# Identifying Accountant - Expat Tax return



## Peter Turnbull

I am seeking advice / recommendations on English speaking Accountants, preferably in the Lourdes/Tarbes area who could assist me in completing my French 2021 Tax return. I moved to France last year and need help in completing the return correctly with this being the first time. I paid UK Tax up until 31-Mar-21 and my only income has been from my UK Pensions ( I have no business interests in France). Any advice /assistance would be greatly appreciated.


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## Crabtree

Go to your local tax office and they will show you how to fill in the form It will need to be a paper one as this is your first return You will find them very helpful. Also "The Connexion" an expat "newspaper" does a good How To guide for tax returns.
You do not say what your pensions are but the Anglo French tax treaty states that all pensions are taxed in France and should be paid tax free in the UK and are subject to CSG EXCEPT UK government occupational pensions eg police teachers etc) which are taxed in the UK and are not subject to CSG. However you need to declare them in France and you will receive an allowance on your French tax return .


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## BackinFrance

Just an additional word of advice, make an appointment at your tax office and when you do so, tell them you need to see someone who speaks English.


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## EuroTrash

Peter Turnbull said:


> I paid UK Tax up until 31-Mar-21 and my only income has been from my UK Pensions ( I have no business interests in France).


It might be that simple or it might not.
If you arrived in France on 1st Apr 2021, that was a very good move and you can declare all income since that date to France.
Unfortunately if you arrived in France before 31.3.21, but you forgot to inform HMRC that you had left the UK and so HMRC has continued to collect tax that was fact due to France, you would still need declare to France all income since your arrival date, and potentially reclaim from HMRC any tax that was incorrectly collected by them. There is a process for doing this.
I agree with the advice to go to your local tax office. Accountants tend to be very busy at this time of year and you might find you haven't left yourself time to find an accountant who is in a position to take on a new client, go through the due diligence process, fit you in quickly and get your paper form completed by the deadline (19 May). If you could declare online you would have a longer deadline, but setting up an online account takes time because of getting the necessary log on details and even then you risk finding that it won't allow you to declare online. In which case you would be snookered.


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