French pension top-up is repayable from estate

Yes, sums paid out for Aspa pension top-up benefit for low-income pensioners in France may be recuperated from your estate but only if your estate is above €39,000 after taxes and debts.

If Aspa was paid to a couple, each member is taken to have received half of it.

The amount to be recovered has a cap per year of benefit payments, which varies according to the number of people in the household who were receiving Aspa.

In 2019, it was €6,940 for a single recipient, €9,217 for a couple. This has not yet been updated for 2020 - see tinyurl.com/yg8t8zm8.

Sums eligible to be recovered from inheritance due to a spouse or civil/other long-term partner can be deferred until after their death.

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