You are considering a donation to the Procure missionnaire de l’Assomption

Donation: definition, tax benefits and how to support Assumption

A donation is a generous legal act that enables you to pass on an asset during your lifetime to a person or association, while benefiting from significant tax advantages. In France, nearly four million donations are made every year, a growing number of them to associations of general interest, simply declared and pursuing an exclusive goal of assistance and charity, such as the Procure missionnaire de l’Assomption (source: Ministry of the Economy, 2024).

1. What is a donation?

A donation is a notarial deed or manual gift by which one person (the donor) irrevocably transmits an asset (furniture, real estate, sum of money) to another person or association (the donee), who accepts it. Unlike a bequest, which takes effect after death, a donation is immediate.

The main differences between gifts and bequests

Criteria	Donation	Legacies
Moment of transmission	During his lifetime	After death
Revocability	Irrevocable (with some exceptions)	Revocable (can be changed by will)
Taxation	66% tax reduction (up to 20% of taxable income)	Inheritance tax exemption for associations
Notarial deed	Mandatory for real estate	Not mandatory (except for authentic wills)

Understanding the different types of donations

There are three main forms of donation, adapted to different asset situations:

• Full ownership donation: you transfer your property immediately and in full.
• Bare ownership donation: you pass on ownership, but retain its use (usufruct).
• Temporary gift of usufruct: you pass on the income from a property for a limited period.

Here are a few examples:

• Full ownership donation: “I give €50,000 to the Procure missionnaire de l’Assomption”.
• Gift in bare ownership: “I give the bare ownership of my apartment to my nephew, but I keep the use of it until my death.
• Temporary donation of usufruct: “I give the rents from my rental property to the Procure missionnaire de l’Assomption for 5 years.”

2. Why make a donation?

You wish to support a cause supported by the Assumptionists during your lifetime

Donations enable you to support an association like the Procure missionnaire de l’Assomption immediately, without waiting for your death. It finances concrete projects:

• Training young priests (average cost: €10,000/year).
• Education in developing countries (e.g. schools in the Philippines, Madagascar or the Democratic Republic of Congo).
• Fight against exclusion (student aid, solidarity actions).

“By making a donation to the Procure missionnaire de l’Assomption, I was able to see the concrete impact of my gesture: young people trained, schools built. It’s a joy to contribute to these projects in my lifetime.” – Jean, donor

You benefit from a tax reduction

Donations to associations recognized as being in the public interest, which are simply declared and have an exclusive charitable purpose, are eligible for a 66% income tax reduction, up to a limit of 20% of taxable income.

For example, if you donate €1,000, you will benefit from a tax reduction of €660.

Preparing your estate

Donations enable you to pass on your estate gradually, while anticipating inheritance tax. It is particularly useful for balancing the shares between heirs (such as giving a property to a child during his or her lifetime) andreducing the size of the estate (and therefore the taxes to be paid).

3. What are the tax benefits of making a donation?

A reduction in income tax

Donations to associations of general interest, simply declared and pursuing an exclusive goal of assistance and charity (such as the Missionary Procure of the Assumption), entitle the donor to a 66% tax reduction, capped at 20% of taxable income.

• A donation of €1,000 entitles you to a tax reduction of €660.
• A donation of €10,000 entitles you to a tax reduction of €6,600 (if your taxable income is equal to or greater than €33,000).

Exemption from transfer duties

Family donations (between parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren) benefit from taxallowances:

• 100,000 per parent and child (every 15 years).
• 31,865 per grandparent and grandchild.

A parent can give €100,000 to his or her child free of gift tax.

For a better understanding: a brief tax comparison of gifts and bequests

Criteria	Donation	Legacies
Tax reduction	66% (ceiling 20% of taxable income)	Exemption from inheritance tax
Moment of advantage	Immediate (year of donation)	After death
Flexibility	Irrevocable	Revocable (can be changed by will)

4. How to make a donation

There are several types of donation and therefore different procedures depending on the type of donation you are considering.

Gift of full ownership

A gift is the immediate and total transmission of an asset (money, real estate, furniture) to the donee. The donation is simple: the donee becomes the owner as soon as the deed is signed. Donations to associations benefit from a 66% tax reduction. [Internal link to donation form]

How do you go about it?
Choose the item to be donated (money, real estate, artwork), then draw up a deed of gift (compulsory for real estate, recommended for larger gifts). Finally, declare the donation to the tax authorities to benefit from the tax reduction.

Sample deed of gift (for a sum of money): “I, the undersigned, [Surname and first name], born on [date] at [place], residing at [address], hereby give to [Name of association], represented by [Name of representative], the sum of [amount in words and figures], as an irrevocable gift. Done at [place], on [date]. [Signature].”

Gift of bare ownership

This means transferring ownership of a property, while retaining its use (usufruct) until your death. This gift allows you to keep the use (you continue to live in or rent the property) and its taxable value is reduced (only the bare ownership is taxed).

Calculating the value of bare ownership (based on the donor’s age)

Donor’s age	Value of bare ownership
Under 21	90 %
21 to 30 years old	80 %
31 to 40 years	70 %
41 to 50 years	60 %
Over 90 years old	20 %

Temporary donation of usufruct

It means choosing to temporarily transfer the income from a property (rent, dividends) to an association, while retaining ownership. In this way, you can make a one-off contribution to a worthy cause, without losing ownership of the property, and benefit from a 66% tax reductionon the value of the income donated.

5. How to make a donation in just a few steps

Evaluate your assets: list your possessions (real estate, furniture, bank accounts) and consult a notary to assess the available share and gift tax.

Choose your type of donation :

• Full ownership: for an immediate and simple gift.
• Bare ownership: to retain the use of your property.
• Temporary usufruct: to provide one-off support.

Draw up the deed of gift: anotarial deed is obligatory for gifts of property. For manual gifts (whether of a sum of money or an object), a dated and signed document is sufficient, but we recommend a notarial deed for larger amounts.

Declare your donation to the tax authorities: this is done using form 2735 [https://www.impots.gouv.fr/formulaire/2735/declaration-de-dons-manuels-et-de-sommes-dargent] for donations to associations, which you send in with your tax return to benefit from the tax reduction.

6. What should I bear in mind when considering a donation?

Don’t neglect the reserved portion of the estate by giving an asset that deprives a reserved heir of his legal share. Consult a notary to calculate the available share.

Don’t forget to declare the donation, whether a manual or notarial gift, if you want to benefit from the tax reduction.

Don’t choose an ineligible donor . Make sure the association is eligible, as is the case with the Missionary Procure of the Assumption.

7. Frequently asked questions about donations