I am an adult under a general guardianship order and I would like to make a cash gift to my daughter. Can I do so without the judge’s authorisation?

No. When a person is unable to manage their own affairs, the guardianship judge may authorise one or more persons to represent them, assist them, or carry out one or more acts on their behalf. Pursuant to Article 494-6 of the French Civil Code, in the case of a general…
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Can an adult under legal protection exercise their right to vote?

Yes. An adult under legal protection may vote. However, they cannot grant proxy voting rights to their court-appointed guardian or to any member of the medical or paramedical staff of the institutions providing their care (Article L72-1 of the French Electoral Code).
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My spouse has passed away, and we owned a principal residence together. I have heard about a tax allowance on the principal residence. Is this correct?

Yes. Article 764 bis of the French General Tax Code provides that, for the purposes of the inheritance tax return, a 20% allowance is applied to the market value of the deceased’s principal residence, provided that the property is occupied by certain specified persons, in particular the surviving spouse on…
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I am retired and have low income. Am I exempt from capital gains tax if I sell my secondary residence purchased in 2021?

Yes, subject to conditions. To qualify for an exemption from capital gains tax, you must meet all of the following conditions: You receive an old-age pension (retirement pension); You are not liable for the real estate wealth tax (Impôt sur la Fortune Immobilière – IFI); Your reference taxable income for…
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My spouse has just passed away. Do I need to file an inheritance tax return even though I am exempt from inheritance tax?

It depends. The surviving spouse is indeed exempt from inheritance tax (Article 796-0 of the French General Tax Code). However, the law requires heirs, including the surviving spouse, to file an inheritance tax return when the gross value of the estate exceeds €50,000. Conversely, if the gross estate value is…
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I divorced by mutual consent in 2002. My ex-wife and I had signed a spousal gift agreement. Is it still valid?

For a divorce granted before 2005, Article 268 of the French Civil Code, as amended by the 1975 law, applies. At that time, spouses divorcing by mutual consent had to decide the fate of the spousal gift. Three scenarios are therefore possible: The gift is maintained in the divorce agreement…
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My sister and I are heirs to our father’s estate. My sister is under enhanced guardianship (curatelle renforcée). Do we need the judge’s authorisation to accept the inheritance outright?

No, subject to conditions. A person under guardianship may accept an inheritance alone, provided they have a certificate from the notary stating that the assets clearly exceed the liabilities (Article 467 of the French Civil Code, which refers to Article 507-1 of the Civil Code on guardianship). In the absence
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