Historic Monument

The ‘Historic Monuments’ scheme is one of the most powerful tax exemption tools available. It allows you to significantly reduce your taxable income and optimise your property wealth tax (IFI), while contributing to the preservation of French heritage.

🎯 Main Objectives

• Deduct all expenses from property income and overall income, with no limits or caps on tax breaks.

• Benefit from a discount on the value of the property for IFI purposes, and in the event of inheritance or donation.

✅ Advantages

• Acquisition of an exceptional property.

• Unlimited deduction of expenses and possibility of recording a property deficit that can be offset against overall income.

• Public subsidies or sponsorship possible.

• Facilitated transfer: partial or total exemption from inheritance tax under certain conditions.

• Disposal and ownership via a family-owned property investment company (SCI) permitted.

⚠️ Disadvantages

• Commitment to retain the property for at least 15 years.

• Rental profitability can sometimes be unpredictable.

• Work subject to authorisation and supervision by the authorities.

• Heavy reporting requirements.

• Approval required for certain types of property investment companies (SCI) or co-ownership arrangements.

👤 Who is it for?

This scheme is aimed at taxpayers who are:

• heavily taxed,

• subject to the IFI (property wealth tax),

• and wishing to invest in historic properties while optimising their tax situation.

💡 Good to know: Non-residents do not benefit from the deduction on their overall income, but can deduct a property deficit from their French income.

🏛️ Which assets are eligible?

• Buildings classified as Historic Monuments or listed in the supplementary inventory.

• Properties labelled by the Heritage Foundation.

• Buildings with tax approval (before 2014).

  📌 Opening to the public is not mandatory, except to benefit from exemption from inheritance/gift tax.

📅 Investment period

The owner must retain ownership of the property for at least 15 years.

In the event of inheritance or donation, the heirs may take over the commitment to avoid any loss of tax benefits.

👉 In summary: Investing in a historic monument combines a passion for heritage with tax optimisation. It is a demanding investment, reserved for investors with high tax liabilities, but offering unlimited tax relief.

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