English Accountants in Paris
People who are thinking of doing business in France or becoming residents here are usually aware of what is known as the language barrier. Many assume that this will not pose a problem.
In reality there is, in the tax and accounting sphere, a gulf of incomprehension between Great Britain and France as wide as the Grand Canyon.
What you need is a specialised general practice firm of accountants whose niche activity is providing the services of a team of British nationals who have trained as accountants in France and who not only understand the French business and tax environment, but also the interface with your own country.
James Howes & Co is the firm you are looking for.
Our Team
Our speciality is to act for English-speaking individuals and families who need advice on how to buy properties in France or the tax consequences of coming to live in France permanently.
We also act for an increasing number of companies who wish to set up a subsidiary in France and need English-speaking accountants to assist them with their accounting needs.
Whilst there are, to be sure, many purely French accounting firms who employ partners and staff with a good grasp of English, or even employ British nationals, it is much rarer to find a firm which, by its ethos and the educational background of its founder and staff, can properly be called an English firm in France. James Howes & Co is different in this respect from virtually all other accountancy firms in Paris.
Business Services
Acting as intermediaries with existing French accounting firms. Classic accounting requirements e.g. bookkeeping, annual accounts, tax returns, payroll. Management accounting and other active involvement on a daily basis.
Accounting
French commercial law defines a rigid and comprehensive "chart of accounts" which is compulsory for all trading entities, be they French companies or branches of overseas firms. Books of account must be kept in the French language. We regularly help newly-established companies to set up their bookkeeping systems and can advise on the choice of accounting software. We act for French subsidiaries of overseas companies for which we prepare annual accounts, VAT returns and payroll.
Non-Statutory Audit
We carry out contractual audits of small companies prior to acquisition or by way of a review of trading performance.
Payroll Services
Accordingly, most of our French business clients outsource their payroll function to James Howes & Co.
Business Taxation
James Howes & Co provides this critical service to all our corporate clients.
SCI Management
We are authorised to act as manager (gérant) of clients’ property holding companies (SCIs), thereby ensuring that management and control of these entities remains firmly in France.
Private Clients
As a general practice firm we provide a wide range of tax-related services to our clients. Our speciality is to act for English-speaking individuals and families who need advice on how to buy properties in France or the tax consequences of coming to live in France permanently.
Personal Taxation
We act for individuals who are generally in the wealth tax bracket (i.e. who have net family wealth of €1.3 million or more). Such persons typically have complicated personal tax affairs, usually involving overseas assets (often owned by trusts) and foreign source income. We bring our many years of experience of France’s network of double taxation treaties to bear on each case. We then follow up the filing of annual tax returns with correspondence with the authorities where necessary.
Most of our clients stay with us for many years and in this way we build up useful knowledge of a family's affairs which helps them in planning for the future.
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Estate Planning
French succession laws and taxation are very different from the systems found in the Anglo-Saxon world. We can prepare illustrative calculations to show the effects of lifetime gifts to children and the impact of the choice of marriage contract. We work with French notaries in advising on the form of wills.
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Trusts
English law trusts, particularly discretionary trusts, have historically been used by clients coming to France from common law jurisdictions. An understanding of the approach to foreign trusts of the French tax authorities (particularly the rules published in summer 2011) is essential before a settlor or beneficiary takes up residence in France. This is a specialised area in which we have accumulated knowledge over many years.
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Wealth Management
James Howes & Co does not give investment advice. However, we have many contacts in both the English and the French investment worlds with whom we frequently work in devising a tax-efficient strategy for a client's investments.
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France at a Glance
La législation fiscale française évolue chaque année lors de l’adoption de la Loi de Finances. Notre publication France at a Glance offre une synthèse des taux et règles fiscales essentiels et constitue une première source de référence pratique tant pour les entreprises que pour les particuliers.
