Our sector expertise
Chartered Accountant for Family Offices
Chartered accountant for family offices: multi-entity wealth consolidation, parent-subsidiary tax steering, consolidated reporting and succession planning. Quote in 24h.
Loading…
Reviewed by
Samuel Hayot
Chartered accountant & statutory auditor
Registered with OEC Paris IDF · CRCC Paris
A family office manages wealth that standard accounting cannot steer on its own. A patrimonial holding, SCIs, a securities portfolio, operating stakes: the issue is not keeping one company's books, but bringing a set of entities into coherence to serve a family. The chartered accountant brings the consolidation rigour, tax steering and reporting that few generalist structures can sustain.
Our firm supports complex wealth structures alongside our owner wealth management service and our holding taxation expertise. This page gives our concrete view of what makes the difference in a family office: consolidation, group taxation, intra-group flows and governance.
Quick answer: what is a family office and what does the accountant do?#
Quick answer. A family office structures and steers the wealth of one family (single family office) or several (multi family office). In France it has neither a professional order nor its own tax regime: its form is free (SAS, SARL, or a department of a family holding). The chartered accountant brings the consolidation of multiple entities (patrimonial holding, SCIs, securities portfolio, operating companies), tax steering (parent-subsidiary regime, tax grouping), consolidated performance reporting and succession preparation. Depending on the activity actually carried out, a financial-investment-adviser status (CIF, ORIAS registration, AMF-approved association) may be required.
Single or multi family office: what difference?#
A single family office serves one family: it internalises wealth management (administration, reporting, adviser coordination). A multi family office shares these services across several families. For the accountant, the accounting logic is the same (consolidation, tax steering), but the fee organisation and internal billing differ. A purely family single family office may escape regulated statuses, whereas advisory or third-party management implies oversight.
How do you consolidate multi-entity wealth?#
This is the core. Family wealth almost always comprises several entities: a patrimonial or animating holding, one or more SCIs, a securities portfolio, sometimes operating companies. Steering them separately gives a fragmented view.
Our approach is to establish consolidated reporting that aggregates assets and performance at family level, eliminates intra-group flows (upstreamed dividends, inter-entity loans, rebillings), and produces a readable wealth view: asset value, net return, exposure by asset class. Consolidation is the foundational skill of this exercise.
What tax steering for a family office?#
Tax steering of structured wealth rests on mechanisms we implement daily: the parent-subsidiary regime (articles 145 and 216 of the French tax code), which exempts dividends upstreamed to the holding by 95%, with a 5% share of costs and charges remaining taxable; tax grouping where the scope allows; and optimising cash outflows (the trade-off between remuneration and dividends). The aim is not a scheme, it is overall coherence, secured and documented, alongside our tax expertise.
How do you manage intra-group flows and agreements?#
Loans between family entities, service agreements (management fees) and intra-group rebillings must rest on written contracts, market conditions and real substance. This is a major tax watch point: management fees with no real consideration or poorly documented related-party flows expose you to a reclassification risk. Our role is to make these flows reliable and to document them.
Representative case (illustrative)#
A common case in our files: a family consults us with a holding, several SCIs and a securities portfolio kept separately, with no consolidated view or regular reporting. The work consisted of setting up quarterly consolidated reporting, making the parent-subsidiary treatment of dividends reliable, documenting intra-group agreements and preparing succession ahead. No figure from this case can be generalised: each family has its own asset structure and objectives.
Which steering indicators for a family office?#
| Indicator to track | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Consolidated wealth value | Global view beyond entities taken in isolation |
| Net return by asset class | Reading of real performance after tax and fees |
| Dividends upstreamed to the holding | Monitoring of the parent-subsidiary regime and available cash |
| Debt and intra-group flows | Control of agreements and reclassification risk |
| Succession progress | Preparation of devices (Dutreil, gift-sharing, dismemberment) |
2026 points of vigilance#
- Substance of intra-group flows: written contracts, market conditions, documentation of management fees.
- Regulated status: check whether investment advice triggers a CIF status (ORIAS, AMF association).
- Parent-subsidiary regime: secure holding conditions and the share of costs and charges.
- Succession: anticipate wealth devices rather than enduring them.
Discuss your family office with a chartered accountant#
Every family's wealth has its own structure, entities and objectives. The right starting point is a conversation about your actual situation: number and nature of entities, reporting needs, succession horizon. We offer an initial meeting to frame the scope and priorities.
Updated 20 June 2026. Informative content reviewed by a chartered accountant registered with the Île-de-France Chartered Accountants Board. A decision specific to your situation requires examination of your entities, your documents and the regulations in force.
Sector Ecosystem
A family office structures and steers the wealth of one family (single family office) or several (multi family office). In France it has neither an order nor its own tax regime: its form is free. Its accounting challenge is the consolidation of multiple entities (holding, SCIs, securities portfolio, operating companies), group tax steering (parent-subsidiary regime, grouping), performance reporting and succession. Depending on the activity, a CIF status (ORIAS, AMF) may apply.
Free (SAS, SARL, holding)
Legal form
None (depends on structure)
Own tax regime
Tax code art. 145 and 216 (95% exempt)
Parent-subsidiary regime
5% taxable
Share of costs and charges
CIF (ORIAS, AMF) by activity
Possible regulated status
Consolidation and reporting
Foundational skill
Single family office (one family)Multi family office (several families)Patrimonial or animating holdingSCIs and securities portfolioFamily governance and succession
Practical framework
Structuring a family office's accounting steering
01
1. Map the entities
List the holding, the SCIs, the securities portfolio and the operating companies, and clarify the ownership links and flows between them.
02
2. Set up consolidated reporting
Aggregate assets and performance at family level, eliminate intra-group flows and produce a regular wealth view.
03
3. Secure the parent-subsidiary regime
Check holding conditions, correctly treat the share of costs and charges and smooth dividend upstreaming.
04
4. Document intra-group agreements
Establish written contracts at market conditions for loans, management fees and rebillings, with real substance.
05
5. Prepare succession
Model the scenarios (Dutreil, gift-sharing, dismemberment) and coordinate with the family's notary and lawyer.
Your guarantees
National coverage, Parisian expertise
Wherever you are in France, we deploy a 100% digital interface to deliver fast, highly-structured accounting and financial steering.
Regulated firm
Samuel Hayot is a French chartered accountant and statutory auditor registered with the Paris professional bodies.
National reach
The firm is based in Paris 8 and operates with a delivery model designed for businesses located across France.
Modern stack
Pennylane, Dext, Silae and an automation-first setup built for visibility and speed.
Direct contact
Visible phone number, simple contact path, fast engagement letter and tighter qualification of the mandate.
Need a quick read on your situation?
30 complimentary minutes with Samuel Hayot to challenge your reporting and surface your priority levers.
Perspectives
Related articles
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a family office and a wealth manager?
A family office serves one family (single family office) or several (multi family office) and consolidates all their entities and assets. A wealth manager offers a service to a broad clientele. The family office's accountant brings consolidation, group tax steering and reporting.
Does a family office have its own tax regime?
No. In France, the family office has neither a professional order nor a specific tax regime: its form is free (SAS, SARL, or a department of a family holding). Taxation depends on the chosen structure and group mechanisms (parent-subsidiary, grouping).
How do you consolidate a family office's accounts?
You aggregate the assets and performance of the various entities (holding, SCIs, securities portfolio, operating companies) at family level, eliminate intra-group flows (dividends, loans, rebillings) and produce a readable consolidated wealth report.
What is the parent-subsidiary regime for a family office?
The parent-subsidiary regime (articles 145 and 216 of the French tax code) exempts from corporate tax the dividends upstreamed to the holding by 95%, with a 5% share of costs and charges remaining taxable. It is central to circulating cash without excessive tax friction.
Does a family office need AMF approval?
It depends on the activity actually carried out. Investment advice falls under the CIF status (ORIAS registration, membership of an AMF-approved association), and third-party management requires approval. A purely family single family office may escape these statuses.
How do you secure a family office's intra-group flows?
Through written contracts, market conditions and real substance. Inter-entity loans, management fees and rebillings must be documented to avoid a related-party tax reclassification risk.
How does a family office prepare succession?
By anticipating wealth devices (Dutreil pact, gift-sharing, dismemberment) and aligning the wealth structure with the family's objectives. The accountant models the scenarios and coordinates with the other advisers (notary, lawyer).
Google Client Reviews
What our restaurant clients say
Verified Google reviews of Hayot Expertise
Our clients share their experience with our firm.
Article written by Samuel Hayot
Chartered Accountant, registered with the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Regulated French firmUpdated 20 June 20262 sources cited
Regulated French accounting and audit firm based in Paris 8, built to support companies across France with a digital and decision-oriented approach.
Sources
Official and operational sources cited for this page.