In summary…
A cross-border worker living in France who holds a bank account in Switzerland, Luxembourg, or elsewhere must declare it with their annual tax return, using one form per account. According to service-public.gouv.fr, the fine is €1,500 per undeclared account in a country with which France has a tax treaty, and €10,000 in other cases.
Your salary is paid into an account in Geneva, Luxembourg, or Brussels. You have opened a savings account and a securities account there. Your French tax return has been filed, but have your accounts been declared?
The rules are published on service-public.gouv.fr. They apply to all French tax residents, whether they live near the border or not.
1. Who must declare
Individuals who are tax residents of France must declare any accounts they hold abroad. This obligation applies to both account holders and those with power of attorney over the account. A cross-border worker residing in France falls into this category.
2. Fines
- €1,500 per undeclared account when the State is bound to France by a convention to combat tax fraud.
- €10,000 per undeclared account in other cases.
- An increase of 80 % of the duties due on the sums appearing in the undeclared accounts may replace the fine.
3. Fictional example: Sophie, a cross-border worker in Geneva
Situation. Sophie lives in Haute-Savoie and works in Geneva. She has a current account where her salary is paid, a savings account and a securities account, all in the same Swiss bank.
Issue. She declares her Swiss salary every year, but has never declared her bank accounts: she thought that the tax on the salary was sufficient.
Strategy. She lists her accounts with their opening dates and declares them for the next campaign.
Result. Three declared accounts. As a reminder, three undeclared accounts would represent a fine of €4,500 at a rate of €1,500 per account.
This is an illustrative example; it does not reflect the situation of any particular client.
4. The list to prepare
- Each account with its institution, country and opening date.
- Accounts for which you have a simple power of attorney.
- Life insurance or capitalization contracts taken out abroad.
- The opening year, to answer any questions from the administration.
Frequently asked questions
Is the account where my salary is paid affected?
Yes, provided it is opened outside of France. The obligation applies to the account itself, not to its use.
I am a cross-border worker and my employer is Swiss: am I exempt?
The service-public.gouv.fr page does not distinguish according to profession: the obligation applies to people who are tax residents in France.
What if I haven't declared my accounts in previous years?
Please review the situation with us before making any adjustments. Each case is handled individually with your tax office.
Do you have accounts abroad?
We take inventory with you and prepare the list to submit to your tax office, then we review the organization of your savings.
Are you a tax lawyer, notary or chartered accountant, and some of your clients are cross-border workers? We work in partnership on the investment and life insurance aspects, in conjunction with your tax analysis.
Book an appointment
A 30-minute exchange is enough to lay out your situation. Book a time slot.
Alexis Sagnier, financial and real estate investment advisor, insurance broker, AMF certified. ORIAS 13003497. Updated on 27/10/2026.
