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Eligibility for CMU

Eligibility for CMU

Old Nov 29th 2012, 8:42 pm
  #16  
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Default Re: Eligibility for CMU

Originally Posted by Griff1234
OK, so to try to draw this together: Although my UK private pension would be taxed as income as if I were employed, the social charges associated with private health (8%?) would not be levied, and I would not be eligible for CMU. After 5 years I would (probably) be accepted into CMU, and at that time could opt to pay CMU plus top up insurance instead of having health insurance.

So for the first 5 years, my only option is private health, which I have gleaned from other threads will cost typically between £3k and £6k for two healthy mid 50 year olds.

Have I got that right?
Careful In France we have Social charges (called prelevements sociaux, bill will come in January) and CMU (National health insurance, bill came in September and payable in 4 instalments) !!!
So, in total I pay about 6,6 % of income on Social charges in January AND 6,7 % for National Health insurance. On top of that one has the top up insurance which in my case is +/- 80 E per month.
I can assure you, it all adds up !!!

It is all explained in the link I posted earlier ... just go to Social security contributions and follow links applicable to you (early retirees).
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Old Nov 30th 2012, 5:29 am
  #17  
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Default Re: Eligibility for CMU

Originally Posted by Griff1234
OK, so to try to draw this together: Although my UK private pension would be taxed as income as if I were employed, the social charges associated with private health (8%?) would not be levied, and I would not be eligible for CMU. After 5 years I would (probably) be accepted into CMU, and at that time could opt to pay CMU plus top up insurance instead of having health insurance.

So for the first 5 years, my only option is private health, which I have gleaned from other threads will cost typically between £3k and £6k for two healthy mid 50 year olds.

Have I got that right?
Pretty much, although if you have enough NI contributions in the UK to meet the criteria, you might be eligible for an S1 form which can cover you for up to the first two years in France. This depends on your recent employment situation and is something you would have to discuss with the relevant authorities over there.

You describe your UK pension as 'occupational' - mostly these are taxable in France - and you can arrange with the UK tax authorities for them to be paid net of tax over there by completing the form FD5 'France Individual'. But there are exceptions, most notably government pensions (such as local authority, armed forces, police, civil service, but not NHS in most cases) which remain taxable in the UK, but must be declared in France as part of your world-wide income. They will not be taxed twice under the Double Taxation Treaty. These are details which will not in any way affect your health care situation, but are easier to manage here if you understand the system from the outset.
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Old Dec 1st 2012, 6:09 pm
  #18  
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Default Re: Eligibility for CMU

I thought we had a complicated tax system in the UK, but Jeez' the more I read into the French system, it has more twists & turns than a maze!

I came across a another couple of interesting points which may be of interest to others in a book called "The Complete Guide to Living in France" published by Living in France magazine.

1) If a UK pension is annuity based (mine will be part annuity and part final salary based), a whole life annuity is given favourable tax treatment in France, depending upon the age at first drawdown. If it is drawn between 5 and 59, 50% is tax free. Over 60, 60% is tax free.

2) With respect to my earlier point about part time work, the book suggests that 60 hours work per week for more than 4 months is enough to gain access to the French system. This would suggest that a part time job for a summer of winter holiday season would qualify.

I guess the scary bit about all of this is that a number of references have suggested that bith the tax system and health system are so complex that they are interpreted differently by different authorities. The implication here is that you will only know exactly where you stand after going through with it!

It may also be that for those on a higher pension income, payment of CSG plus top-up health insurance would cost more than opting out and going 100% private.
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Old Dec 1st 2012, 7:31 pm
  #19  
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Default Re: Eligibility for CMU

Originally Posted by Griff1234

the book suggests that 60 hours work per week for more than 4 months is enough to gain access to the French system. This would suggest that a part time job for a summer of winter holiday season would qualify.
60 hours a MONTH would qualify you for health cover at the normal rate of 70%. This would last for a year after your contract finished.
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