A practical guide to money management for Americans living in France. This section covers the FATCA compliance problem that makes French banking harder for US persons, which banks and digital solutions currently accept American clients, how to get a French IBAN before you have a permanent address, and how to navigate the proof of address catch-22 that blocks so many new arrivals. We also cover managing US brokerage accounts from France, the implications of holding Fidelity or Schwab accounts as a French tax resident, wire transfers, currency exchange, and how to structure your finances across two countries without triggering unnecessary reporting obligations. If money is moving between the US and France, this section tells you what to expect and what to prepare.
