Discreet B+B

[Calva]

I'm thinking of starting a B+B in my french house in Mayenne. However, like many on here, I don't wish to pay any french taxes. Can anyone please advise me the best way to do this on the quiet. I am recently divorced and the french way of life is my only hope of happinness

[Levelstep]

You are asking advice from other B&B operators on how to break the law? 

Sorry - can't help there.

I am amazed by the audacity of your posting. I could write my reply in much stronger language, but have managed to restrain myself from doing so.

Allan. (Running a B&B and struggling to pay very high French charges).

[Coco]

Allan

I'm firmly in agreement with you.  Calva can only give the likes of you and me, who are trying to make an honest living, a bad name.  However, what can you expect from someone who can't even spell discrete.

[Calva]

Coco - Oh no!!! my spell check didn't work!!!

Alan - please believe me -  didn't mean to offend you - but I'm just finding it so hard at the moment. Husband - gone... but my kids make up for it - I need to look after them. There must be a way  - I was just hoping that this friendly forum would be able to help rather than judge.

I'm sure that I'll find a way - certainly the sunny weather today as helped me to see that there must be a way through all of this.

Thanks anyway

 

Calva

 

xx

 

[alencon]

Petty, I know, but 'discreet' versus 'discrete' had me puzzled so I checked my dictionary.

discreet= capable of maintaining a prudent silence

discrete=individually distinct

So, I think she was correct in context! Naive to post though desparate times are no excuse. You pay high tax and social security payments (in part) to fund and assist when you've been left high and dry by your partner and you have children to look after. If times are difficult you should go to the CAF for assistance until your cicumstances improve, not try and fiddle the system.

[Ian Hoare<br>All the best<br>Ian<br>La Souvigne Corrèze<br>http:www.souvigne.com]

Hi Calva,

I am afraid that I'm very firmly of the camp that one shouldn't try to break the law. Firstly because it's wrong, (which isn't THAT serious perhaps) but much more importantly, because it won't work. Just think about it. How will you let people know you are running a B&B, without the tax man finding out? Don't you think the local villagers will know? Do you hope that no one will be chatting about you in the local bar?

What's more, you might be pleasantly surprised to find out how modest french income taxes are when you've got a moderate income. Just for your information, if you declare your B&B as a micro-bic (I think it's called) which is the usual status of a Chambre d'Hote then you only get taxed on 25% of your declared income. And if you've got dependant children, each counts as half a person for calculating tax levels. So (taking some random figures) If you have 3 children and are making €18k (a very good income from B&B alone) a year, then first of all only €4.5k will be considered to be taxable. Then the family calculation comes into play. With 1 adult and three dependant children under 18, you would have 1+3*.5 family members for tax purposes. So 4.5k/2.5 = €1800. That's the income level at which the tax man will be calculating your rate of income tax. Well, that's zero. So you'd pay no income tax. You would, however have to find csg, but again you may be able to get allowances to help.

So, by all means try to run a B&B, but do it properly. Get registered with Gites de France or Clevacances, declare your income and _join the system_. Don't imagine that it's a good idea to try to live in the shadows. Firstly it's dishonest, why SHOULD others pay for the services you want to be able to continue to use? Secondly it is inefficient, you will NEVER get people coming if you can't advertise properly, and thirdly it cannot work for long, so sooner or later you'll get the "fisc" descending upon you like a ton of bricks, and they DON'T joke.

[Battypuss]

As I have said before, I don't run anything. But if I did, I would do it legally. As a single parent myself, with no discernable income...left high and dry some 9 years ago in the back of nowhere, I suppose I could have found some dubious sort of employment. But having the children stopped me from even considering it _ imagine what would happen if you, as a person breaking the law, were taken into custody? Yeah, doesn't bear thinking about.

We have no family to help us and frequently (read 99% of the time) live hand to mouth. But having children means you have to take other things into consideration.

The CAF are pretty helpful if they figure you are telling the truth, and Social Workers CAN put all sorts of help your way but please, think carefully before embarking on a scheme which could well end in worse than tears. Honesty has to be the best policy!

[mascamps.com]

Aside from the legal issue, you're crazy to try and opt out of the French tax system simply because they'll almost certainly pay you more than you'll be paying them. Considerably more if you've got kids.

If you are doing CdH this summer, you need to get going on your advertising right away or you'll not have any guests staying.

 

Arnold

 

[Cerise]

Hi Calva

Sympathise with your feelings of panic, as being left high and dry and penniless is not funny - I know, I've been there. 

However, we run our B & B legally and we would have to be earning a lot more than we have so far to pay any tax.  I think you will probably find - as Ian says - that you can operate legally and pay no tax, so why not find out.  Be aware that it is very hard work and if your children are very young you may not find it physically possible if you are on your own.  However lovely your children are, your holidaymakers may not want them around all the time.

Hope you manage to find a solution.  Don't be too proud to ask for help and don't be tempted to operate illegally, that may just add to your problems.  I wish you every luck in finding a way out of your current predicament.

Best wishes

Maggi