What matters in 30 seconds
- Your French obligations: accounting under French rules, annual accounts, corporate tax return, corporate income tax and VAT returns.
- Your staff in France: payslips, social filings and hiring formalities, with the payroll service.
- Exchanges with the group: explanations and documents in English, for the group’s finance team and auditors.
- Reporting: on request, monthly or quarterly packages in the group’s format.
- Every year: approval of the accounts and filing with the court registry.
What we take care of
The accounting and tax engagement
Bookkeeping and review, annual accounts, tax return and VAT returns, with a dedicated accountant who works in English with the group.
Additional services, à la carte
Payroll for your employees, social filings, corporate secretarial and, on request, among others: group reporting packages, management accounting, budget and forecasts, interim accounts.
Accountant quote for a French subsidiary: your budget
As an indication, for a subsidiary supported in English, our fees start at €225 excl. VAT per month (time to explain the French environment, more extensive client identification and bilingual support), quoted after a discussion with the chartered accountant. To get a clear idea, estimate your budget in 2 minutes; if it suits you, let’s discuss it at an introductory meeting. See our support for subsidiaries and international entrepreneurs
The quote is free and with no obligation: our accountant quote in 3 steps.
Frequently asked questions
Can the French subsidiary’s accountant work in English with the group?
Yes. Statutory accounts are prepared in French and in euros; explanations, summaries and exchanges with the group’s finance team can be in English.
Can a new accounting firm take over a French subsidiary from another firm?
Yes, during the year if needed. We contact the current firm in line with professional rules and organise the handover.
Can the French accountant prepare the subsidiary’s group reporting?
On request, as an additional service: monthly or quarterly packages in the group’s format and timetable.
Does a subsidiary need a statutory auditor?
It depends on size criteria set by law (balance sheet total, turnover, headcount) and, in some cases, on group membership. We check whether an appointment is required. To guarantee independence, Hexaconto cannot be your accountant if its chair, Nadir El Jouaidi, is your statutory auditor, and vice versa (self-review prohibition).
When should a new French subsidiary appoint its accountant?
As soon as it is registered: the first VAT and tax options, the accounting organisation and payroll set-up are best decided at the start.
French subsidiary: are group recharges (management fees) tax-deductible?
Yes, if they correspond to services actually provided to the subsidiary, invoiced at an arm’s length price and documented: agreement, invoices, allocation key. Otherwise, the tax authorities may add back the part considered excessive (article 57 of the French Tax Code). We check these points with you and the group’s finance team.
Can a French subsidiary close its accounts on the same date as its group?
Yes. The year-end is set by the articles of association and can be changed by a shareholders’ decision, with a shorter or longer transition year. Aligning the year-end with the group’s simplifies consolidation: we assess the accounting and tax consequences before the decision.
Can a foreign group lend money to its French subsidiary?
Yes, through a current account advance or an intra-group loan, preferably with a written agreement. Interest paid to the group is deductible only within certain limits (maximum rate, thin capitalisation rules): we calculate them at each year-end.
How much does an accountant cost for a French subsidiary?
It depends on the actual work: volume of transactions, employees, group requirements and services chosen. Our fees are set out in a written proposal and reviewed if your activity changes. As an indication, for a subsidiary supported in English, our fees start at €225 excl. VAT per month. In 2 minutes, your meeting is booked; in 5 more minutes, your fee estimate is shown. Our accountant quote in 3 steps
French subsidiary of a foreign group: does your accountant in France handle all its accounting and tax obligations?
Yes. The accounting and tax engagement covers bookkeeping and review, annual accounts, the tax return and VAT returns of the subsidiary; payroll, corporate secretarial work and group reporting packages are offered on request and priced in advance. Your dedicated accountant looks at the whole picture (corporate tax, flows with the group, pay of the directors in France) and explains it in English to the group’s finance team. Your group gets reliable French accounts it understands. In 2 minutes, your meeting is booked; in 5 more minutes, your fee estimate is shown. Get my free meeting and quote
The forecasts, cash-flow plans, dashboards, simulations, studies and analyses mentioned above are additional engagements, à la carte. Each one is quoted in advance, at the frequency you choose.