Luxembourg life insurance comes up a lot in conversations about wealth planning for internationally mobile people, often wrapped in talk of security and sophistication. But what is it, actually, and how does it work in practice? This is a plain explanation of the product itself, before any question of whether it's right for you. What is a Luxembourg life insurance policy? At its core, it's the same idea as a French life insurance contract (assurance-vie): a wrapper you pay mo

Real estate is one of the main ways to build wealth in France, and the tax code offers several schemes to reduce what you pay while you do it. But "defiscalisation" doesn't mean the same thing from one scheme to the next: some give you a tax reduction, some let you deduct expenses, and, crucially, they don't all treat your rental income the same way. This guide walks through the schemes available in 2026, how each one works, and, for each, whether your rents are taxed or not.

On regulated savings like the Livret A and the LDDS, the date you withdraw can quietly cost you up to half a month of interest. It's a small amount on a single transaction, but it's avoidable once you understand how the interest is calculated. Here's how to time your withdrawals so you don't give up interest you've already earned. Livret A and LDDS: the fortnight rule (quinzaines) Interest on the Livret A and the LDDS isn't calculated day by day. It's calculated in fortnightl

If you pay income tax in France, you've probably heard of défiscalisation, the legal ways to reduce your tax bill. The options are many, and each one comes with its own rules, risks and deadlines. Before we get into them, one key reminder: what you do in 2026 reduces the tax you pay in 2027, since your 2026 income is declared in spring 2027 and the final bill is calculated that summer. For almost all of the schemes below, the payment or investment must be made by December 31,

SCPIs (sociétés civiles de placement immobilier) are a way to invest in real estate without buying a property yourself. Instead of purchasing a flat or a building on your own, you buy shares in a company that owns and manages a portfolio of real estate. If you're familiar with REITs in your home country, an SCPI is the closest French equivalent, though not identical, so it's often an easy concept for expats to grasp. How does an SCPI work? An SCPI pools money from many invest

The Livret de Développement Durable et Solidaire (LDDS), previously called the Codevi, is a regulated savings account available from French banks. It lets you set money aside while keeping the freedom to withdraw it at any time, and it channels part of your savings toward sustainable and socially useful projects. Think of it as the Livret A's close cousin, with a green and solidarity focus. How does the LDDS work? The LDDS bundles together several appealing features. Your mon

The Livret A ( sometime called "Livret Bleu") is the best-known regulated savings account in France. It's easy to open, your money stays available at all times, and the interest is completely tax-free, which is why it's the go-to option for building up an emergency fund. But what actually happens to the money you deposit? Is it invested in the stock market? Does it fund the government directly? Here's what's really going on. What is a Livret A? A Livret A is a savings account

Are you a non-French national living and paying tax in France? A Luxembourg life insurance policy is one of the more popular wealth-management tools among internationally mobile people and for good reason. But it's worth being clear from the outset that it isn't automatically tax-free. The deciding factor here isn't your nationality. What matters is your French tax residency, the country where the policy is held, and the tax treaty that may apply. The Triangle of Security: wh

Buying property in France while living abroad can raise many questions, particularly when several family members are involved. A SCI (Société Civile Immobilière) is a French property-holding company that can be used to own and manage real estate in France. For expatriates and non-residents, it can sometimes be an interesting way to organise property ownership, management and succession. However, a SCI is not a tax-saving solution by default, and its suitability depends on you