Family group to probe inheritance

FRANCE'S main association championing the rights of non-traditional families is to discuss the impact of France's inheritance law on stepchildren.

Parents have to give set proportions of their estate to biological children, who inherit with tax generous allowances, whereas stepchildren are considered legal "strangers", subject to 60 per cent tax.

Patricia Augustin, the general secretary of ASFMR, which represents single-parent families or ones including stepchildren, said: "The implications of inheritance law will be on the agenda at the next meeting of our governing body. This should be looked into."

Ms Augustin, who is also in charge of taxation issues at ASFMR's 35,000-member parent body Confédération Syndicale des Familles (CSF), said it would also be discussed there.

Brussels is carrying out a Europe-wide consultation to find out if the inheritance rules of some countries, such as France, hinder free movement. Connexion has passed on readers' testimonies to the EC.