Pillar 05 · Estate Planning
Planning ahead to protect what matters
Planning the transfer of your estate is not about betting on your own death, it is about protecting your family from the administrative and tax chaos that follows a death. Planned well in advance, it can cut by a factor of 2 to 4 the transfer duties your loved ones will owe.
Parent-to-child allowance
€100,000 / 15 years
Assurance-vie allowance
€152,500 / beneficiary
Dutreil exemption
75%
Bare-ownership discount at 60
-50%
§ 01
Every 15 years, each parent can give each child €100,000 free of transfer duty. For a couple with two children, that is €400,000 that can be passed on tax-free, and the allowance renews. The 'clock' starts running from the first gift, which is why there is real value in not waiting.
§ 02
Giving away the bare ownership while keeping the usufruct (the right to use the asset and collect its income) means transferring an asset at a value discounted by age, while keeping the income and enjoyment of it. On death, the usufruct merges back into the bare ownership with no further duty due. Particularly powerful for real estate and company shares.
§ 03
Assurance-vie sits outside the estate. With a €152,500 allowance per beneficiary for contributions made before age 70, it is the most flexible tool for providing for people outside the usual family framework (a child from a first marriage, an unmarried partner, a godchild) or for balancing out an inheritance.
§ 04
For a business transfer, the Dutreil pact offers a 75% exemption on the value transferred. Combined with a gift in bare ownership, it can allow a company valued at €2M to be passed on with duty paid on only around €500k (indicative figures, to be modelled precisely for your situation).
§ 05
It fixes the value of the assets on the day of the gift, which prevents an heir who received an asset that later gains value from being left 'out of balance' relative to their siblings at the time of death. A major tool for family fairness.
Frequently asked questions
As soon as your wealth is built up and your own financial security is assured. The allowance renews every 15 years: starting at 55 allows for two full cycles. Starting at 70, you lose one.
Yes, through split ownership (keeping the usufruct) or a right-of-return clause. You transfer legal ownership without losing the use of the asset or its income.
Start together
Let's talk it through directly. First conversation offered, with no commitment.
Or receive The Oak Letter every month.
Your messages are only used to reply to you. For advice tailored to your situation, nothing beats a real conversation with Camil.
