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Finance & Taxation
Personal Taxation in France
- 1. Overview
- 2. Top Tips
- 3. Income Tax Liability
- 4. Income Tax Return
- 5. Calculating Income Tax Liability
- 6. Payment of Income Tax
- 7. Social Security Contributions
- 8. Taxation of Investment Income
- 9. Local Property Taxes
- 10. French Wealth Tax
- 11. Capital Gains Tax
- 12. Gifts Tax
- 13. Tax Inspection
- 14. Tax Complaints
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7. Social Charges/Contributions in France
- Basic Rules
- Employers and Employees
- Self-Employed
- Retired Persons
- Early Retirees
- Social Charges (CSG/CRDS)
7.3. Social Security Contributions for Self Employed Persons
If you are self-employed in France then the level of your contributions will depend on the legal and tax status of your business, eg limited company, or micro-entreprise.
The rules are complex and can only really be summarised here.
Broadly speaking:
- If you have micro-entreprise business tax status you will pay social security contributions as a percentage of your turnover, whose rates will vary by type of business - between 12% to 23%.
- If you operate on the basis of the régime réel then you pay social security contributions after deduction of your actual eligible costs, at a level of around 45% of net profits. Most social security contributions are a deductible expense for income tax.
There are various exemptions and reliefs that operate for the self-employed, notably for low profits and business start-ups.
You need to refer to our detailed review of social security contributions for the self-employed in our pages Guide to Micro-Entrepreneur and Social Security Contributions for Business Owners for those not operating as a micro-entreprise.
Next: Retired Persons
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