and we prefer to fly backwards and forwards. We use the NHS and also have annual travel insurance (covers us for hazardous activities, very expensive) that covers trips away from the uk for up to 3 months. We travel back to the uk frequently and never spend more than say 2 months at a time in france. My wife, bless her still does some work in the spring/summer in the uk. I keep a note of time we each spend in france (not the same, wife likes the uk more than me, also grandchildren issues). I have used my european health card in france two or three times for minor treatment, dog bite, tick problem and crown falling out twice. For serious problems we would be back in the uk within a day. I do appreciate if we had an accident that might not be possible, then we would use our travel insurance.
We are in fact going back to the uk on friday and will not be returning until mid march. As far as I can see we can prove we are totally above board in all aspects of our life style, I'm sure others will point out any area where they consider we are not, such is the nature of such forums. We do take a number of holidays whilst in france and the uk, any long haul holidays have to start and finish in the uk to abide by the rules of the annual travel insurance. This is our chosen life style, it works for us but perhaps its not everyones cup of tea, unfortunately it doesn't come cheap, we are helped by a son who also lives in our uk house and helps with the running costs.
If you have a house in both countries, there are many issues to consider with regard to taxation, especially if the uk house is worth much more than the french house. We thought very carefully about becoming tax resident in france and for our circumstances decided it wasn't for us.
Llantony I hope that helps, if you want more information use the email facility.
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hi
dexter, I'm sorry to hear of your troubles, for want of a better word. We live in haute vienne for half the year, if we can help you mail me. Unfortunately we are leaving france this week and won't be back until march.
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hi
Athene, I can hear SD driving away. Your friend should be covered by an E121 if she took sickness retirement from teaching, so should be fine. One of the experts on here hopefully will confirm that is the case. You said 'they' were invalided out, do you mean they both had nervous breakdowns and were early retired on sickness grounds?
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Hi
Caroline, I know of a couple who are in a pickle trying to sell their uk home. It is a different situation to you as they are now living in their maison secondaire which they have had for years. The asking price has been dropped twice, still no takers and its costing them 350 - 400 pounds per month to run. They are fully moved to france but they don't want to begin the process of registering as residents until the uk house is sold as there could be complications. Unfortunately, in my opinion, its better not to expose yourself to these stressful and potentially costly situations. I personally would not proceed until your house was finally sold and you had the money. I'm sorry if its not what you want to here. Good luck.
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hi again
ErnieY, I only know about public sector type pensions. I took mine at 55 with a big hit rather than freeze the whole pension until 60. That was what I was referring to. If you are tax resident in france when you finally take such a frozen pension, I believe the lump sum is taxed.
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hi
Thanks for your reply, my brother lives 15 minutes passed Argentat on the aurrillac road. We drive there regularly in the car, in the future we will take the burger. Will have a look at your web site.
Just visited your impressive web site, you are one hour SE of us. We will come and visit/stay with you next spring. We have to leave france next friday, won't be back till mid march. I presume you have secure off road parking for our precious possessions.
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hi
I have read through the replies offered to you here. You have been given some good advice, please consider it carefully. I don't know your personal circumstances, so don't know if this suggestion is possible for you. Please ignore it if its not.
Sell your uk home and buy something (dwelling) much cheaper to live (in uk), preferably with 12 months occupancy and an address (some mobile homes do not have this). Spend time choosing the correct propery for you in france. Develop a lifestyle that suites you between france and the uk. Stay resident in the uk, if you wish you can work in the uk. Be aware that there is the 183 day rule that is part of the criteria that defines residency.
If at some later date a total move to france is what you decide you want to do, do it, at least then you will be making a well informed decision.
Please be aware when/if you become a tax resident in france all the implications of how french tax will affect your wealth, consider the present and the future, look particularly at down the line issues and consider how they will be treated by the imports people. For example its my understanding that frozen pension lump sums, endowment payouts and ISA/PEP income will all be taxed if they appear on a french tax form. Always be aware and be informed. France is a wonderful place to spend quality time but do your homework first.
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hi again
SD, I am visible. Can you not remember the series 'the invisible man'?
night storage heaters
in Shopping
Posted
hi
I have four new (old stock) english storage heaters together with new bricks. Have decided not to install them as we have, for the last 2 years, and will be for as long as money holds out, gone to the southern hemisphere for the winter. If you are interested, I can supply full details. I am in haute vienne.