The end of “death tax” for many families? Monday, May 5, senators definitively adopted the bill to reduce and supervise bank charges on succession. In France, these costs are currently not the subject ofNo regulationswhich is why banking establishments are rates “Very heterogeneous”explains Hervé Maurey, senator of Eure (Centrist Union), rapporteur of the text. For a succession of 20,000 euros, the costs vary from 80 euros to 527.50 euros depending on the banks.
On the death of a client, the banks carry out several operations in order to close the accounts of the deceased. For example, it may be the possible dissociation of the attached accounts or the transfer of the sums spared to the heirs. These interventions have a cost which is billed to the family of the deceased. These costs rise on average at 291 euros for a succession of 20,000 euros, indicates the legislative report of the bill. It is three times more than the prices charged in Belgium and Italy and four times more than in Spain. In total, the bank fees On succession are estimated in France at 125 million euros per year.
Three cases of free inheritance fees
The text of law which will soon be promulgated by the President of the Republic provides Three free cases succession costs:
- When the succession is modestthat is to say when the total balance of accounts and savings products of the deceased is less than 5,910 euros on January 1, 2025. The amount will be fixed by decree and revised every year depending on inflation.
- When the succession is simpleeither when the heir produces an act of notoriety or a certificate signed by all the heirs, regardless of the balance of the account. To benefit from the free inheritance costs, operations must not include, for example, a contract mortgage in progress or a professional account to be closed specifies the law.
- Finally, when the succession concerns accounts and savings products held by a minor on the date of death.
The authors of the text of law estimate that these free cases should benefit from a large share of customers since the most modest successions already represent around 30% of the population.
Banks will be able to continue to apply inheritance costs for cases not covered by free. But the law introduces the creation of a double ceiling. The prices will first be subject to a maximum package: they cannot be higher than 1% of the total amount of account balances and the valuation of the savings products held. In parallel, a decreasing scale will be “Soon set by decree”specifies Hervé Maurey. “The idea is that the scale which will be established by the government will in no case be able to exceed this threshold”adds the senator.
These new rules aimed at supervising the banking costs of succession will be specified in a decree and will come into force within six months of the promulgation of the law. Before the end of 2025. The government will have to present an evaluation report in the first year following the publication of this decree.
