How France Taxes US Living Trusts

A US living trust can create unexpected French tax and reporting consequences once someone moves to France, and French tax residence is not determined the way most people assume. Thomas Dubanchet, a French tax lawyer and founder of Bespoke, joins the show to explain how France treats US trust structures, why French tax residence cannot be determined by a day count alone, and how a formal written position from French tax authorities can address specific situations before committing to a move. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 - Why a French tax lawyer builds his practice around US-connected clients 05:25 - The planning gap FATCA created between US and French systems 08:23 - The common mistake of optimizing your old state's plan instead of coordinating with the new one 19:03 - How France treats US living trusts 23:15 - Requesting a formal written position from French tax authorities 25:36 - Why French tax residence is not just a day count ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Thomas Dubanchet is a French tax lawyer admitted to the Nice Bar and founder of Bespoke, a French tax law firm advising US-connected individuals and families on relocation, French tax residence, trusts, and estate planning. He works with clients' US tax and legal advisers to coordinate planning across both countries. He is a member of the Passport To Wealth® Directory. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. ────────────────────────────────────────── LINKS & RESOURCES ────────────────────────────────────────── Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth Find Thomas Dubanchet in the Passport To Wealth® Directory: https://www.passporttowealth.com/thomas-dubanchet ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. ────────────────────────────────────────── Mentioned in this episode: Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Click here to subscribe to our newsletter Order "The Expat Money Playbook" **Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network** Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network