Donation: everything you need to know to make a donation

Updated on Friday 3 October 2025

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Understand the donation

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How is a donation taxed?

A donation is an act by which a person, the donor, voluntarily and irrevocably transfers ownership of something, free of charge, to another person, the donee (Civil Code, Art. 894).

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A question ? Need help ?

My spouse passed away. I am the beneficiary of a spousal donation which states that if I choose to be the usufructuary, I am exempt from making an inventory and an appraisal of the property. However, my stepchildren are demanding these...

..do they have the right? Yes. The law is clear: Article 1094-3 of the Civil Code states that " Children or descendants may, notwithstanding any stipulation to the contrary by the donor, require that an inventory of movable property and an appraisal of immovable property subject to usufruct be made
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My father is single, and we are 4 children. I want to buy a piece of land to give it to the latter. However, I do not wish to be in joint ownership with my brothers and sisters upon his death. I heard about the conventional return clause. What is it about

The return clause inserted in the deed of gift allows the donor to recover ownership of the donated property, either in the event that the beneficiary of the donation dies before him, or in the event of the predecease of the beneficiary and his descendants (art. 951 Civil Code). It…
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I am the beneficiary of a spousal gift in which my late husband granted me the usufruct of his entire estate. Can I choose to take only the usufruct over our main residence and not over the entire estate?

As a reminder: A spousal gift (donation entre époux) is a notarised deed intended to maximise the rights of the surviving spouse without disinheriting the children (Article 1094-1 of the French Civil Code). Yes. Provided there is no prohibition stated in the spousal gift and as long as a statutory…
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My father is going to lend me 10,000 euros. I signed him an acknowledgment of debt. Should it be declared to the taxes? What is the difference with the registration of the deed?

Yes , loan contracts for an amount greater than 5,000 euros must be declared (article 49B appendix 3 and article 23L appendix 4 of the CGI) to the tax authorities on form no. 2062. You must file this declaration at the same time as your next annual income tax return…
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My uncle of French nationality lives abroad. He wants to help me finance the acquisition of my home by giving me money. Do I have to declare this operation in France ?

Yes. When the beneficiary of a donation is domiciled in France on the day of the donation or has had his tax residence in France for at least six years during the last ten years preceding the donation, all the assets he receives located in France or outside France are…
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