RSI and BIC/BNC Activite

Employed & Self Employed Auto/Micro-Entrepreneurs
1

Hi all,


This is my first post so please bear with me..


We are having major problems with RSI who have given us wrong advice and have been less than helpful over the last couple of years. My wife started a business three years ago buying in glass and acrylic beads, aluminium wire, findings etc, making costume jewellery and selling it at markets and fetes. We were told by RSI that she came under the BNC regime. This meant that she got an 'allowance' of 34% to cover all cost and then paid cotisations on the remainder. (Between 50% and 54%!)


After two years she joined the Auto Entrepreneur scheme and it would now appear that she is under the BIC scheme as we are being asked to declare either 'Vente de merchandises' and/or 'Prestation de services'. My question is should she be declaring under 'Vente de merchandises' or 'Prestation de services' for this activity? We have contacted RSI a number of times and each time we get a different answer.


We have a very good French friend who has finaly got a response from RSI (after nearly a year, five reistered letters and numerous phone calls) and hopefully things will be sorted out and we might get a large reimburssement. In the mean time we have to fill in the quarterly return and it would be helpful to put the income in the right box.


Any help would be much appreciated before all my hair falls out...

2

I found writing to RSI was a waste of time, one visit and they agreed I was due a refund but it did take another 3 months to actually see the money.

You might want to have a look at Valerie LEMIERE'S site http://www.startbusinessinfrance.com/ She has a lot of useful info and links.

3

I cannot answer your question, but it may be nice for you to know that you are not alone . We have been pushed pillar to post for a number years. Each time we ask a different answer is given and the previous answer "was given incorrectly Monsieur " .
Eventually after 4 or so years they decided that we were registered at the wrong office! So all moved to another ‘branch’ a few miles along the road.
My wife is fluent (teaches in schools here as AE) .
Basically ‘they’ do not like the AE scheme as it is “so complicated” many of the staff do not understand it themselves, hence all the conflicting advice…
Ours seems to have settled now, and as my wife has ‘got to grips’ with it herself she now explains ‘what and why’ to them each time returns are handed in.
Stick with it, you’ll get there eventually! Good luck.