Retiring in France

Many Americans at retirement age, find themselves in a new home somewhere else around the world. France is becoming increasingly popular for those who wish to retire abroad as it offers many benefits for those living in France. You may have many questions as to your retirement is handled in France, so I wrote this guide in hopes of answering some of these questions.

First off, if you’ve a pension plan from the US, you probably have a lot of questions regarding that. In the US, you must pay tax on your pension and when you bring in an income in France, you must a pay a tax. So which tax do you pay? Do you get double taxed? The answer is no, you do not get double taxed on your US pension in France. You can take your US pension plan to France free of tax and then pay French income tax on it. There is a US form you’ll fill out after you move to France which will basically tell the US government that you’re paying French tax on your income instead of American tax. Under French law, pensions are taxed very similarly to regular working income.

You’re also probably wondering about your access to the French health care system since you’ve not grown up in France and never really paid a any tax here (besides any sales tax.) Well, lucky you, you’re covered under France's universal health care system. There are many expats who also find themselves with insurance as well. Unlike the US, in France, insurance doesn’t increase the amount of care you receive, it's just handy if you’d like some of the hospital luxuries like a single room.

Another big thing that might prey on your mind is where to live. I would recommend to stay away from Paris unless you’ve got beaucoup d’argent (lots of money.) There are some great smaller cities and also the countryside to find a place to live. I, personally, would love to be in the countryside with access to a larger city. For those with no idea where in France they would like to live, it's a good idea to take a trip or two in France to find an idea of where to live. There are many villages, towns, and cities to choose from so it's a good idea to get the region down first because it's literally impossible to visit every city, town, and village in France.