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Rendita catastale

By Gareth Horsfall
This article is published on: 10th November 2015

10.11.15

I admit it! I have been confused for years about the rendita catastale. I have never been sure about its role in the economy and how it benefited the individual or economy. Until now! (Care of Bloomberg online)

So, the story goes something like this:

The rendita catastale represents the amount of ‘theoretical rent’ that a householder pays him/herself as a measure of economic consumption.

In other words:

If a householder owns their house outright, i.e no mortgage or other debt, then that person is actually a ‘imputed’ consumer and investor of the ‘invisible’ rent money that they would have received should they be renting a similar house. This money is then assumed to be spent and go back into the economy.

And this is considered a growing financial benefit that property owners enjoy from not having to pay rent.

So, whilst the financial crisis shrank the economy more than 8 percent and unemployment doubled in the seven years of the crisis, property, proportionately, made up more of the gross domestic product. The weighting of property in Italian GDP jumped 2.1% from 2007 despite falls in property prices and transactions. (which gives you an idea of how big the falls were in other parts of the economy).

And given that the financial benefit from housing, i.e the rendita catastale, is taking up a larger proportion of a property owners income, then it comes as no surprise that Renzi has recently promised to abolish IMU on the prima casa from 2016. This also seems to imply that Renzi realises that Italians homeowner spending habits are more important than foreign buyers as a means to sustain property prices.

The Italian economy strongly relies on home ownership. Just by residing either in debt free housing or paying no rent (living in family houses) or a paying a below-market rent, Italians contribute to more than 8 percent of the nation’s GDP, up from about 7 percent in 2007. In a country where more than 73 percent of the population live in owned residences, this is a valuable contribution to economic growth.

Disclaimer
The views expressed here are my own. They are not necessarily shared by The Spectrum IFA group or any other company named or implied. They are subject to change at any time based on market and other conditions. This is not an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security and should not be construed as such. References to specific securities or companies are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be, and should not be interpreted as recommendations to purchase or sell such securities.

Full exchange of financial account information is on the doorstep.

By Gareth Horsfall
This article is published on: 9th November 2015

09.11.15

I have written in previous articles about the fast approaching days when all financial information will be available to all tax authorities. In fact, my last piece on the subject explained that the OECD had signed up approximately 53 members countries and were working on a standardised format (Common Reporting Standard, CRS) with which to exchange financial information across borders.
This email expands on this subject as more information has now become available.

The CRS, formally the Standard for Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information in Tax Matters, (SAEFAITM – this abbreviation just flows off the tongue!) seeks to establish a global methodology for the sharing amongst tax authorities of relevant data in relation to financial assets. The transparency created by the CRS is meant to be a deterrent to taxpayers use of offshore accounts and to non-declaration of assets in other states/countries.

So far 100 countries signed up and committed to implementing this Standard and it is ‘likely to’ become (Sorry! I meant, ‘will become’) the most powerful tool of tax authorities worldwide.

There are nearly 60 “early adopters”, (see list below) and for these countries the Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information will commence from 2017 on an annual basis between participating countries in respect to their tax residents, and in certain cases domicile persons. But here is the catch….It will relate to all account information of 1 January 2016.

Reporting will have to be made by all individuals who own or control accounts in financial institutions either directly or through companies, trusts, foundations and in certain cases insurance policies.

Financial institutions include, but are not limited to, banks, collective investment vehicles, custodians and insurance companies.

Financial institutions in each country will basically collect and report information to their local tax authorities regarding their clients who are resident in another participating country.

And the local tax authorities automatically exchange this information on an annual basis with their counterparts in the other participating countries.

Account information to be reported will generally include
* account number
* account balances
* gross earnings in respect of any payments through the account, including but not limited to any investment income such as dividends or funds from insurance companies
* income earned from assets and sale profits from financial assets

The exact nature of information to be exchanged between each participating country must be defined in the intergovernmental agreement between the two countries, but I think we can safely expect that all European states and the USA will be sharing data in a standardised format.

The information on each reportable person generally includes:
* name
* address
* country of residence
* tax identification numbers
* place and date of birth

Financial institutions will also need to disclose not only the account holder but also any beneficial owners, controlling persons or even in certain cases “relevant persons” of entities and trusts.

Data protection is also going to be a very interesting issue and the OECD do say that information exchanged in this way, i.e through the common reporting standard, cannot be provided to other governmental institutions once shared. I have my doubts whether that will happen!

So what can we take from this? Well I think it is becoming more and more self explanatory. Big brother has finally arrived and there are no more hiding places. As I have been ‘preaching’ for many years now: if you are a resident in Italy and have still not arranged your financial affairs ‘in regola’ then you have about 2 months to do so until all financial information will become available to tax authorities: 1st January 2016.

I have found the key to living in Italy is knowing that there is a difference between tax reporting and tax planning. Your commercialista is there to help you report your taxes through the overly complicated tax reporting system in Italy. However they are not there to help and discuss ways to plan around the Italian tax system. That is where the role of the financial planner comes in and with the extensive knowledge I have built up over the 11 years I have been living and working in Italy, I can sometimes identify areas where you can save tax, increase incomes and restructure your affairs in a compliant manner, not always, but I am happy to give it a go!

So, if you would like to contact me about this then feel free to do so on gareth.horsfall@spectrum-ifa.com or on cell 3336492356.

If you are also interested to know who are the early adopting countries, then the list is below. You will note that Italy and the UK appear on that list. The USA does not because it has already commenced its own International tax reporting standard known as FATCA.

Early adopter countries – undertaking first AEI by 2017 in respect of 2016 information
Anguilla, Argentina, Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Bulgaria, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Guernsey, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Jersey, Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritius, Montserrat, Netherlands, Niue, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Seychelles, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, Uruguay, United Kingdom.

Disclaimer
The views expressed here are my own. They are not necessarily shared by The Spectrum IFA group or any other company named or implied. They are subject to change at any time based on market and other conditions. This is not an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security and should not be construed as such. References to specific securities or companies are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be, and should not be interpreted as recommendations to purchase or sell such securities.

Can you make decent profits without a degree of market risk?

By Spectrum IFA
This article is published on: 22nd October 2015

22.10.15

My article last month focussed on types of risk that that can present danger to the unwary investor. My top two risk types were Institutional Risk and Market Risk, but I concentrated mainly on my third risk factor – Foreign Exchange, largely because of my previous experience in this field. I was quite surprised by the interest the article produced, partly because the people who commented weren’t really ‘grabbed’ by F/X risk; but rather more interested in the other two categories. Can the modern investor really fall foul of institutional risk? Is anyone really daft enough to think that you can have decent profits or returns without taking on some degree of market risk? Unfortunately, the answer to both those last two questions is yes. I thought you might be entertained if I gave you some examples that hopefully won’t ring too many bells from your own experiences…

In 2009 I met a very interesting lady who was referred to me by a colleague in Spain, not that that is particularly relevant, but I did end up wondering if she’d had too much sun.   All I knew before I met her was that she was due to receive a large sum shortly, and she wanted some investment advice. I spent ninety minutes with her, most of which was taken up with a battle of hope over reality. This unfortunate lady had been investing for a number of years with an organisation called The Liberty Wealth Club, and was 100% confident that she would be receiving a pay-out of $150,000 from the club in a matter of weeks. The more I listened, the more appalled I became, for this was truly a forerunner of a ‘Ponzi’ scam, labelled and outlawed in the UK as a Multi-Level Marketing scheme. Nothing I could say to her would make her listen. In the end, I told her that I would be delighted to help her invest her funds when they arrived, and we agreed to meet again on that basis. I never heard from her again.

A year or so later I took on a new client with a much more understandable problem. He had bought an apartment in Spain ‘off-plan’, with a view to selling it on before completion, at a healthy profit. As far as I’m aware, to this day he is still the legal owner of this apartment, although he returned the keys and stopped paying the mortgage years ago. It is a nightmare waiting to revisit him.

Another client with a similar problem bought a flat in Budapest, again unbuilt and ‘off plan’. The amount invested was sizeable, and it took four years for a brick to be laid. In desperation he eventually managed to sell it at a 60% loss.

Undeterred, this same client, before I met him I might add, then decided to invest in a forestry scheme designed to give him a regular income payment for the rest of his life. Unfortunately a drought seems to have interfered badly enough for the income to have dried up (sorry) completely.

Recently I have come across a mind-boggling concept called GCR – Global Currency Reset. Please, please, do not let anyone persuade you to invest any of your hard earned cash building up reserves in currencies such as the Iraqi Dinar or the Vietnamese Dong in the expectation that they will soon be revalued overnight and make your fortune. Believe me, this is not going to happen.

Sane people make these totally irrational investment decisions, albeit whilst temporality on the throes of some form of dangerous mental instability, as it is the only justification I can think of. Please do not be tempted to join this group of dramatic under-achievers. Sound financial advice may seem boring; much along the lines of ‘single digit gains’ and ‘realistic investment profiles’. Sound financial advice will however always save you from the nightmares that can result from your own flights of fancy, should you be that way inclined. And believe me, some of you are.

The UK’s future membership of the EU

By Spectrum IFA
This article is published on: 13th October 2015

13.10.15

As the media hype heats up over the question of the UK’s future membership of the EU, clients are already asking what will happen if the outcome of the referendum is to leave the EU?

The simple answer is that we do not really know because a country has never left the EU. What we do know is, as British expatriates ourselves, we will be affected in the same way as our clients.

The more complicated answer is that it will depend upon whether it is a ‘soft exit’ or a ‘hard exit’.

A soft exit would be, for example, remaining as an EEA State (in the same way as Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein). As such, the UK would still have access to the single European market and full freedom of trade within the EU. However, in addition, the UK would be free to negotiate bilateral trade agreements with countries outside of the EU, something that is not possible with full EU membership. The UK would still have to adhere to EU product and financial regulations, as well as social and employment rules. EU budget contributions would still be required, although at a reduced level. Ability to restrict inward EU migration would not be allowed.

A ‘hard exit’ would take the UK outside of the EEA, resulting in it having no automatic access to trade within the EU, but it could continue to negotiate trade agreements with non-EU countries. There would be no more EU budget contributions and also no requirement to adhere to EU Regulations. Inward EU migration could be restricted.

With a ‘hard exit’, as British expatriates living in France, we would need to apply for a Carte de Séjour, but if already resident in France for 10 years, may be granted a Carte de Résidence. Certificates S1 would become a thing of the past and so British expatriates would have to pay cotisations for French health cover. Equally, EU nationals living in the UK, would no longer have an automatic right to live and work there.

The referendum is to take place by the end of 2017, but it is more likely now that it will be in 2016. What we can be certain about is that in the period leading up to the referendum, there will be uncertainty – in capital markets (particularly in the UK) and in currency markets (Sterling is likely to be under pressure).

As if the referendum was not enough to think about, we also have to continue playing the guessing game with central bank policy! It was widely expected that the Fed would start to increase US interest rates in September, but that was not to be. Whilst an increase is not entirely ruled out before the end of this year, no-one can be certain. It is unlikely that the UK will move on interest rates before the US.

In times of such uncertainty, it is more important than ever to seek advice on how to protect your wealth. At the Spectrum IFA Group we have a range of solutions to offer clients, depending upon attitude to investment risk and objectives. For example, have a range of capital protected investments and other low volatility multi-assets funds available. Hence, clients’ portfolios can easily be adjusted to protect their wealth, as and when necessary, something that is particularly appropriate during times of volatile markets.

Even when markets are not volatile, the benefits of diversification gained through investing in global multi-asset portfolios cannot be overstated. If this is combined with using investment management firms that have the size and capability to carry out extensive research into global markets, and investment risk is managed effectively, this considerably increases the chances of the clients’ investments performing better than the average over the medium to long-term.

Some people may be afraid to invest in capital markets during times of uncertainty. However, sitting with large amounts of cash in a bank is not risk-free. Apart from institutional risk, there is the real enemy of inflation, which can erode the real purchasing power of your capital, particularly since interest rates continue at ‘all-time lows’. Holding cash in the bank should really only be for short-term needs which of course includes any short-term capital projects that you might have planned, as well as a cushion for emergencies. Bank deposits are not usually appropriate for medium to long-term investment.

The investment solutions that we recommend to our clients are all carried out within tax-efficient products, which are also highly beneficial for inheritance planning in France. Everyone is different and that is why it is very important that we carry out a full review of a prospective client’s situation to find the right solution for them. It is equally important to ensure that this is kept under review and to not be afraid to make adjustments, when necessary.

The above outline is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute advice or a recommendation from The Spectrum IFA Group to take any particular action on the subject of investment of financial assets or the mitigation of taxes.

The Spectrum IFA Group advisers do not charge any fees directly to clients for their time or for advice given, as can be seen from our Client Charter at spectrum-ifa.com/spectrum-ifa-client-charter

Le Tour de Finance – Autumn seminars

By Spectrum IFA
This article is published on: 9th October 2015

The autumn run of seminars in France kicked off this week in Endreol,La Motte and moved onto the beautiful Chateau La Coste in Le Puy Sainte Reparade with a final stop in the Languedoc region at The Domaine Gayda.

These autumn seminars proved to be very successful offering English speaking expats a chance to meet various experts from fields including; specialist expat independent financial advice,  mutli-asset wealth management, currency exchange, QROPS/pensions and expat tax advice. The string of autumn seminars will culminate in Dinard, Brittanty with Le Tour de Finance’s 100th event.

The next events are:
11th Nov 2015   Avrille, Loire  
12th Nov 2015    Dinard, Ille-et-Vilain, Brittany   

If you would like further information or would like to book a place, please contact us

The objective of Le Tour de Finance is to provide expatriates with useful information relating to their financial lives. We try and cover frequently asked questions that we receive from our clients. It would be helpful for us to know what your particular areas of interest might be.

For further details and to book your place at a future event please register here

Below you will be some photos of our lucky prize draw winners walking away with a refreshing bottleof champagne, together with our speakers and attendees.

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Cogs4Cancer 2015 – Barcelona to Antibes

By Spectrum IFA
This article is published on: 8th October 2015

The Finish Line

Just after 5pm the peloton arrived into the IYCA Quay in the port of Antibes. The 24 strong group of riders had completed 870km in five days – a momentous feat by any standard. As the riders approached the quay they were re-joined by approximately 80  riders riders that had joined them for the last 88km on the French Tribute Ride. The superyachts at berth along the quay hooted their horns in celebration with over 200 other people waiting to greet the riders at the finish line.

The Spectrum IFA Group had sponsored Lee Mutch and the Cote d’Azur team were on hand to congratulate Lee and the other riders on finishing the trip.

As of Saturday Cogs4Cancer 2015 has raised €252, 716.70

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Day Five – the final stage

Cogs4 Cancer Tribute Ride – La Ciotat to Antibes

stage5Friday 9th October, the final stage but one of the longest days ride with about 180km to covered. Saddle soar, battered and bruised, the riders will definitely be looking forwardt o today’s ride. After completing about 100km the main team of riders will be meeting the guys and girls in Cogolin for the Tribute Ride in to Antibes. With the extra 80 plus riders bring home the main team, the afternoon will be a little more relaxed and jovial!

The whole team of riders are expected to enter the IYCA Quay for the official finish line for about 17.00. So if your in the Antibes area Friday afternoon,  join us all welcoming in the Cogs4Cancer riders.

Don’t forget to keep up to speed with the riders en-route with the live tracking here .

If you feel their efforts are worthy you can also donate here

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Day Four

Thursday 8th October, the penultimate day and the finish line in sight…well, almost! After yesterday’s ride, probably the most challenging yet, the team are certainly on the home straight. Leaving from Nimes, the team will ride south-east towards Aix-en-Provence which will be at their 110km mark. After taking in the delights of Aix and the stunning scenery…. they will  sweep further south. The Cogs4Cancer team will head towards La Ciotat for teh Day four finish line, bringing the days total ride to over 170km. Arriving in La Ciotat will be a milestone and they will be met by many friends joining them for the final days Tribute Ride.

Cogs4Cancer stage 4The French Tribute Ride will see upwards of 80 riders joining the main team of 24, to cycle  either 82km from La Ciotat to Antibes or the shorter 33km from Col de Testanier into Antibes on Friday, the final day. Last years welcoming event was superb, with hundreds of family and friends at the IYCA Quay in Antibes to welcome in the saddle sore riders after their 2014 ride from Ancona in Italy. This years welcome celebrations are expected to be even bigger, so if you are in the Antibes area Friday 9th October at about 17.00 join in the festivities and welcoming back the riders after their 850km ride form Barcelona.

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Day Three

Wednesday 7th October will see the riders starting in Narbonne, traveling near the coast along to Agne, then moving up towards Montpellier which is at the 100km mark for day three. Staying inland the team of riders will be heading for the finish line in Nimes, about 169km for the days ride.

Cogs4Cancer stage3Not forgetting the real purpose of this incredible ride.  All proceeds, that means absolutely 100% of the money raised will go to charity. The Cogs4Cancer riders have completely self-funded the whole trip with the support, sustenance and medical assistance through out this week, generously given for free.

The four charities supported are: CANCER RESEARCH UK, L’ARCHET HOSPITAL NICE, CANCER SUPPORT GROUP 06 and ISIS CENTRE AZUREEN DE CANCEROLOGIE WELLBEING PROGRAMME.

Don’t forget to keep up to speed with the riders en-route with the live tracking here . If you feel their efforts are worthy you can also donate here

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Day Two

Tuesday 6th October will take the riders from Figueres in Spain across the boarder into France with the day two finish line in Narbonne, just a little relaxing ride of about 170km! Only three more days in the saddle for team.

Cogs4Cancer stage2Keep up to speed with the riders on the following tracking app here.

In the image gallery below you can see images of the support vehicles supplying the Cogs4Cancer riders with welcome food breaks kindly supplied by the ladies from Gourmet Deliveries and EGP. Delicious food packed full of carbohydrates and protein to keep the guys and girls going.

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Day One

On Sunday the Spectrum Barcelona office turned out to support about 40 riders who joined the Spanish tribute ride, beginning the route at OneOcean Port Vell Marina. The guest riders supporting Cogs4Cancer took the ‘Ronda Verda’ circular route, a circuit for cyclists crossing the natural scenery throughout the Barcelonès county. This route consisted of six main sections: Montjuïc, Llobregat, Riverside Park, Serralada de Marina Park and the Sea Front.

At 07.30 on Monday 5th October the 24 riders will embark from OneOcean Marina Port Vell, Barcelona on a ride that will take them 850km over the next five days with the finish line awaiting them in Antibes, France.

Day one will take the riders along the coast north to Tossa de Mar and then inland continuing north to the stage one finish in Figueres, covering roughly 165km. The Spectrum IFA are proud to be sponsoring Lee Mutch & Cogs4Cancer and will be in Antibes on Friday 9th October to welcome the whole team to the finish line.

Cogs4Cancer stage1   

As of Monday October 5th, Cogs4Cancer 2015 has raised €214.333,51. The four charities supported are: CANCER RESEARCH UK, L’ARCHET HOSPITAL NICE, CANCER SUPPORT GROUP 06 and ISIS CENTRE AZUREEN DE CANCEROLOGIE WELLBEING PROGRAMME.

There is a live tracking of the riders here so you can see the progress. If you feel their efforts are worthy you can also donate here

At The Spectrum IFA Group we feel it is a very worthy cause and so we are proud to have sponsored a rider, Lee Mutch. We wish good luck to all the team.

 

 

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What are the main financial risks as an expat in France?

By Spectrum IFA
This article is published on: 29th September 2015

Age and wealth are often linked. One increases inexorably in a linear fashion, and the other tends also to increase over time, but always in a non-linear way. Following this traditional route, we tend to become more affluent as we get older, barring financial mishaps and accidents of course. This may have something to do with the notion that as we get older we become wiser. That may well also be true up to a point, but then it can occasionally go horribly wrong. Leaving that unfortunate possibility to one side, how can we expats best contribute to our own financial well-being?

All a bit deep that, but here is what I’m getting at. If I were to attempt to present a snapshot of my average client to you, it would be of a couple in their late 50’s to early 60’s who have retired early after successful careers and family building, based either on employment or their own business. Avid Francophiles, they are now ‘living the dream’ funded by the fruits of their former labours. All is well in their world; or at least that is how it appears on the surface. Underneath though, there are concerns, and these concerns are common to all of us. Age and money.

I think very few of us actually like getting older; I certainly don’t. It is becoming more and more difficult to ignore those ‘milestone’ anniversaries. I think of them more as millstones these days. As I suspect is the case with many of us, I tend these days to look my accumulated ‘wealth’ (cough), and wonder if it will last me out. I think it will, and I certainly hope it will, but I’m pragmatic enough to realise that it isn’t a ‘gimme’ (in Solheim cup parlance).

So then I start to look at the variables. What can possibly go wrong? What can I do to defend myself against the risks? What are the risks? I am after all a financial adviser; all this should come naturally to me. To an extent it does, but knowing what is out there doesn’t mean that you necessarily know how to beat it. It does help though. Here is my top three on my list of risks to worry about:

Institutional Risk   –   Basically this means that you put all of your money under the floorboards in the attic, but next year your house burns down, floorboards and all.

Market Risk   – How could putting all your money into VW shares possibly go wrong?

Exchange Rate Risk     –   This is where Murphy’s Law comes into play. Whatever the rate is; whatever you do will be wrong. Otherwise known as Sod’s Law.

Obviously, it is a good idea to work on avoiding these risks wherever possible. I thought long and hard before listing them in this order, but I do think that Institutional Risk stands out. After all, it can wipe you out completely. It can also be avoided completely. The other two cannot be eradicated, although some would argue about F/X risk.

Indeed there was a time when I would have argued that F/X risk can be avoided. In a former life (I’ve told you this before I know), I used to be a foreign exchange dealer in the world of international banking, before it became unfashionable. One of my jobs was to explain to corporate and private clients that F/X risk was the enemy, to be identified and eliminated at all costs; unless of course your job was to make money trading (gambling) in it.

Ten years ago I brought this dogma into my new career as an IFA in France. How long do you intend to stay in France? (forever). Where are your savings? (in the UK, in sterling)… Over the years, the subtleties started to emerge. The collapse of sterling against the Euro; the resulting exodus of thousands of UK ‘snow birds’ from Spain because their UK pensions wouldn’t support them anymore, and the growing realisation that our old enemy ‘age’ was always going to play its trump card; they all contributed to the much changed conversations that have with my clients these days. Strangely though, it is another banking term that now dominates my thinking, namely hedging.   ‘Hedge your bets’. To be honest, I tend to question anyone these days who says that they will never return to the UK. Statistics show otherwise. We tend to base our current view on our current circumstances, preferring not to think about what will happen if we end up on our own. How many UK expats are there, I wonder, in French care homes?

Since the Euro came into existence the £/€ exchange rate has been as high as 1.7510 and as low as 1.0219. In anyone’s language that is an enormous range. Coincidentally we currently sit at almost exactly the half way point between those two extremes, but I don’t see that as any reason for complacency. We need to take this risk very seriously, especially if we accept the possibility that we will one day have no more use for Euros. I have a firm view on the best way to manage this risk, but I’ve run out of space in this edition. If you want to discuss it, you know where to find me.

Le Tour de Finance – autumn 2015

By Spectrum IFA
This article is published on: 25th September 2015

We have been proudly taking part in ‘Le Tour de Finance’ which has now completed nearly 100 events.

The 100th event is in November taking place at the stunning Grand Hotel in Dinard. During 2015 we have already covered events in  Italy, France and Spain that proved to be a huge success. The events are fact filled sessions followed by an opportunity for an informal questions and answers session over complimentary refreshments and a buffet.

The relaxed and open forums are a chance to expand your knowledge of personal finance as an expat resident in France. The panel of speakers are experts in their respective fields and are on-hand to answer questions you may have about protecting and strengthening your personal financial situation while a resident in France.

We welcome you to join us for these autumn events in France.

    •    St. Endreol (Provence) – 7th October register now | more info
    •    Aix en Provence – 8th October register now | more info
    •    Gayda (Languedoc-Roussillon) – 9th October register now | more info
    •    Avrillé, Loire – 11th November register now | more info
    •    Dinard (Brittany) – 12th November – OUR 100th LE TOUR DE FINANCE EVENT! register now | more info

The objective of Le Tour de Finance is to provide expatriates with useful information relating to their financial lives.
 We try and cover frequently asked questions that we receive from our clients. It would be helpful for us to know what your particular areas of interest might be.

Send us your questions and the event you will be attending and we will try and cover them on the day:

Please click here for Le Tour de Finance Questions

Recent financial updates affecting expats in France

By Spectrum IFA
This article is published on: 15th September 2015

There are lots of things happening at the moment in the financial world that affect us as expats living in France. So this month, I am providing a summary of various topics.

Social Charges

This has to be one of the hottest topics around the expat dinner table, at the moment! It all started with the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling in February that France should not apply social charges on ‘income from capital’ for French residents who are insured under the social security scheme of another EU/EEA State. For those who want more on the detail of the ECJ ruling, this can be found in my previous article on this subject at https://spectrum-ifa.com/french-social-charges-on-worldwide-investment-income/.

However, despite the fact that the ECJ had made its decision, we still had to wait for France to accept the ruling. Happily, this came through on 27th July 2015, from the Conseil d’Etat, which is France’s highest court. This means that people affected by the ruling can now claim back social charges paid in 2013 and 2014, on investment income and gains. The claim should be made by 31st December 2015, otherwise you will lose the right to get back those paid in 2013.

As concerns social charges due for 2015, the good news is that I have already seen evidence from some clients’ tax bills that the social charges have not been applied. On the other hand, we all know that one tax office can do something completely different than another and so some of you may find that you have a bill for social charges! If so and you don’t think that you are liable, you should contact your tax office to dispute the bill.

The main group of people who will benefit from the ECJ ruling is those who hold a Certificate S1 for their health cover. Beyond this, those working in another EU/EEA State, but living in France will also benefit. However, a grey area concerns early retirees, who do not have a Certificate S1 and instead have private medical cover because the text of the ECJ judgement actually refers to being insured by another State’s social security system. So we will have to wait for the next round of Social Security legislation, which will be debated during the final quarter of this year, to see how they will be affected.

French Tax Changes

The debate on the draft finance bill for 2016 is scheduled to commence on 13th October.

As documents are published, we will carry out our own analysis. So keep an eye on the French pages on our own website at https://spectrum-ifa.com/financial-advisor-france/ for information. Alternatively, you can contact me directly for information.

EU Succession Regulations

These Regulations have now been in effect since 17th August 2015 and more information can be found in my previous articles at:

https://spectrum-ifa.com/the-eu-succession-regulations/

https://spectrum-ifa.com/eu-succession-regulations-the-perfect-solution/

So if you have not made a French will, as a French resident, the default position is that the succession rules of France will apply to your entire worldwide estate. In effect, this should include any UK property that you own, but since the UK has opted out of the Regulations, it is unlikely that an English court will easily accept a French court deciding that the UK property should pass to the ‘protected heirs’, instead of to the surviving spouse, if that is what you specified in a UK will! So we cannot be clear about what will happen in practice.

There are lots of other complicated situations that may arise and at the very least people should take the opportunity to revisit wills and succession planning. If you would like to have a confidential discussion about your situation, please contact me.

Pensions

The major reform in UK pensions that has taken place this year has generated lots of enquiries from people who are looking to cash-in their pension pots. Many people are not aware of the severe tax implications of doing this and thankfully, we are often able to find alternative solutions for them to meet their objectives.

We all wish to have a financially secure retirement and careful planning is an essential part of achieving this objective. At Spectrum, we can provide you with the necessary advice to reach your goal.

Investment Markets & Interest Rates

Volatility has been felt in investment markets over the last month, mainly as a result of actions taken in China relating to interest rates and currency devaluation. What has also been demonstrated is the fact that the global recovery is still fragile. This has caused central bankers to rethink interest rate policy and anticipated increases in US and UK interest rates may be pushed further back.

At Spectrum, we have a range of solutions to suit all levels of attitude to investment risk and if you would like to have a review of your financial situation, please contact me.

 

Client Seminars

All of the above subjects are being covered at our Autumn Seminars taking place across France – “Le Tour de Finance Bringing Experts to Expats”. The date for the local seminar is Friday, 9th October 2015 at the Domaine Gayda, 11300 Brugairolles and there are a limited number of places remaining. If you would like to come to the event, please contact me as soon as possible to make your reservation.

If you are further away, we have other events are taking place earlier during that week at:

  • Endreol (Provence) on 7th October
  • Aix-en-Provence on 8th October
  • Avrillé 49240 (Loire) on 11th November
  • Dinard, Ille-et-Vilain, (Brittany) on 12th November (the 100th Le Tour de Finance event)

If you are not able to come to one of our seminars, but you would anyway like to have a confidential discussion about any aspect of financial planning, please contact me either by e-mail at daphne.foulkes@spectrum-ifa.com or by telephone on 04 68 20 30 17.

The above outline is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute advice or a recommendation from The Spectrum IFA Group to take any particular action on the subject of investment of financial assets or the mitigation of taxes.

The Spectrum IFA Group advisers do not charge any fees directly to clients for their time or for advice given, as can be seen from our Client Charter at The Spectrum IFA Group Client Charter

Cogs4Cancer 2015 – The new kit has arrived

By Spectrum IFA
This article is published on: 10th September 2015

c4c-shirt-2015-spectrum-ifa copyCheck out the new Cogs4Cancer 2015 team colours !!!

The Spectrum IFA Group are for the second year running sponsoring Lee Mutch, Director at Inter-Nett Monaco.

Starting in 2013, Cogs4Cancer has grown year on year with over €563,000 raised so far. A truly spectacular event, this year is proving to be even bigger than last years ride with the total amount raised just for the 2015 event reaching €164,058.91 (as of 9th September).

Starting on Monday 5th October in Barcelona, the Spectrum team will be at the starting line to wish all the riders the very best of luck on their heroic journey covering 850KM in 5 days.