Q&A Corner – What are the French Marital Regimes?

Q: What are the French Marital Regimes? 

A: If you’re married or planning to marry in France, it’s important to understand how your assets are treated. French law offers four main marital regimes each with very different financial outcomes. 

• Communauté réduite aux acquêts This is the default regime. Assets acquired during marriage are joint property while assets owned before marriage or received by gift/inheritance stay separate. 
• Séparation de biens Each spouse keeps full ownership of their own assets, before and after marriage. Ideal for blended families or those running a business. 
• Communauté universelle All assets (past and future, including gifts/inheritance unless excluded) are shared. Often includes a clause giving everything to the surviving spouse. Common for older couples seeking maximum protection. 
• Participation aux acquêts A hybrid regime. During marriage, assets are separate. If the marriage ends, spouses share equally in any financial gain. Designed to balance autonomy with fairness. 

Custom Clauses.  Marriage contracts can include special clauses for tailoring asset distribution:Exclusion clause (exclude specific assets),  Attribution intégrale (survivor inherits everything), Préciput clause (right to take certain assets first) and Donation au dernier vivant (enhanced succession rights).