How clear do you want it to be. It is a warning to people who file a tax return in France; if you do that it applies to you, if you don’t it doesn’t.
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How odd becausd the questions about non French accounts and assurance vie contracts have been on French income tax declarations for ages.
The least you tell them the better? (sic) I think that more than a few would disagree with that attitude.
You do what you like, I presume you’re an adult. I think you would be a fool to misrepresent your financial position on a tax return but as you know the world is full of fools.
How funny! It really doesn’t matter if you saw them or not - they are clearly there and ignorance of the law is no defence of the law.
I think we’ve been here before…
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If that’s a long time ago, it could well have been before the obligation to declare overseas accounts was introduced. But if you want to avoid hassle you have to obey the rules as they are today, rather than the rules as they were 20 years ago. Especially since UK banks share information with the French authorities, so they will find out sooner or later. Laying yourself open to penalties, for the sake of ticking a box and writing a few numbers on a form, goes against all common sense IMHO.
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This post seems to go round and round… but here is my take on the situation regarding French Tax Forms:
It IS essential to declare ALL bank accounts if you wish to avoid problems with the French authorities.
It is NOT essential to declare All bank accounts if you are prepared to run the risk of being found out by the French authorities.
Seems clear enough to me…
Not the best idea when the automatic exchange of information process begins this September.
Simon … “you might very well think that, I couldn’t possibly comment” 
I didn’t say it was a good idea. 
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My experiences in this area (YMMV)… I had an old UK ISA before I moved here that I’d forgotten about, hence it had gone dormant (and was paying next to no interest), so I asked Graham for advice on the safest way to sort this… He helped me out with a letter to explain my mistake and declarations for the accounts, which I submitted via the contact form on impots portal. They responded 2 days later, telling me to simply declare the 2016 interest on the 2017 return… 
hello from the Annecy region!
I have tried for months to get a British friend who is french resident to take off her blinkers and DECLARE her UK ISA’s and Premium Bonds. Eventually I showed her this article and she got in touch with Graham. At the same time I asked him a simple question myself.
For those who are dithering, do talk to Graham, he is human, sensible, gives clear explanations, and I personally have not paid for his help. Even if you DO pay, the man deserves his salary, and I bet it’ll be cheaper than the French fines!
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Hi, I was wondering what happens in the case of having power of attorney on foreign accounts. My father lives in South Africa and is a businessman in his early seventies. He has a couple of accounts in various countries - all declared and above board. I have power of attorney on some of them as he wants someone to be able to access the accounts in the event that something should happen to him. Would I have to declare these to the french tax authorities ? The accounts are not in my name, but my name appears as the person having power of attorney on the accounts. I don’t use the accounts and never have, but I’ve often wondered if I need to mention these as technically having power of attorney gives you almost the same rights as the account holder
Hi Louna. Not a problem for you. You are not the accoumt holder and I presume that there is no ‘trust’ involved? Hope this answers your question.
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No, there is no trust involved. Thanks
What about Paypal? and if so how do you declare that on the form? thx
I believe there was a ruling that Paypal accounts used for business must be declared but if they are purely personal use, they don’t.
Paypal has an address in Luxembourg, so I just put that down.
Yep - along with your Paypal business account number.
I have been told by a ‘fiscalist’ contact that Paypal and currency exchange accounts don’t need to be declared. The currency exchange company is certainly of the opinion that they do not need to report accounts. Unsure about ‘business’ Paypal accounts.
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I seem to remember several years ago, when the overseas account declaration thing first started hotting up, there was a court case about it, Mr Tel-un-tel versus the fisc, and that was the ruling. It was widely reported at the time and AFAIK nothing has changed. I imagine the case and the ruling are still google-able.
I don’t see why currency exchange accounts need reporting, they are not new income are they, they are just moving your own money around and that money already has a trail through your bank or whatever. But with paypal accounts you can receive income via paypal, keep it in your account and pay it out again, it never touches any other financial institution and it wouldn’t be recorded anywhere else.
What nationality is a PayPal account?