The logic is relentless. The majority of French people are going through the major stages of their heritage life without any professional advice. Marriage without a contract, rental investment declared in property income, blind succession, holding company created then called into question after an aperitif between entrepreneurial friends… The consequences accumulate silently, until the day they arise – sale of a property, divorce, tax audit – and when it is too late to rectify without cost.
For Marion Costes, chartered accountant in Versaillesthe calculation is nevertheless favorable “A accountantit’s like a notary, you have to consult him at each key stage of life. On average, an hour of advice costs 150 euros and can be a game-changer” At this price, 7 moments of life fully justify an appointment, especially since the decisions taken that day condition 10, 20 or 30 years taxation, asset transfer and family protection. The right questions change everything.
Seven key moments when inaction pays dearly
- Typically, the first trigger is marriage. The choice of matrimonial regime determines what will be common, what will remain specific, and what will be transmitted to the children. Marion Costes gives a personal example “My little brother is getting married. My role as an accountant is to tell him that a marriage contract with separation of property will protect him if he ever divorces. »
- The dsecond trigger intervenes with the birth of a childwhich opens tax-advantaged donation-sharing windows and makes it possible to anticipate transmission over three generations.
- The third trigger is the purchase of the main residence or a rental investment property. The chosen tax regime (property income, micro-BIC, actual furnished rental) weighs several thousand euros per year. “Even if most people choose micro LMNP, to pay less, sometimes being in real life allows you to earn money”insists the expert.
- The fourth trigger occurs when we receive a legacy. The window for optimization (dismemberment, partial renunciation, donation to grandchildren, etc.) closes quickly after acceptance.
- The fifth trigger is divorce. When the matrimonial regime is liquidated, anyone who has not anticipated it can lose tens of thousands of euros.
- Retirement, the sixth trigger, reshuffles the tax cards (switching from PER to annuities or capital, early transfer, choice of residence).
- Finally, seventh trigger, selling a family businesswhen a well-structured holding company can divide the tax bill by two or three. Conversely, creating a holding company without a clear asset strategy is useless, even counterproductive.
The right questions to ask from the first meeting
Choose a new generation accountanttrained in wealth advice and not just in filing for bankruptcy. A good professional can be recognized by his open questions about your life, your projects and your familynot the list of services he recites to you.
Stop asking ChatGPT for everything. The trap of general artificial intelligence is that they just answer questions out of context, without understanding the overlap of your situation (marital regime, company structure, local taxation, family plans). Marion Costes uses a dedicated AI tool for professionals — Wisetax— connected to up-to-date legal texts, proof that it is not against AI, but that AI does not replace either the context or the legal responsibility of a professional.
Come prepared: uA productive meeting involves bringing a clear statement of your assets (assets, accounts, investments, debts), a summary of your income, and a list of specific questions.
