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FAMILY

A few of the benefits of growing old in France

There are numerous reasons to spend your golden years in France - the good weather and the good living notable among them. But here are a few more benefits to help you grow old gracefully (or not) here.

Published: 20 October 2021 13:39 CEST
Two older people sitting on the floor looking out over a body of water
Growing old in France has its benefits. Photo: Katarzyna Grabowska / Unsplash

You might not believe it, given that older people in France have marched to protect their pension rights in recent years – but France looks after its older generations pretty well. Here are a few of the ways…

Health

Annual flu jabs are available for free to over-65s, and mammograms are free for over-50s. Other healthcare benefits are also provided for older residents in France who are in the healthcare system.

Local travel

Local travel authorities routinely offer free or reduced travel for older people. For example,  Greater Paris region residents aged over-65 with an income less than €2,200 per month have been entitled to free Navigo passes, allowing travel on the Metro, RER trains, trams and buses.

You can also demand others give up certain seats so you can sit down.

Meanwhile the Lignes d’Azur bus and tram company in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur offers a reduced-fare card for over-65s on proof of identity and age. Similar to Paris, those on lower incomes who live in the region are entitled to free travel.

READ ALSO Retiring to France: The things you need to consider

Rail cards

For a €49 annual fee, SNCF’s Carte Avantage Sénior+ gives 30 percent off train fares in both standard and first class – while up to three children aged four to 11 get 60 percent off, if they are travelling with you. If you’re even just a semi-regular rail user it’s worth the price. Details available HERE

Flights

Air France and its budget subsidiary Hop! offer a reduction card for those aged over 65, with up to 30 percent off flights to France and Europe – including the UK. The card costs €49 per year. Details HERE

Leisure and culture

Many towns and cities offer special cards that give reductions on cultural and leisure activities for residents aged 55 and over, and again for those aged 65 and over. 

It’s worth checking, too, if you can get cheap movie tickets or museum entrance. Many cinemas – and museums and art galleries – offer reductions based purely on proof of age.

READ ALSO Bikes, gig tickets and holidays: Seven things the French government might pay for

Taxes

There are various tax reductions and exemptions for older people living in France – especially those on modest incomes. There’s an income tax allowance for over-65s, and a reduction on taxe foncière for homeowners over 65 before an exemption kicks in for those aged 75 and over, depending on income level.

Meanwhile, taxe d’habitation may be on its way out for main residences – but over-60s on modest incomes are exempt, anyway.

You can find more details on the income levels required for exemptions here.

Benefits

Some of the benefits for older people on lower incomes are listed HERE. They include a ‘solidarity’ allowance for those on limited means, assistance with housing costs, home help aid, access to ‘foyer restaurants’ which offer meals at low prices for older residents, and financial assistance to adapt your home to your changing needs.

Further details of the help available to older people living in France can be found on a dedicated government website HERE

TV licence

As a rule of thumb, anyone who has a TV at their property in France must have a TV licence. And, yes, you still need a licence even if you do not watch French TV and only watch DVDs or stream programmes from overseas on a TV.

But there are some exemptions, however, for example over-60s on a low income, widows or widowers on a low income, or people with a registered disability. Find the full details HERE

READ ALSO EXPLAINED: Who has to pay France’s TV licence?

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TAXES

Explained: France’s exit tax

Planning on leaving France? You may, depending on your circumstances, be charged the 'exit tax'.

Published: 11 April 2024 11:28 CEST
Explained: France's exit tax

Like some other European countries, France does have an exit tax for those (French or foreign) who are leaving the country. It’s known by the English name l’Exit tax.

However, it won’t affect most people.

Only those who have been tax resident for a minimum six years of the 10 years immediately before they permanently move out of the country are liable to pay an exit tax – if, that is, they own property, titles or rights worth a minimum of €800,000, or that represent 50 percent of a company’s social profits.

If that affects you, the best advice is to seek expert individual financial advice before moving out of France for good. The relevant page on the French government’s impot.gouv.fr website says it is possible to defer payments, and some relief is available.

Because of the relatively high figures involved, this tax is irrelevant for most people. That said, however, you will still have to inform tax authorities that you are moving out of the country because you may still have income, property and capital gains taxes to pay.

Income tax

You must inform the tax office that you are moving and give them your new address so that your tax declarations can be transferred to your new address.

You are liable for tax on everything you earned in France prior to your departure as well as on any French earnings that are taxable in France under international tax treaties that you earned after your departure.

The year of your departure, you declare your previous year’s earnings as normal – declarations in spring 2024 are for earnings in 2023.

A year later, you will have to declare any earnings taxable in France from January 1st up to the date of your departure, and any French-sourced income taxable source until December 31st of the year of your departure.

If you continue to have any French-sourced income – such as from renting out a French property – you will have to declare that income annually, using the non-residents declaration form.

Property taxes

You will have property taxes to pay if you own a French property on January 1st of any given year – whether it is occupied or not. 

Property tax bills come out in the autumn, but they refer to the situation on January 1st of that year, so even if you sell your property you will usually have the pay a final property tax bill the following year.

Moreover, if you receive income from property in France or have rights related to that property (such as shared ownership or stock in property companies), as well as any additional revenue connected to the property, during the year you leave France, you will be required to pay taxes on these earnings.

If any property assets in France exceed €1.3 million on January 1st of a given year, you may also have to pay the wealth tax (IFI).

READ ALSO What is France’s wealth tax and who pays it?

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Capital gains tax 

If you sell your French property or share of a French property, you may be liable for capital gains tax at a rate of 19 percent. It will also be subject to social security contributions at the overall rate of 17.2 percent.

Capital gains tax varies depending on how long you have owned the property and whether it was a second home or your main residence.

READ ALSO How much capital gains tax will I have to pay if I sell my French property?

The good news is, if you move to another EU country, or any country that has a specific tax agreement with France, you may be exempt from capital gains tax for non-resident sellers on the sale of a property that was your principal residence in France.

If you move elsewhere, you may be able to claim exemption on capital gains tax up to €150,000. As always, you should seek expert financial advice.

Tell Social Security

Inform social security that you are leaving France permanently – and return your carte vitale if you have one. If you do not, you may be liable for any benefits you receive to which you are no longer entitled.

More mundane tasks involve informing utility and water companies, your internet provider, if you have one, the phone company, your insurance companies, banks – and La Poste, who will be able to forward your mail for up to 12 months, for a fee…

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