Where there is a will

[hughnique]

Don't know if this has been covered before but a visit to the notaire this morning informs us that we are unable to bequeath our estate, upon death, in a manner that we find fair and appropriate, instead it seems that the French authorities have the final say in what happens.

[Chappers51]

I don’t have children and my sister died 6 years ago.
When I visited the notaire to make out my will he said there’d be no problem in the way I’d allocated the small amount I’ll be leaving, although quite a vast percentage will be taken by the authorities.,

[hughnique]

No children means no problem as far as I can ascertain

[niemeyjt]

Have you investigated my earlier advice and stipulated will interpreted under English law?

[hughnique]

I have not contacted the person you mentioned, and I did ask the notaire this morning about interpreted under English law and could we make a will in the UK both of which proved negative. I am going to now enquire now about gifting a percentage of our property freehold to our remaining son, whilst we are still alive. It's not a case of excluding a beneficiary but of making fair distribution of the estate. French law allows, it seems, beneficiaries from the grave.

[exile]

I suggest you find another and more knowledgeable notaire.

[Hotrodder]

As with many "official" entities here, advice from a notaire can range from sound to totally bogus. To give them the benefit of a doubt, the inconsistencies we encounter might be because there are so many changes passed down from above, many foncs just don't have the time or inclination to keep up to date.

[Nomoss]

I asked four notaires about a change in the law which affected the sale of a second property we were about to make, and printed the information from the govt. website to explain what I was asking.

Our usual notaire said it was nonsense and I shouldn't believe anything I saw on line.
Two others locally, said they had never heard of it; one thanked me and made a cop[y of the printout.
The one on the coast who had handled the sale when we bought the flat, had also never heard of it, but said he would check up on it and suggested we returned with the buyer in a week or so.
Finally, we found one, who also spoke English, which we thought would be better for the buyers, said she knew all about it.
She handled the eventual sale, but still made copies of our passports, tax returns, and a couple of utility bills to cover her action.

[Quiksilver]

No children means no problem as far as I can ascertain

If only! One of the things that's really peeing me off lately here in La Belle is knowing that whoever we/I leave anything to, they'll get clobbered for 60% tax. Charities I believe pay less, if anything, but I don't necessarily want to leave it to them. It's absolute daylight robbery. One way of getting round having much to leave is to sell the house en viager, thus removing the biggest asset, but the income from that is taxed as well (surprise ). Assurance Vie used to be the solution but successive governments have made them less and less attractive. It's a bit disheartening and frustrating to have little or no say in what you do with your own money and belongings

[hughnique]

I suggest you find another and more knowledgeable notaire.

That seems to be a bit of a problem herein too many armchair experts, what was possible before Brexshit has changed somewhat since