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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 ?

I am 70 years old, single and have no children. I am considering giving €4,000 to my adult niece. Will she have to pay gift tax?

It is possible to give your niece up to €31,865 without her having to pay any gift tax, provided that you have no descendants (children or grandchildren), that you are under 80 years of age, and that your niece is of legal age on the date of the gift (Article…
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What are the dangers of a manual donation?

In the French Civil Code, a donation is a solemn act. Note that there is a difference between a "présent d'usage" and a "don manuel". A "présent d'usage" or "faux don manuel" is a gift made on the occasion of a specific event (birthday, anniversary, etc.). It must be proportional…
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Several years ago, I built my house on a piece of land owned by my sister. When I decided to sell the property, I discovered that my name was not on the title deed. Is this normal ?

Yes. Under French law, the principle is that ownership of the land includes ownership of everything on and beneath it (Article 552 of the Civil Code). This means that even if you financed the construction of the house, your sister remains the owner. For the house to become your property…
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I wish to bequeath a sum of money to my grandson. Will he benefit from the €31,865 tax allowance?

No. The €31,865 allowance applies only to gifts made during the donor’s lifetime by grandparents to their grandchildren, as provided under Article 790 B, paragraph 1 of the French General Tax Code. In the context of inheritance, your grandson will only benefit from a €1,594 allowance, which is the standard…
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I own a small house in the countryside in addition to my apartment in the city. Can I give it to my minor grandchild?

Yes. In order for the donation to be validly filed, in addition to the fact that it must be established by a notary, it is essential that the beneficiary accepts the latter (art. 932 C. civ.). When the beneficiary is an unemancipated minor, accepting a donation unencumbered by charges, which…
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