US accounts, the PFIC trap, the IFI wealth tax and its 5-year window, inheritance and FATCA: the complete money map for Americans moving to France in 2026.

France's Zucman wealth tax was rejected. Here's what actually passed in 2026, the real political risk, and whether wealthy Americans should still move.

France's IFI taxes real estate wealth above 1.3 million euros. New arrivals get a 5-year exemption on foreign property. What US movers need to know.

Monaco has no income tax; France taxes worldwide income. But US citizenship taxes Americans in both. Compare tax, residency, and the cross-border traps.

Buying a farmhouse in France as an American: 2026 renovation costs per m², DPE and passoire thermique rules, and the checks to run before you sign.

Most French investment products are PFIC tax traps for Americans. How the US-France treaty helps and where US citizens can actually invest in 2026.

How French forced heirship, Brussels IV, and the US-France estate tax treaty affect Americans in France, plus 2026 succession tax rates.

Having a baby in France as an American: maternity care, CPAM coverage, CAF benefits, declaring the birth, and whether your baby is French.

Why English-speaking residents in France use an insurance broker, what a courtier actually does, and how to choose a good one with confidence.

French healthcare is not free for Americans. Real CPAM, mutuelle, and out-of-pocket costs in 2026, plus the new visitor visa contribution.

The French administrative vocabulary Americans actually need at the prefecture, CPAM, bank, and housing office, with key phrases to build confidence fast.

How Americans in France can register to vote overseas, request an absentee ballot, meet state deadlines, and return it from France. UOCAVA rights explained.

Comparing GeoBlue, Cigna Global, IMG, and Now Health for Americans moving to France: visa compliance, CPAM gap coverage, and how to pick the right plan.

Mental health support in France for Americans: English-speaking therapists, MonSoutienPsy explained, CPAM reimbursement, and online therapy options.

Moving to France with US prescriptions? What customs allows, how controlled substances work, and how to transition your treatment to the French system.

Most US retirees owe nothing: Social Security exempts you from the CSM. But a new 2026 contribution hits visitor-visa holders. Check which one applies to you.

American freelancers in France owe taxes to both countries. Here's how Schedule SE, French cotisations sociales, and the Totalization Agreement interact.

When micro-entrepreneur status isn't enough, Americans in France may need a SARL or SAS. Here's when, how to register, and the US tax implications.

How ENIC-NARIC France evaluates US degrees, what the attestation unlocks, which professions require formal recognition, and how to apply step by step.

How to get a crèche place, find an assistante maternelle, use monenfant.fr, claim CAF childcare allowances, and navigate childcare in France as an expat.

Which US bank accounts to keep, credit cards, brokerage decisions, Medicare Part B, Social Security, and wire transfers before moving to France.

Moving to France doesn't end state tax obligations automatically. California, New York sticky state rules and the domicile change steps that actually work.

Get a French prefecture appointment when none are available: ANEF alternatives, monitoring tools, direct email, urgency procedures, and Défenseur routes.

Americans in France can open a Livret A but it triggers FBAR and US tax. PEL, LEP, assurance-vie access, and the after-tax return calculation explained.

RIB, IBAN, virement, prélèvement automatique, and cheques explained for Americans in France: what each is, when you use it, and how to set each one up.

How to find a médecin traitant in France: Doctolib, shortage workarounds, CPTS referral, ameli.fr declaration, and English-speaking doctor options.

Form 1116 step by step for Americans in France: income baskets, the FTC limitation, FEIE vs FTC decision, passive vs general income, carryovers, and AMT.

Provisional French social security number starts with 7 or 8: what it means, how long until your permanent NIR, and how to fix errors explained.

Moving apartments in France? Every institution to notify in the right order: ANEF, CPAM, CAF, impots.gouv.fr, bank, and employer. Checklist for Americans.

Ordonnances, CPAM reimbursement at the pharmacy counter, what Americans can buy without a prescription in France, and whether a US prescription is valid.

Section 121 exclusion timing, French tax on US property sales, Form 8949, and what Americans in France must report when selling their US home.

US Social Security in France, the totalization agreement, Medicare Part B abroad, and the Windfall Elimination Provision explained for Americans.

Prefecture, CPAM, or CAF not responding? The two-month silence rule, recours gracieux, and Défenseur des droits steps for Americans in France explained.

Which US documents need an apostille for France, which need certified translation, and how to get both. Institution-by-institution checklist for Americans.

Americans can get a French mortgage, but FATCA, the 35% debt ratio, assurance emprunteur, and income documentation create specific hurdles. Here's how.

France treats your 401(k) and IRA as foreign accounts. Form 3916 is due every year, even with zero withdrawals. Roth treatment is unsettled. RMDs still apply.

Homeschooling in France requires state authorization since 2022. The 4 accepted reasons, annual inspections, and CNED: what Americans must know.

CASNAV assessment, UPE2A language classes, and how French schools integrate non-French-speaking children: what actually happens and what parents must do.

French public school is free. International schools cost €10,000 to €35,000 per year. The decision framework American families in France actually need.

Kids under 10 reach functional classroom French in 4-6 months. « Doit fournir plus d'efforts » is standard teacher language, not a warning. Grades run out of 20.

What health insurance do Americans need before CPAM activates? The 3-month bridge, which policies qualify for the visa, and when to cancel explained.

CPAM covers roughly 70% of most healthcare costs. Here's what a mutuelle covers, what it costs in 2026, and whether Americans in France actually need one.

First-time filing French income taxes as an American? Numéro fiscal, Form 2042, Form 2047, deadlines by department, and declaring US income explained.

How to enroll your children in French public school as an American expat: documents needed, the mairie process, and what to expect.

Americans in France still file US taxes. What FBAR, FATCA, Form 2555 and the US-France tax treaty mean for you in plain English.

Most American CPAM files are incomplete on first submission — and CPAM does not tell you. From arrival to a provisional social security number: 6 to 9 months.

Moving to France? Fidelity and Schwab may restrict your US brokerage account. What happens and which alternatives work for American expats.

Some French banks quietly decline US persons over FATCA. Refused? The droit au compte obliges the Banque de France to designate a bank for you within days.

How Americans retire in France in 2026: which retirement visa to apply for, healthcare options, taxes, and a realistic month-by-month timeline.

What Americans need to know before signing a French lease: how charges work, what the deposit covers, notice periods, and furnished vs unfurnished.

Your deposit starts at the move-in inspection. How to document the apartment, what to watch for, and how to get your money back at move-out.

Renter's insurance is mandatory in France. Here is what it covers, how to get an attestation before key handover, and the fastest options for Americans.

What French banks ask for, how to handle the proof of address problem, and the fastest path to a working account when you first arrive in France.

Why proof of address blocks so many admin steps in France, what documents institutions actually accept, and how to build a realistic path out of Airbnb.

How French health insurance works for Americans: PUMa, CPAM, the Carte Vitale, mutuelle, and the costs and timelines to expect in 2026.

Everything Americans need to know about moving out in France: notice, exit inspection, utilities cancellations, and deposit return explained.

Your first month in France as a system: housing, address, banking, utilities, phone and healthcare in the right order so nothing blocks anything else.

French citizenship for Americans through naturalization: eligibility, dossier, the 2026 B2 language rule, the civic exam, and dual citizenship explained.

French language requirements for residency and citizenship: B1 thresholds, accepted tests, exemptions, and how the naturalization interview works.

Timeline VLS-TS to permanent residency France: OFII validation, renewals, 5-year threshold, and carte de résident application for Americans.

TCF IRN vs DELF vs TEF Europe for Americans: which test for residency or citizenship, validity periods, costs, and how to choose.

Renewing your carte de séjour via ANEF: step-by-step upload guide, documents by permit type, récépissé rights, and ANEF troubleshooting.

Traveling while waiting for residence permit renewal France: Schengen travel, U.S. return risks, récépissé rights, and documents to carry.

French civic exam 2026: France has no written civics test. Learn how civic values are assessed during the naturalization interview and how to prepare.

France can tax your US LLC as a corporation at 25%. What triggers requalification, the 10 year audit window, and how to register before it happens.

What Americans pay on French property: taxe foncière, second-home taxe d'habitation, the IFI threshold, and 36.2 percent when you sell.