Estate planning and wealth management Paris Batignolles in Triangle d'Or

The deceased's family record book and marriage contract, if any. An extract of the deceased's death certificate.  An authentic copy of the judgement of divorce or legal separation, if any An authentic copy of any gift between spouses the deceased may have formalised Any will the deceased may have drawn up, or name and address of the person who may have said will within their possession. All savings accounts. The bank information for each of the banks within which an account is opened in the name of the deceased and their spouse in the case of shared assets (including any joint bank accounts). Any registered or bearer securities at the place of residence. All documents pertaining to all pensions and retirement benefits received by the deceased or their spouse. The registration certificates for all vehicles belonging to the deceased and their spouse, in the case of shared vehicles. All information and documents concerning any receivables. Any life-insurance policies taken out by the deceased or their spouse (in the case of shared policies). Information on all property owned:  Authentic copies of all real estate acquisition deeds All leases and information on the rentals granted. The latest insurance premium receipts for the buildings. Name and address of the property manager.  Name and address of the property management company All information on the deceased's debts, i.e. all bills paid after their death for expenses incurred before their death: -           + Last illness costs. -           + Funeral expenses. -           + Loans. -           + Last tax notice. -           + Wealth tax. + Property tax. -           + Local tax.  + Miscellaneous bills.  Any information on the benefits the deceased may have received as part of social assistance or the National solidarity fund.   You will also need to provide all information on any gifts made to their children during the marriage, as well as on any gifts or estates received by the deceased or their spouse during the marriage, and on any sale of private property having belonged to the deceased. Depending on the nature of the deceased's assets, additional documents may be required

Alexandra Etasse, in charge of the International Department of ETASSE et Associes, will assist you in the settlement of international estates. She  will provide you with the best advice on the often complex problems related to the existence of foreign legal vehicles (such as trusts) or on questions of international taxation. To accomplish this, it may be necessary for our International Department to work with other lawyers specialising in foreign law. The International Department of the ETASSE et Associes law office will draft the legal and tax instruments (act of notoriety, succession declaration, deed of partition, etc.)

Although the total amount of fees and taxes is often refererred to as «  notaire’s fees » (frais de notaire) ; the notaire’s fee is actually only about1%. Usually on a given purchase, costs are approximately 7 % of the purchase price, which include transfer duty, , Land Registry charges, the notaire’s fees and related VAT. All these amounts are stipulated by law , and are based on the value of the property. In general these amounts are the same all over France

           The universal community place the French property in a matrimonial fund, which passes automatically to the surviving spouse. Once again the legal reserve rules are postponed. There are limitations to the use of the universal community, in particular wher there are children from a previous marriage

A French person resident abroad who wishes to conclude a civil union with another French or foreign person must make a joint declaration at the embassy or the Consulate of the common place of residence. The PACS (civil union) recorded at the consulate of France shall be subject to French law insofar as the law applicable to this partnership is the law of the registration authority. After the registration, the formalities of advertisement will be conducted with specific mention made in margin of the birth certificate of each partner on the existence of this PACS. Warning: in France, the PACS does not grant any right of succession to the partner in an automatic manner.  The partners anxious to protect themselves in case of death, should contact their notary to consider testamentary provisions

This situation is very frequent. However, it can present a number of risks: the risk of being in the obligation to buy whereas the sale of the flat has not yet taken place and the price of sale has not yet been paid; the risk of having sold whereas acquisition has been made impossible due to external factors (important legal problem in the file); the risk of being unable to coordinate sale and purchase at the same time. Once you have taken the decision to carry through on this project, you must get in touch with  the international department of  Etude ETASSE et Associes in order to be counselled well upstream. In effect, a number of clauses must be inserted at the time of signature of the sales agreement or of the undertaking to sell in order to protect yourself with regard to the conditions precedent. Moreover, it is important for you to fully understand the stakes of this purchase/resale. Lastly, the international department of ETASSE et Associes law firm, with your assistance, must study your sale file in order to have the time to bring up and iron out any possible difficulties so as not to be subject to delays that might be prejudicial to you.