IFP Forums

[Kevin Woodard]

Over the next few days all our registered users will receive a copy of our new, bi-weekly IFP Newsletter. Inside, you will be able to find news, information and advice about buying property and living in France. Whether you have yet to buy, own a second home, or you are resident, we are sure you will find something that will be of interest to you.

We will also keep you updated on what our development team have been working on, and the many new features that will be appearing on our website over the coming months.

Once you have received your newsletter, please use this thread to provide us with any comments, suggestions or feedback you may have.

[User35843]

I have been looking everywhere for a comprehensive guide to setting up a business in France. Thank you IFP for a very informative and objective guide.

[Lynette Allen]

Thanks for the informative newsletter. My partner and I have already bought our house in France and are in the middle of renovation work now, we should be moving in properly, (with our dog!), soon!

[Ben Sanders]

Thanks for the feedback, it is always welcome.

We are aiming to release another batch of guides this month, and then, one each month thereafter. They will cover a wide range of topics relating to property, living, travelling and working in France

I hope you will find our future guides just as useful.

Best regards,

[Jacquie Lieberman]

I have just been reading the Write up on Broadband availability for rural areas in France. We are an ISP who provide Broadband via satellite to remote areas and wondered if there are any grants available to help people in these areas.
The equipment has come down in price over the last couple of years and we have installed our equipment in France for some customers, but im not sure that a lot of people know this service exists.
Jacquie
www.ethnetuk.com

[Kevin Woodard]

Thank you for your comments Jacquie.

There is no national system of assistance, but some regional councils offer limited help to particular groups e.g. disabled. Anyone interested would probably best advised to ask their local Mairie in the first instance....

[Sheila Wilson]

Thanks for the interesting info in today's newsletter. It was indeed sunny when I was in Aix at the beginning of the month!

The article on small businesses particularly interested me, as I'm a freelance English trainer, and I quite agree that it pays to study all the possibilities before starting up. However, I think the terminology used may be a little confusing and misleading. 'Microentreprise' is the tax structure available to any small business with revenues of less than 28,000 euros (approx). It can by a BIC (commercial) or a BNC (non-commercial).

Within this structure, you can choose between the 'régime simplifié' (the one referred to as the 'microentreprise' in the article, with a fixed percentage of income representing expenses) or the 'régime réel' where you calculate the actual expenses incurred over the year. If you opt for this 2nd régime, you are still a microentreprise!

Certainly, it can be worth opting for the 'régime réel' if your actual expenses are higher than the fixed percentage allowed for, and if you opt for using professional accounting services then this expense results in a lower tax bill, as this expense is covered by a special tax incentive. However, if you choose the wrong one all is not lost, as you can switch later (various restrictions apply). Just make sure you keep complete records of all expenses if you think you might want to change retrospectively from 'simplifié' to 'réel'.

[Ed.]

Hi Sheila,

Thank you for your feedback.

It is certainly true to say that a micro-entreprise can opt to change their tax status to régime réel, but micro is a distinct tax status, so a business cannot be both micro and régime réel.

Those wishing to change their tax status need to do so by 1st Feb on their first year, and the régime réel then applies for a minumum of two years.

[ronwoodcraft]

I've been searching everywhere for such a great guide. Thanks for great advice. There is maybe lots of information in French but it's hard to find quality advice in English. I also found some very good sites that list property in france , but nobody is as objective as you guys. Thanks a lot for a great consulting work!