English-Speaking Accountant in Paris for International Businesses

GME Audit is a Paris-based chartered accounting firm that works entirely in English. We help international businesses, expatriate employees and foreign investors handle French accounting, tax, payroll and audit obligations without a language barrier.

Led by Steeve Elharrar, French chartered accountant (expert-comptable) and statutory auditor (commissaire aux comptes), formerly with KPMG and Deloitte, our team is registered with the French Order of Chartered Accountants and serves a hundred files every year across France. French accounting, explained in plain English: that is how we work.

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Why You Need an English-Speaking Accountant in France

French Accounting Rules Are Not Like Yours

If you run a company in France, the rules are not optional and they do not adapt to your home country's system. French corporate law imposes a specific chart of accounts (plan comptable général), mandatory annual accounts filed with the commercial court registry, and tax declarations that follow their own calendar and vocabulary. A profit-and-loss statement that looks familiar at first glance hides differences in how revenue, provisions and depreciation are treated.

An English-speaking chartered accountant in Paris translates these rules into terms you already understand. We explain what each obligation means for your cash flow, your tax bill and your reporting to a parent company abroad, so nothing arrives as a surprise.

The Language Barrier Costs Time and Money

Working with an accountant who only speaks French creates friction at every step. Every email needs translation. Every tax notice from the French tax authority (DGFiP) sits unread until someone explains it. When a deadline approaches, a misread instruction can trigger penalties, late interest or a blocked VAT refund.

The cost is not only financial. Directors lose days chasing the meaning of a form, a payslip or a social-security assessment. For a foreign subsidiary, the finance team at headquarters cannot get a clear picture of the French entity's situation in a format they can use. A bilingual accountant removes that drag entirely.

You Need Someone Who Speaks Both Languages: French Tax and English

True bilingualism here means two things. The accountant must master French tax law, French accounting standards and French social-security rules. They must also be able to explain them in clear English, using the right equivalent terms, so that a CFO, a tax director or a founder outside France can make informed decisions.

This dual competence is rare. Many English-speaking advisors in France are not registered French chartered accountants, which limits the work they can sign off. We hold both the accounting license and the statutory auditor license, which lets us cover the full scope from bookkeeping to certified audit without handing you to a third party.

Who We Serve: International Clients in Paris

Foreign Companies Setting Up a French Subsidiary or Branch

A French subsidiary or branch brings a stack of obligations from day one: VAT registration, corporate income tax registration, social-security declarations for any local hire, and the first annual accounts filed within set deadlines. The parent company needs French figures it can consolidate, usually under IFRS or local GAAP, with clear explanations of the differences.

We handle registration, ongoing compliance and reporting to headquarters. If you are choosing between a subsidiary (SAS, SARL) and a branch (succursale), we lay out the tax and legal differences in advance, in English, so you choose with full visibility. See our guide to company registration in France.

English-Speaking Founders and Entrepreneurs

Founders launching a French company face a wall of unfamiliar steps: choosing a legal form, drafting articles of association, opening a business bank account, registering through the single online portal (guichet unique), operated by INPI, and electing a tax regime. The choices made at incorporation shape dividends, social charges and exit taxation for years.

We guide you through each decision before the paperwork starts, then manage the accounting and tax declarations that follow. You get clear answers to questions like "Should I set up a SAS or a SARL?" and "What will I pay in tax and social charges on my salary versus dividends?" rather than a generic form to fill in.

Expatriate Employees and Executives

Executives relocated to France under an assignment or an impatriate package need to understand their personal tax situation. France offers an impatriate tax regime (article 155 B of the French Tax Code (Code general des impots)) that can exempt part of the salary from French income tax for a limited period, subject to strict conditions.

We check whether you qualify, prepare the election, and handle your annual personal income tax return (déclaration 2042). We also coordinate with your home-country tax advisor when relevant, so that both returns are consistent and double taxation does not occur.

Freelancers and Digital Nomads in France

Freelancers and remote workers living in France must declare their activity, choose a tax status (micro-entreprise, BNC at real basis, or a company like SASU or EURL), and meet VAT and social-security obligations. Many arrive believing a home-country setup still applies, only to find that French residency rules create a local tax presence.

We help you pick the right status, register, and stay compliant month to month. If your client base is international, we also handle the cross-border VAT mechanics so you charge and declare VAT correctly.

Foreign Real Estate Investors (SCI, LMNP)

Foreign investors buying French property, whether through a civil real-estate company (SCI) or under the furnished-rental regime (LMNP, loueur en meublé non professionnel), face a specific tax framework. Each structure has distinct income-tax, wealth-tax and reporting consequences, and the wrong choice can erode rental yield for years.

We advise on the structure, keep the mandatory accounting records, and file the annual returns. For more detail, see our guides on real estate tax in France and property tax in France.

Our English-Language Accounting and Tax Services

Bookkeeping and Annual Accounts

We record your transactions in Pennylane, so your books are always up to date. At year-end, we produce the annual accounts (bilan, income statement and notes) and file them with the commercial court registry (greffe du tribunal de commerce). You receive the figures in English, with a written explanation of the key movements.

French Tax Compliance (VAT, Corporate Income Tax, Personal Income Tax)

We prepare and file every tax declaration on your behalf:

• VAT (TVA): monthly or quarterly returns, intracommunity VAT, and refund requests.

• Corporate income tax (IS, impôt sur les sociétés): annual return and quarterly advance payments.

• Personal income tax (IR, impôt sur le revenu): annual return for directors, employees and their households.

• Local economic taxes: CFE and CVAE, based on your activity and turnover.

Each declaration is reviewed before filing, and we send you a summary in plain English so you know what was declared and why.

Payroll and Employment Contracts

Hiring in France means navigating employment contracts, social-security declarations (DSN, déclaration sociale nominative), payslips with dozens of contribution lines, and strict rules on working time and termination. A single payslip can list 20 or more separate contributions, and each has its own rate and base.

We handle payslip production, contract drafting, employee entry and exit declarations, and ongoing HR support. If you are hiring your first employee in France, we walk you through the full picture before the contract is signed. Read our French payroll services page for the full scope.

Company Registration in France

We register your French entity from start to finish: legal-form selection, articles of association, bank deposit, filing through the single online portal, and post-registration formalities (VAT, social-security, local tax). You receive a clear checklist in English and a timeline before we start.

Statutory Audit (Commissariat aux Comptes)

Statutory audit is a regulated mission, distinct from accounting, assigned to a certified statutory auditor (commissaire aux comptes). It applies above certain thresholds, and it is mandatory for medium and large companies and for specific operations (capital contribution, merger, transformation).

Our dual license lets us sign both the accounting and the audit mission, which is rare at our size. We also perform contribution audits (commissariat aux apports) and audit of historical financial statements for acquisition due diligence.

Outsourced CFO and Management Reporting

Beyond compliance, directors need reliable figures to steer the business. We produce monthly or quarterly dashboards: cash position, gross margin, revenue by client, budget-versus-actual. We build cash-flow forecasts and flag tensions before they become a problem.

For companies without an in-house CFO, we act as an outsourced, part-time finance partner. More detail on our outsourced part-time CFO and controller page.

Real Estate Tax Advisory

For SCI, LMNP and other property structures, we handle the accounting, the annual tax returns and the specific elections (real-basis or micro-regime for furnished rental, IFU, form 2042-SCI). We also review the structure itself and flag when a change would better fit your situation.

Not sure which services you need? Book a free 30-minute call and we will map out your French obligations.

How We Work with International Clients

Step 1: Free Discovery Call (30 Minutes)

We start with a 30-minute video call, in English, to understand your situation. You tell us your entity type, your activity and what you need. We tell you what is mandatory, what can wait, and how we would structure the engagement. No commitment, no jargon.

Step 2: Engagement Letter and Onboarding

If we move forward, you receive an engagement letter (lettre de mission) that lists the scope, the fee method and the responsibilities on each side. Fees are set as a fixed package (forfait) based on the volume and complexity of your file, not an hourly rate that creeps upward. You get a written quote, not a template.

Step 3: Setup Specific to Your Situation

We configure your accounting environment in Pennylane, connect your bank feeds, and set up your declaration calendars. If you are transferring from another accountant, we handle the file transfer with the outgoing firm. Everything is documented in a short onboarding note you can refer back to.

Step 4: Ongoing Bilingual Service All Year Round

We work on your file continuously, not only at tax deadlines. You reach us by email or phone, you get answers in English, and you see your figures updated in real time. When a deadline approaches, we send a reminder with what we need from you and by when.

Real-Time Accounting with Pennylane: See Your Numbers Anytime

Most traditional French firms deliver figures once a year, at the annual accounts. By then, the information is several months old and decisions have already been made blind.

We work differently. Your invoices and bank transactions flow automatically into Pennylane, so your cash position and key indicators stay current throughout the year. You log in when you want, see where the business stands, and ask questions while the numbers are still relevant. For a director reporting to a parent company abroad, this means no more waiting until the bilan to explain a dip in margin or a cash shortfall.

Real-time visibility also shortens the year-end cycle. Because the books are maintained continuously, the annual accounts become a matter of review rather than reconstruction.

Key French Tax Deadlines for International Businesses

French tax deadlines are fixed by regulation and fall on the same broad dates each year, with the exact date depending on your company's fiscal year and turnover. Missing a deadline triggers penalties and interest. Below is the standard calendar for a company on a calendar year, subject to confirmation for your specific file.

Obligation	Typical deadline	What it covers
Monthly VAT return (TVA)	19th or 24th of the following month	VAT collected and deductible for the month
Quarterly VAT return (simplified regime)	Quarter plus one month	VAT for small turnovers under the simplified regime
Corporate income tax (IS) advance payments	15 March, 15 June, 15 September, 15 December	Quarterly advances on the estimated annual IS
Annual corporate income tax return (2065)	By the filing date of the annual accounts	Final IS calculation for the fiscal year
Annual accounts filing (liasse fiscale)	Within 3 months of year-end, or by 15 May for the standard calendar year	Full tax return package attached to the accounts
Social-security declarations (DSN)	5th or 15th of each month	Payroll and social contributions

These dates shift with weekends, public holidays and your fiscal year. We track your specific calendar and send reminders before each deadline so nothing slips.

How to Choose an English-Speaking Accountant in Paris

Questions to Ask Before You Commit

A few direct questions help you separate a genuinely bilingual, registered firm from one that markets in English but cannot deliver:

1. Are you registered with the French Order of Chartered Accountants? Only a registered expert-comptable can sign and file your accounting and tax work. Some English-speaking advisors operate without this license.

2. Can you also act as statutory auditor? If you expect to need an audit (mandatory thresholds, fundraising, acquisition), a firm that holds both licenses saves you coordinating two providers.

3. How do you bill? A fixed package based on your file is more predictable than an hourly rate. Ask for a written quote.

4. What tools do you use, and will I have access? Real-time access to your figures is a standard expectation today. Confirm you get your own login.

5. Who will be my day-to-day contact? You want a named person who answers, not a shared inbox.

Red Flags to Watch For

• An advisor who cannot show registration with the Order of Chartered Accountants.

• Fees quoted without any review of your actual volume or complexity.

• No real-time access to your accounting data, only an annual report.

• A firm that cannot explain a French tax concept in clear English without falling back on untranslated jargon.

• Promises of guaranteed tax savings or refunds. Under French professional rules, no accountant can guarantee a tax outcome.

French Accounting Terms: A Quick Glossary for English Speakers

French term	English meaning	What it refers to
Expert-comptable	Chartered accountant	Licensed, regulated accounting professional
Commissaire aux comptes (CAC)	Statutory auditor	Licensed auditor for certified audit missions
TVA	VAT	Value-added tax on goods and services
IS (impôt sur les sociétés)	Corporate income tax	Tax on company profits
IR (impôt sur le revenu)	Personal income tax	Tax on individual income
URSSAF	Social-security collection agency	Collects social contributions for employees and self-employed
DSN (déclaration sociale nominative)	Monthly social declaration	Payroll and social-contribution report
Liasse fiscale	Tax return package	Annual set of tax forms attached to the accounts
Bilan	Balance sheet and annual accounts	Year-end financial statements
CFE / CVAE	Local economic taxes	Business taxes based on premises and turnover
SCI (société civile immobilière)	Civil real-estate company	Common vehicle for holding property
LMNP	Non-professional furnished landlord	Tax regime for furnished rental income
Guichet unique (INPI)	Single business registration portal	One-stop online company registration

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a French accountant file taxes in my home country?

No. A French chartered accountant files French tax returns only. We coordinate with your home-country tax advisor so that both sets of returns are consistent, especially on matters like double taxation, transfer pricing and residency status, but we do not prepare or sign foreign returns ourselves.

Do I need a French bank account to work with you?

For a French entity, yes. A French business bank account is required to deposit share capital and operate the company. For individuals, a French account is usually practical but not always mandatory. We confirm what applies to your case during the discovery call.

How much does an English-speaking accountant cost in Paris?

We do not publish a public price list. Fees depend on the volume of transactions, the number of employees on payroll, the complexity of the structure (single company versus group with real-estate holdings) and the scope of the engagement (compliance only versus added advisory and CFO work).

We work on a fixed-package basis (forfait): after reviewing your file, we send a written quote that holds for the year. This avoids hourly drift and lets you budget. The discovery call and the quote are free.

Can you communicate directly with my home-country accountant?

Yes. We routinely exchange with foreign tax advisors, auditors and group finance teams. We provide reporting packages in English, reconcile French figures to group reporting standards, and respond to due-diligence questions. You choose whether we correspond directly or channel everything through you.

What happens if I get a tax audit in France?

A tax audit (contrôle fiscal) is a formal procedure where the French tax authority reviews your declarations and supporting documents. We manage the entire process on your behalf: we gather the documents, prepare the responses, attend meetings with the tax inspector, and challenge any adjustment that is not justified. The earlier we are involved, the better the outcome, because most disputes turn on documentation prepared during the year.

The information on this page is general and dated 2026. It describes how French rules work and how we apply them, but it does not replace advice tailored to your specific situation. Tax outcomes depend on your entity type, your residency and your figures: we confirm what applies to you during the engagement.

Ready to Work with an English-Speaking Accountant in Paris?

If you are setting up, hiring, restructuring or simply tired of translating every tax notice yourself, the next step is a conversation.

We offer a free 30-minute discovery call, in English, with no commitment. We listen to your situation, we tell you what is mandatory and what can wait, and we map out your French obligations in plain English.

Book your free discovery call

You can also reach us by phone at 01 85 09 01 20 or by email at selharrar@gmeaudit.fr. We are based in Paris, 16th arrondissement, and we serve clients across France.