French inheritance fees are rising

This refers to the charges that banks make after a person dies for services such as the freezing of their accounts and transfer of money in them to heirs or a notaire.

The bank also checks the death certificate and declares the amount of money left by the deceased to the tax authorities.

Fees charged to estates rose 4% in 2018, then dropped by 2.8% in 2019, bank comparison site meilleurbanque.com found.

In most banks, rises are modest but there are exceptions, such as Crédit Agricole Charente-Maritime Deux-Sèvres, which has put them up 33%, an extra €50 on average, for this year.

The rates can also vary significantly from region to region at the same bank – for example, from an average of €150 to €410 at Crédit Mutuel or €75 to €330 at Crédit Agricole.

Some charge more where the heirs have a different bank to that of the deceased, such as certain Crédits Mutuels, where rates vary from an average €120 to €285.

The fees also rise if the deceased had several different financial products.

• Connexion is publishing a new Inheritance Law and Wills in France helpguide later this month. It will also cover help for people to stay living at home longer in older age and retirement homes in France. Please send any questions you have on these topics to news@connexionfrance.com . The guide is available online at a pre-order price of €10 (+p&p if printed) until February 15. After that, it will be €12.50. Please see connexionfrance.com/Helpguides to place an order