- Taxation at the time of purchase
Buying bare ownership offers tax optimisation at the time of purchase. Unlike an ordinary sale, the buyer will only pay transfer taxes on the value of the bare ownership and not the full ownership.
For example, the purchase of an old property in full ownership with a value of €300,000 will incur transfer costs (known as notary's fees) of around €20,500.
The same property purchased in bare ownership with a 17-year usufruct reserve will be valued at 60% of its market value, i.e. €180,000. Transfer costs will be based on this value and will therefore be €13,000. In this example, the buyer will have saved €7,500 in transfer costs at the time of purchase.
- Taxation on recovery of the usufruct
At the end of the usufruct period, the bare owner recovers full ownership on a tax-free basis.
- No formalities or costs when reclaiming usufruct
The end of the usufruct automatically results in the transfer of the usufruct to the bare owner, with no formalities or costs. There is no need to go before a notary. In fact, your full ownership will be enforceable against third parties because, at the time of purchase, the notary registers the end of the usufruct with the land registry.
- Exemption from capital gains tax when the usufruct is reclaimed
The benefits of buying a property in joint ownership are all the greater when the investment is made in an attractive sector. The potential capital gain does not affect the recovery of the usufruct, which is exempt.
- Reducing wealth tax
From a purely tax point of view, bare ownership does not form part of the assets of the bare owner. This means a significant reduction in wealth tax, since such an acquisition will remove the entire investment from the estate. A purchase worth €200,000 will reduce the ISF tax base by the same amount.
- Avoiding tax on property income
The principle is simple: buying bare ownership means receiving all the rental income for the usufruct period in advance, by deducting it from the price of full ownership. As well as being 'paid' less in advance, this is not officially rent and is therefore not subject to property income tax. A traditional rental investment involves an initial outlay of 100% of the value of the property, in return for which the rental income will be taxed.
- Deduction of loan interest
Financing a bare-ownership property that is rented out allows the bare owner to deduct the interest on the loan from his or her property income.
- Low initial outlay with leverage
An investment in shared ownership involves a lower initial outlay than a traditional property purchase. Purchasers create an asset with a lower investment, for example by buying a property at 60% of its value.
What's more, no annuity is payable to the usufructuary.