How can I pay a gardener in France?
Is there a simple way to make payments to a gardener that covers the requirements in terms of social charges? S.M.
The system is called Chèque Emploi Service Universel (Cesu). You register for the scheme and prepare and sign an employment contract with the employee. When you pay your gardener you also make an online declaration and in addition to the cheque that you pay them for their net salary, the government makes a direct debit charge for the social charges that you are deemed to have deducted from his or her salary, plus the employer’s social charge contributions.
At the end of the tax year, the Cesu organisation sends you a statement of the payments you have made to people in the year, and you declare this total sum (net salaries and employees’ and your employer’s charges). In calculating your income tax liability, the tax office deducts 50% of the total that you have paid from tax you owe. If you do not pay tax you receive money back instead.
See cesu.urssaf.fr/info/accueil.html (French only) for more information. It has a calculator to work out your total cost including all charges.
Reader's query answered by Hugh MacDonald
The Connexion welcomes queries and regularly publishes a selection with answers. However, please note that we cannot enter into individual correspondence on money topics. Queries may be edited for length and style. Due to the sensitive nature of topics we do not publish full names or addresses on these pages.
Send your financial query to news@connexionfrance.com
The information here is of a general nature. You should not act or refrain from acting on it without taking professional advice on the specific facts of your case. No liability is accepted in respect of these articles. These articles are intended only as a general guide. Nothing herein constitutes actual financial advice.
