Speakeasy forum: Wealthy Leaving France to Belgium, Avoid New Taxes

have found out if they'd let him move in (to Belgium) before he moved out (of France).

Depardieu, who has also inquired about procedures for acquiring Belgian residency,

right on the Swiss border, he could escape to Switzerland if the King sent his soldiers to arrest him for something he'd written that was critical of the Monarchy. And Berthold Brecht, the Marxist playwright, lived in West Germany, had a New York Publisher, and a Swiss Bank Account, all while supporting the regime in East Germany, now that's hypocrisy.

Rob

"you can't take it with you"??? lol

but you can keep others, at least in one's own time, from getting it. All the wealth discovered in archeology, tomb robbers, and other such treasures from the distant path do prove some have managed if not taking it with them, depriving others of it.

and keep them from stealing what isn't theirs, gives satisfaction, and justice. Stealing, which can also be taking by govt force, is wrong.

musicians do. Many actors live outside California and have for years simply to get away from the papparazzi and Hollywierd. Sam Sheperd has lived in Wyoming for decades with Jessica Lange, long before taxes became an issue. Similarly lots live in New York State and neighbouring states.

The Rolling Stones left Britain ostensibly for Tax reasons, but they were back within 5 years, because they found it a sterile environment for creativity and long before Thatcher took power.

People who have to tend to a business daily even the owners of businesses can't afford to live that far away no matter how much they make, let alone those who have to punch a clock. Artists and musicians have the freedom to work anywhere and have always moved about going back a thousand or more years. Dutch painter Hans Holbein lived in England because of the work in the time of Henry the VIII, Mozart lived in Paris and London before returning to Vienna because there was work in all those places.

Marlon Brando bought an island near to Tahiti in the 1950's and lived there for many years. Curiously, he bought it from a relative of my Mother. It's a small world.

Rob

statement that 27% of the neighbouring population are French. Now assuming that is correct (which I don't), they're much lower on the totem pole than Depardieu. They probably commute to work in France and return home each night. Even factory workers could do that.

However there is no guarantee that is a reliable figure. Belgium is a bi-lingual country with a large French-speaking minority. The Flemings, Dutch speaking Belgians, call them Waloons, the French speakers call the Flemings Flamands. The French call themselves Belges. And that part of Belgium which was fought over during WW1 had French names like Ypres, Yeper as it is called now since so many French speakers were killed and displaced then. Bruges, that glorious 15th century city perfectly preserved, is now called Brugge, but Brussels is still Bruxelles, the French designation.

Rob

Knowing some economic and ethnic background on what's involved in the tax situation might be of help.