"In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes," Benjamin Franklin said. Certain they may be, but the timing of each can leave something to be desired.
I was perusing a favorite expat blog (https://frenchimmersion.wordpress.com) when mention was made of French taxes being due on December 15. I blushed to remember that some bright young thing at the notaries' office had advised me back in September that I should contact the tax authorities to set up automatic payment of our yearly taxes on our newly purchased maison. But here we were, already in December, and I had done nothing!
I scrambled to get information on the tax office in Domfront and sent off a poorly worded missive begging for forgiveness and information at the same time. I received an informative response almost immediately. As it turns out, we are not to pay our 2016 taxes until next year, when we will be advised of the taxi foncière and tax d'habitation that we must pay around the anniversary of the purchase of the property.
The tax foncière is the main property tax (very reasonable by U.S. comparisons), and the tax d'habitation is an "occupancy" tax that is to be paid by the owner or other inhabitant. If someone is renting a property, that person pays the tax d'habitation. I vaguely remember that from when we lived in Paris for a year. I'm not sure how much the tax d'habitation will be, but we've been advised that the tax foncière will probably be about 250 euros.
All the splendors of France for that pittance (and for her citizens, free healthcare besides). How do they do it?
I was perusing a favorite expat blog (https://frenchimmersion.wordpress.com) when mention was made of French taxes being due on December 15. I blushed to remember that some bright young thing at the notaries' office had advised me back in September that I should contact the tax authorities to set up automatic payment of our yearly taxes on our newly purchased maison. But here we were, already in December, and I had done nothing!
I scrambled to get information on the tax office in Domfront and sent off a poorly worded missive begging for forgiveness and information at the same time. I received an informative response almost immediately. As it turns out, we are not to pay our 2016 taxes until next year, when we will be advised of the taxi foncière and tax d'habitation that we must pay around the anniversary of the purchase of the property.
The tax foncière is the main property tax (very reasonable by U.S. comparisons), and the tax d'habitation is an "occupancy" tax that is to be paid by the owner or other inhabitant. If someone is renting a property, that person pays the tax d'habitation. I vaguely remember that from when we lived in Paris for a year. I'm not sure how much the tax d'habitation will be, but we've been advised that the tax foncière will probably be about 250 euros.
All the splendors of France for that pittance (and for her citizens, free healthcare besides). How do they do it?
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