I said I would always stay here but I may have to go back because of the inheritance tax ![]()
Oh dear… think things through again and, if you really do have to go back to UK as a resident… give that your best shot.
Hopefully, with careful planning of your finances etc, you might be able to be in France as a Visitor at some stage throughout each year.
You will be able to treasure your time here, knowing that you are doing your overall best to "plan for future events "
Best of luck.
It’s not happening yet but the inheritance tax compared to uk is awful and apparently France doesn’t really like uk Trusts.
I will certainly be able to have long visits in future but there are also many other amazing countries on my bucket list before I kick it!
I never say never. Except in that sentence where I get to say it twice.
But it’s hard to imagine a scenario that would send me back. Eviction perhaps. That said, I have none of the usual pulls; family, friends, etc. Tbh, my greatest frustration in France, and perhaps the only thing that would have me leave, is the language barrier. I’m functional but have accepted that I’ll never be mother-tongue fluent. I’ll never have native French speaker intuitions about word meaning. That kinda hurts, a room I’m locked out of. But even then, I’d look to go to another English speaking country rather than the UK.
On that subject, and at risk of derailing, conversing in your native tongue is important to mental health and even life expectancy. The following article touches upon that.
We’re going back and looking forward to it, much as we love our life here.
Yes, inheritance tax is one of the contributing factors for us. We’re not prepared to let the French government have 60% of our estate.
Also language, which is getting more and more of a challenge as the years go by. especially for OH. It’s making him more isolated, whereas back in the UK I’m already seeing him engage more and chat with other people which he’s never done in France - yes, sort out the next car service in the concessionaire, he can do, but not just chat about anything.
Culture - obviously if we lived in a major city it would be different, but where we are in the rural SW is a cultural desert. We’ve chosen a small city with a cathedral and an excellent theatre - suddenly within minutes of where we live we have live classical music and live stage which we can understand. Bliss!
We’re also enjoying being back (NB at the moment moving between the two) - food is a big one. (Sacrilege I know.) The joys of M&S! The sheer variety of restaurants and different food cultures. Thank heavens for a decent curry!
Yep, I feel you… as they say. Well, your OH really.
Sounds wonderful !
Spend your money on enjoying yourself ! ![]()
Good for him! I think that’s a real problem for a lot of people, it’s a daily hit of grimness if you can’t just chat without needing to think about it or if you feel frustrated and self-conscious because of difficulty with spontaneous relaxed language use. I certainly wouldn’t be moving to Germany if my German was not up to it, for exactly those reasons.
Neither am I .
We’ve just bought another house* in a town, almost purely to tackle the issue of cultural desert isolation. We now have cinema, theatre, social groups etc all but a walk away. Hopefully, the increased social interaction will improve our French at least to the point of feeling comfortable with it, if not a degree of fluency.
(*current rural one is in the process of being sold)
If you are an EU citizen (even French, in this case) there may be other options. Italy, for example has a much more lenient inheritance tax than France.
My French is fairly fluent but Italian v basic. I would not like to start to learn another language when it would easier to return to UK for the better inheritance tax (most hated tax) and accepted Trusts already set up.
Plus dare I say buy decent steak hung 30+ days not costing €48 + kg and real double cream. ![]()
But are you planning to move to Italy? I’m only moving to Germany because my remaining parent lives there.
We pondered moving back but have decided to stay another 12 years or so. I’ve never lived in France and not had to go to work so am quite looking forward to this next stage.
Where will you move to? Or is the clue in your name?
No I’m not thinking of moving to Italy that was suggestion offered for better inheritance tax than in France.
Yes back to Wales prob in 2 years .
The future is never set in stone, and plans change.
I was very firmly set on moving permanently to France up until last November, when I (re)-met my partner Di, which resulted in my plans doing a 180 and Cornwall (where she lives) becoming my new destination.
I am sure we will be coming to France frequently, but as visitors not residents. Do i regret that? Yes to some extent obviously, but life with a partner in the Uk outweighs life on my own in France!
As for IHT, yes it’s lower in the UK, but even so Di and I are planning to spend our money not pass it on as neither of us have kids and my siblings are much richer than I am! ![]()
I totally agree about spending your money while you’re able to rather than leaving it to family or others who don’t necessarily need it. Should there be something over after we both are not around I would like it to go to a horse and donkey trust worldwide to show those animals in other countries some compassion. Not sure who my husband would nominate in his case.
Life is short, especially the way I feel today. Enjoy it while you can
I think there are exemptions in France if you leave money to charities.
No that is long term planning!
So much can change in 12 months, let alone 12 years!
Your earlier posts certainly suggested you were seriously planning a return to the UK, what changed?
I have been coming to France over 60 years and when ever I arrived at Calais always felt I had come home and even more so now when I return after a uk visit. Couple of generations back from my father some of his relatives were French so maybe there was something passed in the genes.
It will be very sad to leave what I have here but I have children, 2, so for me leaving them most of my money is important to me . I am in a very lucky situation that I will not have to live economically just to save it for them. It’s just the 60% French IHT and not accepting Trusts here that I’m not happy with especially when taxes have already been paid in my past working life, more has to be paid on the same when I die
Uk also gives reductions when donating to charities.