France offers one of the most generous tax treaties in the world for Americans, pensions, IRAs, and even Roth accounts can be taxed at zero on the French side. Die there, though, and the same country runs one of the least forgiving inheritance systems for anyone still holding a US-style estate plan or trust.
Vincent Berthier de Bortoli, a French tax attorney and STEP member whose clientele is now roughly 90 percent American, joins the podcast to walk through what the US-France tax treaty actually covers, why France has no legal concept of an "estate" at all, how a six-year gift and inheritance tax holiday works for new French residents, and why a US revocable trust that makes even one distribution can trigger a flat 31.4 percent tax with no treaty relief. You will walk away understanding what this treaty genuinely protects, and what a US estate plan needs before it can survive contact with French law.
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WHAT THIS EPISODE COVERS
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00:00 - Why Americans are moving to France right now
02:35 - Inside the US-France tax treaty: pensions, IRAs, and Roth accounts taxed at zero
07:31 - Why dying in France is never a good idea, tax-wise
10:22 - Inheriting from a US parent while living in France, and the six-year tax holiday
13:47 - The one-euro filing rule most Americans don't know about
17:56 - Why French tax authorities almost always come after a US trust
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ABOUT THE GUEST
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Vincent Berthier de Bortoli is a French tax attorney and STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) member who has practiced tax for nearly a decade and now advises almost exclusively American clients relocating to France.
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ABOUT THE HOST
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Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning.
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ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH®
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Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats looking for trusted, fiduciary support. We connect globally mobile Americans with expert, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad.
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RESOURCES & LINKS
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Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.passporttowealth.com/contact
Order "The Expat Money Playbook": https://www.passporttowealth.com/expat-money-playbook
Schedule a paid Expat Expert call: https://www.passporttowealth.com/about
Find a fiduciary expat financial advisor: https://www.passporttowealth.com/directory
Connect with Vincent on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincentbdb
Visit VBDB: https://www.vbdbtax.com/en/international-tax-attorney
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STAY CONNECTED
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/passporttowealth
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth
Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com
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SUGGESTED EPISODES
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etmj5LzGZ00
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpESOcZXItA
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This video is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions.
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#expatfinance #financialplanning #passporttowealth #franceexpat #estateplanning
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