Menu
Expat.com

Taxes - France or Spain?

Post new topic

John98103

I'm an American retired soon-to-be expat, deciding between France and Spain for long-term relocation (extended stay, retirement, non-lucative, etc.)

My question is about income taxes. All income will be from the US; pension, 401K distributions and social security (at least until the repubs mess it up and they no doubt will).

It looks to me that the net cost to me is about the same - am I missing something?

Merci/Gracias

See also

Income tax in FranceAccounting Firms with US CPAs and French expert-comptablesCivil Service PensionsHousing Tax / Taxe d'HabitationTaxation for US retirees in France.
Guest1230789

USA pension, ss, 401k, IRA will all be taxed first by USA. When you then file France taxes, you get a credit, so pay no French *income* taxes. I assume Spain has the same tax treaty as France, so it shouldn't matter.
I'm still trying to find out about health coverage (cotisation, or ss tax) - if you sign up for this in France, you pay 8% of your taxable income (if you don't, then don't worry about it). It could be either zero, or 8% of all declared income, or anything in between...

John98103

So the 8% is on the French income tax number, even though you don't pay it?

Guest1230789

So, here's what I found out about social charges / cotisation in France if you r only income is from the US. PUMa is the agency that handles this. You add up all your US income for the year, subtract any deductions (I'm pretty sure, but not 100% sure that this also includes subtracting the baseline allowed by France of ~€9700) and US taxes paid. Then you pay 8% of that total per year in cotisation.
I have zero info on how Spain does it, but if they are anything like France, it will be ridiculously difficult to find out the details.
Note that you don't have to join this, but you do have to have insurance to live in France.

John98103

Thanks -

How long have you been in France?
How do you like it?

Articles to help you in your expat project in France

  • A Student's Guide to Clubbing in Paris
    A Student's Guide to Clubbing in Paris

    Paris is probably the worst city you can go to if you don't have friends and only a guide book for nightlife ...

  • Getting around Lille
    Getting around Lille

    Situated in the heart of France's northeastern rail network, Lille is well-connected by rail to London, ...

  • Accommodation in Bordeaux
    Accommodation in Bordeaux

    When most people think of Bordeaux, sprawling vineyards and world-class wine come to mind, but this port city on ...

  • Accommodation in Toulouse
    Accommodation in Toulouse

    Located in southwestern France, in the Occitanie region, Toulouse is known as "la Ville Rose" (the Pink ...

  • Working in Bordeaux
    Working in Bordeaux

    Located in the Gironde region of southwestern France, Bordeaux is one of the country's largest cities. This ...

  • Getting around Bordeaux
    Getting around Bordeaux

    Located along the Garonne River, Bordeaux is a dynamic and vibrant city with excellent connections to the rest of ...

  • Working in Marseille
    Working in Marseille

    Also known as the "cité phocéenne", Marseille is France's second-largest city and ...

  • How to Get Your Sport On in France
    How to Get Your Sport On in France

    I am an incorrigible sportif. A total addict. I’ll play any game, with anyone, anywhere. It’s just ...

All of France's guide articles