I think the tontine is the only option else my wife assuming she succeeds me won’t be able to move house if she wants to or needs to.
Approximately €1.28 in loose change; yes.
The above is what we went for, although it was called Donation Entre Epoux, the possibility of Tontine to disinherit offspring I didn’t think was possible in France. I have always understood that it was a basic tenet of French law that you cannot dis-inherit the kids. Too late for me now but I would be interested to know if the law has changed on that score.
My Usufruct means that everything we owned is mine to do with as I wish, until I die, and at that point everything is distributed amongst ‘the successors’. Half to my 2 children and the equal half to Fran’s 3.
There is a glaring and very important exception to this, I cannot sell the house without their permission and, I must give half the proceeds to her successors, immediately. A notaire has told me that if I want to free myself of those 3 the best way is to make them an offer to buy their half.
After thinking about it, as I don’t want to move, I think why give them the benefit of my labours over 30 years when I can live here without any connection with them for the rest of my life?
Don’t use SCI in your scenario. The only problem with a tontine is that if you go first and your wife takes on all the assets then when she dies your son will be hit with high tax as not a blood relative.
With usufruit your wife can move but will need permission of your children and their agreement to continue to house her.
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