Question re cross-border taxation between Switzerland/France

[jonathan]

Hello,

I am British and have just been offered a permanent job based on the trading floor of an oil derivatives trading company in Geneva, Switzerland.
I am, however, looking to live just over the border in neighbouring France, as the selection of available properties is greater than in Geneva itself. I am hoping that someone maybe able to answer my question regarding tax. The company concerned will pay me in CHF and I assume deduct tax in CHF. However, if I live just over the border in France, will I have to pay tax to the French government as well. I appreciate that I will have to pay local French taxes that relate to the property, but am not sure about the rest. If anyone could give me some inspiration that would be most
appreciated.

Many thanks

[julio]

Hey Jonathan,
If you are going to live over the border (i.e. you return home there every evening) you would be considered to be a frontalier for Swiss tax purposes which means you will be taxed at source on your Swiss salary by your employer. Then as a French resident (if you do eventually end up living there) you will then be required to file a French tax return to cover all your remaining income and property etc as applicable. If you have no other income and no property you would complete a French return to declare that you owe no tax since this has already been deducted at source in Switzerland.

There is an agreement between Switzerland and France for frontaliers that Switzerland will tax these individuals at source on their employment income and automatically pays the relevant tax authorities. At the same time there is also a percentage payment of this tax at source to the French authorities.

Should you have any other income that is taxable in France, your total worldwide income is taken into account for the purposes of French taxation and then a credit is granted for Swiss taxes already paid.

Hope this helps - its basically how it works. There is a useful website Groupement des Frontaliers : Informations pour les travailleurs frontaliers but this depends how good your French is for the time being!
See you soon