News Digest: Did You Know About Today’s Tax Deadline?

French President Emmanuel Macron and first lady Brigitte were in London yesterday to attend the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-ruling monarch. Macron joined around 500 foreign leaders and dignitaries, among them US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as part of the 2000-strong congregation at Westminster Abbey.

The state funeral was marked by a military procession through Central London, with hundreds of thousands of people lining the streets to watch as the Queen’s coffin was carried to Westminster Abbey. King Charles III and the Royal Family were also joined by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, and members of the royal families from Belgium, Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden.

France also honoured The Queen by flying the French flag at half mast on public buildings (a request passed down from French prime minister Élisabeth Borne), while signs at the Paris metro station ‘George V’ were also renamed ‘Elizabeth II’ for the day.

The French healthcare system has often been heralded for its preventative approach to public healthcare, and France’s health minister has now announced plans for further preventative health checks to be put into place. Three age-based medical check-ups will soon become available to French residents aged 25, 45, and 65, and will be free for anyone registered for France’s state healthcare with a Carte Vitale.

The check-ups will aim to monitor the general health and the progression of age-related health conditions in each individual throughout their life. For 25-year-olds, the check-ups will focus on vaccinations, physical activity, the importance of routine healthcare, and any addictions or difficulties that the individual is facing at the start of their working life. For 45-year-olds, breast, colon, and prostate cancer screenings would also be offered, along with addressing any mental health concerns. For 65 years olds, concerns include screenings for various cancer and health conditions, with the consultation focusing more on plans for retirement and questions concerning the loss of autonomy.

A starting date for these consultations has not yet been announced, but if you fall into one of these age categories, it could be a good idea to let your GP know that you would like to take part once they become available.

If you file a tax return in France, you should have already received your avis d’imposition (tax notice) for your 2022 return (tax on the income you earned in 2021). If you still have outstanding income tax (impôt sur le revenu) or social charges (prélèvements sociaux) payments to make, the deadline is midnight tonight (September 20) to make your payment online. If you’ve already set up a direct debit payment, the amount will be automatically debited from your account from September 26.

Tonight is also the final deadline for real estate wealth tax (impôt sur la fortune immobilière or IFI). An exception is made for certain wealth tax returns—always refer to the payment deadline marked on your tax notice.

Thanks to everyone who joined us for last week’s Buying a House in France: Mortgages, Finances & FAQs webinar. If you missed the live event, don’t worry, the webinar is available to stream for free on the FrenchEntrée YouTube page here (don’t forget to subscribe to our channel while you’re there!), and it’s packed full of expert advice and tips from our panel of industry leaders including Moneycorp, Ashtons Legal, International Private Finance, and Leggett Estate Agents.

If you enjoyed that one, you won’t want to miss our next webinar Moving to France: Visas and Residency, which will be held on Thursday, 13th October at 4:00 pm UK Time (GMT+1). Many of our American and Canadian readers expressed their disappointment that our webinars are so often organised at UK times (something that is often limited by our UK- and Europe-based panel), so we’ve made sure to organise this webinar at a time that will be accessible (hopefully!) for everyone.

For this special webinar, I’ll be joined by an expert advisor from French Connections HCB to tackle your many frequently asked questions concerning visas and residency in France. There will be chance to ask your questions on the day or send your questions to me in advance at [email protected].

You can sign up for the free event here or click the button below. I’ll look forward to seeing you all there!