Bank account

Is it better for partners to have a joint bank account in France?

There are rules to consider about who owns the funds and what happens if the couple separates

French bank to close dozens of Britons' accounts citing Brexit

Regional caisse in south-west blames complicated post-Brexit rules and measures to stop money laundering

Warning to expect delays with bank transfers in France over Easter

How to avoid getting caught out by the annual bank transfer holiday

practical

Can you open a bank account in France without a local address?

Banks are free to deny an account to anyone and are not required to provide justification for their decision

French banks that round up cents on purchases and send to savings

Many online banks and apps offer this ‘pain free’ way of saving - we look at how it works

Tips for reducing your bank charges in France

From overdraft to withdrawal fees, as well as online banking, we look at ways to save

What are comptes à terme and why are they popular in France?

With inflation still high, savers must ensure their savings are not losing value

If my partner dies, can I still use our joint French bank account?

Learn if you can access your joint account with no issues in the case of a partner's death

Neobank N26 gives customers in France local IBAN numbers

The German bank hopes money transfers will become easier - but it will change how customers declare their account on tax returns

French money news update: SCIs, S1s, joint Revolut accounts

UK officials have given further clarifications on French pensions and S1 holders

Fake bank employee scam in France cons woman out of €8,000

The fraudsters pretended to be from her bank and said her account had been hacked

How to protect savings if your French bank crashes

Partner article: Recent bank collapses put a spotlight on savings protection - check your own safeguards, says Rob Kay from Blevins Franks

Ex-Barclays customer in France struggles to transfer funds

A British man tells us of complications moving his money after the account was closed due to Brexit

Five French alternatives to leaving money in current accounts

Partner article: You may be missing out on interest or even breaking the law, says Robert Kent of Kentingtons

Income declarations in France: Key points on overseas bank accounts

We give an overview of how to declare your overseas financial details to the French tax authorities

What happens to a joint French bank account during a divorce?

We get guidance on how to protect your money in a joint account when going through a separation or divorce

British woman's warning over spouse's right to her French bank account

Stealing from your spouse is not a crime in France - a British woman says her husband took Є30,000 from her personal account

What happens to a French bank account after a person’s death?

Can a spouse automatically access the funds?

How do I recover funds from my late father’s French bank account?

If a person living in the UK dies and leaves behind a bank account in France, this is more complicated to recover than the UK assets

Barclays clients face delays transferring money to France

Barclays has informed British residents in France they must close their accounts following Brexit, but readers have reported delays in transferring money

The tax-free French savings account open to all with 3% interest rate

The Livret A interest rate is to increase to this percentage from February. However many people simply leave their money in current accounts, figures show

What February interest rises for regulated savings accounts in France?

Savers with Livret A, LDD and LEP accounts look set to see their returns increase significantly

Residents of France: Neobank may be solution if UK bank closes account

Some mobile banking apps allow you to receive and make payments in several currencies at little or no fee

Self-employed status in France must be on invoices and bank accounts

Urssaf says independent workers can only benefit from new legal protection if status is on work-related documents

What are the bank account options for non-residents in France?

UK residents still have the right to set up payments and pay bills in EU countries with a British bank account

French banks to pay fines for late repayment of clients’ fraud losses

A new law will mean customers receiving a small additional sum from banks if they do not immediately reimburse them for money stolen from their accounts

Barclays closes accounts of Britons in France: what about other banks?

We asked other main UK banks about their intentions for account-holders in France

Changes to French banking law will help Americans refused an account

We explain the process where Americans and others struggling to open an account are allocated a bank through a simplified ‘right to a bank account’ rule

See the deadlines to update bank details on French income tax website

Having the correct bank details means that you can more easily receive tax rebates or pay any extra taxes that you owe

French income tax: More people caught out over foreign bank accounts

Information exchange between countries means that people are receiving tax office letters about undeclared accounts held abroad

How to open a joint bank account and how they work in France

We take a look at the nature of compte joint and what requirements must be met to open it

New scam alert: People in France warned about banking ‘spoofing’

The crime sees fraudsters posing as your bank, often pretending to be fraud inspectors themselves, to extract sensitive details and data

Is the money in neobanks protected the same as French bank accounts?

Not all neobanks are the same. This is how to check if your money is protected should the bank go into liquidation

Can dependent children open a French LEP account at 2.2% interest?

Tax-free LEP savings accounts now have an interest rate well above that offered by other accounts but not everyone can open one

France’s LEP tax-free savings account at 2.2% interest: Who qualifies?

The Livret d’épargne populaire also comes with instant-access but only around seven million of the 26 million people eligible for the special account have one

Interest rates on tax-free bank accounts in France to increase

The rate will increase from 0.5% to 1% on Livret A and LDDS accounts, and from 1% to 2.2% on LEP accounts

Online bank ING France closes hundreds of thousands of accounts

The rapid closure of the bank’s retail business has prompted condemnation from a banking consumer association, which says it is preparing to take legal action

Can I close a French bank account for someone else?

Can I close a bank account for a friend who no longer lives in France and who does not wish to travel to the Dordogne just to do this? C.M.

Is French pension body allowed to seize money?

My husband is in dispute with Cipav, the pension body for self-employed professionals, over unpaid contributions. A court found in its favour and we are in negotiation to work out a payment plan. My husband and myself have received letters from our bank for a saisie-attribution on our joint account. As the debt belongs to my husband, can Cipav block a joint account? J.L.

Second home-owners: What if French bank account is closed?

There is no current widespread problem of French banks closing accounts of UK residents

What are the tax-free bank accounts in France?

There are some special bank accounts in France that are regulated and are not subject to tax or social charges or fees. They have low interest but you see them in all banks. We explain.

Bank account hacking on rise in France - and you may not be reimbursed

If you receive a message reporting a suspicious transaction on your bank account do not give out your information. If you do - and a fraud results - you risk your bank refusing compensation

How to switch your bank account in France

After choosing a new bank, the process of transferring your current account is straightforward. Savings accounts can be more complicated

French banks are not closing accounts of UK residents

French banks are not closing accounts of people in the UK, after some British banks shutting accounts of Britons in France

Q&A: Money and tax in France this January

Reader questions on joint bank accounts after death of one spouse, French property taxes on two properties and more

It’s decision time for UK pensions in France after Brexit

In his monthly feature for The Connexion readers, Robert Kent of Kentingtons shares his thoughts on what your UK pension options are after Brexit

Victims of fraud in France less likely to be reimbursed

An inquiry found victims were now at least 4% less likely to be reimbursed, despite the legal rules for consumer fraud improving this year

Can I open a new UK bank account from France?

Some British banks are considering closing accounts of Britons in France; can I open a new one at another bank?

Britons in France face banking issues post-Brexit

Some providers are reviewing whether or not to stop services for Britons abroad.

Do French entrepreneurs need separate work bank accounts?

Reader question: do I need a business bank account for my micro firm?

Do French banks still offer prêt viager hypothécaire loan?

A money-related reader question answered in our August issue.

Fewer ATMs in France amid Covid, online, and cashless trends

ATM cash machines are disappearing in France as cash use decreases and digital banking rises, amid fears that the Covid-19 crisis may exacerbate the issue due to people using contactless methods.

Americans' bank issues in France: reader feedback

Americans are subject to income declarations and can be taxed as appropriate in the US no matter where they live in the world. This has caused some problems for US citizens looking to open bank accounts in France.

Traditional French banks under pressure as customers switch

An increasing number of people in France are changing banks - including many to new "digital banks" - with the quality of customer service and high fees cited as major factors in the decision to switch.

Fingerprint card payments coming to France in autumn

You could soon make a card payment using your fingerprint in France as a French bank is set to launch the system this autumn.

Changing bank account in France ‘still too difficult’

Changing bank account in France is still “too difficult”, a new consumer report has said, despite new laws being introduced two years ago that were supposed to make it easier to switch.

Paying rent into UK personal bank account

I am retired and live in France and have rental properties in London. I opened a small business account with Barclays while I lived in the UK to deal with consultancy work I had and continued the account with rent being paid into it. Barclays now says it is closing business accounts held by people outside the UK but I can keep my personal account. However, it says I cannot pay the rent into it as it is not a salary. Is this right? S.L.

French resident turned down for a UK deposit account

I have a cheque account with a UK bank and rang to ask if I could open a deposit account and was told I could not as I live in France. I thought we had the right to open accounts from abroad? J.D.

Cross-border banking is a mobile app away

French banking authority warns on fake bank websites

Fake online banking sites are becoming more common, a French authority has said, with the public warned to be alert to scams and fake URLs.

Americans risk French bank shutdown

Increasingly tough demands by US tax authorities for information about American clients of French banks have led to fears that tens of thousands of accounts could be closed by the end of the year.

France warned to check for fake banknotes of €5-€50

Shoppers in France are being warned to check for fake banknotes, especially for notes of €5, €10, €20 and €50, the national gendarmerie has said.

Declaring UK bank accounts when living in France

I read in Connexion that there are severe penalties for not declaring foreign bank accounts as part of your annual tax declaration. We live in France and make our declarations here including all interest paid on our UK accounts / investments. However we hold a current account with a UK bank with no interest payable. Do we need to also declare this?

Bank change for low-pay sole traders in France

Lower-income sole traders working under the micro-entrepreneur set-up may no longer be required to have a separate bank account for business earnings.

Can I keep French bank account?

I have had an account with Crédit Agricole for over 10 years and it was opened with thoughts of buying a property in France. Now I do not think this will happen and I am only withdrawing cash from it on holiday. Will it be safe and uncomplicated to keep doing this in the case of Brexit or should I withdraw the money and close the account? C.B.

BNP online banking services down

'Internal IT incident' leaves tens of thousands of French customers of BNP Paribas, Hello Bank and Cetelem unable to access online services

Bank fee rises cancelled in French ‘collective effort’

All planned increases in bank fees for 2019 in France have been cancelled, as part of the banks’ commitment to President Macron’s “collective effort” to help improve the public’s buying power.

Major French banks change overdraft fee rules

Two major French banks have changed their rules on overdraft charges, ahead of the publication of a new report condemning “irregular practices” on overdraft fees.

Minister seeks €200 annual cap on French bank charges

The French minister of economy and finance Bruno Lemaire is seeking to introduce a cap of €200 per year on banking charges for people of the most limited means.

Problems with Nickel?

Some tabacs in Occitanie have stopped offering the simple low-cost Nickel bank account because of technical complications, which they are not paid to deal with, reports the local media France 3.

Confusion over 'no-deal' Brexit and bank accounts

The recently-issued advice from the UK about a no-deal Brexit has referred to British expatriates’ UK bank accounts saying Britons in the EU “may lose the ability to access existing lending and deposit services.” We sought to clarify the meaning of this with the UK’s Treasury but it was unable to give further information on what it means in concrete terms.