Profession liberale turmoil

[Linden Arden]

Hi there,

Having spoken to many people and read through many posts on this forum and others I am really no nearer to finding an answer to my question - perhaps someone here could help ??

My wife and I wish to embark on working here in France but are looking to have several (small) income streams from various activities which have little relationship to each other. She would be both a photographer and a Pilates teacher and I would continue in website/graphic design with potentially some journalism income in the future; I am also potentially framing and selling photographic prints and paintings as well.

My question is - what is the best approach for business registering and what would the best tax regime be ? I intend to find a french accountant but I am interested in getting as much advice before that as possible (despite the fact that much of the advice I have had thus far is, to put it mildly, conflicting)

cheers !

[bigjimbishop]

I have the same problem.

If you are a  'creative' then I'd register as that with the maison des artiste as the tax/social charges are very low. For Artiste libre I think you cannot produce more than 5 similar items for sale.

It seems everyone official (I got this from the horses mouth at the Chambre Commerce and Centre Sociale) says don't earn more than a certain amount and don't tell anyone about the rest. I don't know anyone who declares everything unless very well paid position as functionaire. (they probably take bribes)

Creative types seem to get a better deal than all the others. I'm a composer and the system is very supportive.

If you are creating a Micro Enterprise beware. You must do it in the right order. Chambre Commerce is NOT necessarily the first port of call. It might be the SASTI or some other advisory department depending on your activity. Generally the Centre social is good but more for getting the ball rolling for Assurance Maladie and CAF (child benefit).

Good luck

[Will]

Multi-tasking like that is rare in France and the system cannot easily cope with it. Profession liberale might not be the right regime, certainly not for framing prints (normally this would be an artisan, under the Chambre de Metiers) or selling them (a commercant, under the Chambre de Commerce). I agree that getting the order of doing things right could prove crucial.

I think the best advice you are likely to get out of this forum is to see that accountant as soon as possible. Or just work on the black of course, like many do (though we could not possibly recommend that).[;-)]

[shimble]

it would appear that artist libre is a flexible and good statueto have i am in a similar position and intend to go down this road i had a french accountant and would not recommend him to my worst enemy look more in the direction juridique

[Linden Arden]

Thanks for the feedback people - as the bulk (for want of a better term) of the vast wheelbarrow loads of cash we are intending to earn in the middle of the french countryside will come from Pilates and website design, I think we will go down the professionalle liberale route, any other minor income can be run through these activities (or not) - we are heading down into Limoges today to throw ourselves into the pitying arms of the URSAFF staff.

What I find fascinating is that even talking to intelligent, professional French people from the cities, the concept of up front charges to small businesses struggling for revenues seems to be perfectly acceptable - the causal link between economic growth and small business growth seems to pass them by as does the concept of large businesses one day having been small businesses, yet everyone agrees there are no jobs and the unemployment rate is too high...trés bizarre (as they probably wouldn't say)

[Mark]

You're in luck Linden.  Having read your last post, I've just registered a vast wheelbarrow manufacturing business with the C de C.  Perhaps we could strike a deal?

It's Thatcher's fault I'm like this....