Towards an increase in the exemption ceiling on inheritance tax? The Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire said he was ready, on Tuesday, to study this possibility, which would apply in particular to companies, in order to facilitate their transmission. “Increase duty-free inheritance tax when passing on a business, why not? “, declared Bruno Le Maire on BFM Business, adding that this seemed to him to be a “promising” path in which he was ready to embark.
“You know that today we can transmit 100,000 euros every 15 years free of inheritance tax,” he also recalled.
At Bercy, it is explained that there is no question of going further on the exemptions applying specifically to the transfer of businesses, but that an increase in the ceiling for exemption from inheritance tax in general would also benefit to the transfer of businesses. “If we were open to making a gesture on successions in general, the families in which there is a transfer of business, in particular within the framework of a Dutreil pact, would benefit from it”, it was specified. at the ministry.
A tax that the French hate
Emmanuel Macron had declared in January that “popular transmission” was a “subject”, in particular for indirect line inheritance, much more heavily taxed, and with much lower exemption ceilings.
Several presidential candidates, right and left, have said they want to raise the ceiling for exemption from inheritance tax, a tax that the French hate, even if they are only a small minority to pay it.
As part of a business transfer framed by a Dutreil pact, 75% of the value of the business is not taxed and the remaining quarter benefits from an allowance of 100,000 euros, as well as a reduction rights of 50% if the boss who transmits is under 70 years old, detailed the ministry.
In debate with the presidential candidates
Bruno Le Maire ruled out the possibility of increasing these exemptions to 100%, because this would not, according to him, be in accordance with the principle of equality before the tax. “To propose a Dutreil with 100% exemption, it will be challenged by the Council of State, challenged by the Constitutional Council”, he assured.
The minister is due to take part in a debate on Tuesday followingnoon with candidates for the presidential election or their representatives, organized in particular by the Movement of medium-sized companies (Meti), whose reduction in taxation on business transfers is one of the claims.
With “the Pacte law, we have simplified the Dutreil system and we have improved it”, affirmed Bruno Le Maire. But “there is a question of justice. When we transmit, we can consider, when it is an important heritage, that there is also a contribution, there we have reduced it to the maximum”, he judged.
