Passing on my shares
By passing on your Air Liquide shares to your loved ones, you are giving them much more than just profitable securities, you are sharing a shareholder culture and your connection to the Group with them.
Arnaud, beneficiary of a customary gift from his grandfather.
Four ways you can pass on your shares
Shared gifts
A shared gift lets you distribute some or all of your Air Liquide shares to your heirs only (for example, your children).
The shared gift is made through a notary. The purchase price is valued at the average share price on the day the gift is notarized or at the previous trading day’s closing price. You benefit from tax advantages (see tax exemption table below) and your loyalty bonus is preserved.
The shared gift cannot be transferred to the donor's estate.
Simple gifts
A simple gift can be planned in advance for the beneficiary of your choice. The simple gift is made through a notary. It may be added to the grantor’s estate. The purchase price is valued at the average share price on the day the gift is notarized or at the previous trading day’s closing price. You benefit from tax advantages (see the tax exemption table below) and your loyalty bonus is preserved if the gift is made to a spouse or relative entitled to inherit.
Hand-to-hand gifts
A hand-to-hand gift makes it easy to pass on your securities to your loved ones. It may be added to the grantor’s estate and included in the allocation of the grantor’s assets. It requires a written agreement between the two parties: the Grantee (the person receiving the shares) and the Grantor (the person gifting the shares). The purchase price is valued at the average share price on the day of the tax declaration or, if this is higher, the average price on the day of the gift.
You benefit from tax advantages (see the tax exemption table below) and your loyalty bonus is preserved if the gift is made to a spouse or relative entitled to inherit.
In order to value the securities given, the gift must be declared using the tax form 2735 within one month of receipt. A copy must then be sent to:
- Air Liquide’s Shareholder Services Department if you are a direct registered Shareholder;
- your account manager at your financial institution if you are a bearer or intermediary registered Shareholder
Download the hand-to-hand gifts form for direct registered Shareholders:
Customary gifts
A customary gift is a present given for a special event, such as a wedding, a birthday, Christmas and other occasions. You are not required to declare it. Customary gifts must represent a relatively small portion of the grantor’s financial situation. Your loyalty bonus is preserved if the gift is made to a spouse or relative entitled to inherit.
The customary gift cannot be transferred to the donor's estate.
Download the customary gifts form for direct registered Shareholders:
Educational booklets (available in French only)
It is not always easy to explain to share recipients how the stock market works, the Group’s history or even how they will benefit from being one of our Shareholders.
That's why, for minor shareholders who hold their shares directly with Air Liquide (direct registered shares)*, we have designed four educational booklets. Presented in the original format of a comic strip, they are adapted to the age of the person receiving the shares.
* The comic book is sent as soon as the minor's Shareholder account is created directly with Air Liquide.
Which tax exemption for a donation?
You have the possibility of making a donation with total exemption from duties every 15 years, up to a limit of:
€100,000 |
for each child and from each parent |
|---|---|
€80,724 |
for a spouse or civil partner |
€31,865 |
for each grandchild |
€15,932 |
for each brother and sister |
€7,967 |
for each nephew or niece |
€5,310 |
for each great-grandchild |
Personalized gifts
Do you want to gift your securities, but only under certain conditions? Your notary can advise you on personalized solutions:
- an inalienability clause prevents the sale or gifting of securities during a period predetermined by the grantor;
- a right of return lets the grantor take possession of the securities again if the grantee passes away first;
- splitting ownership allows property ownership to be divided in two (usufruct and bare ownership), mainly to reduce inheritance taxes;
- a temporary gift of usufruct gives the use of a property to a beneficial owner but for a limited, predetermined period of time. As such, a person may pass on use and enjoyment of the property for a period, while maintaining bare ownership.
In all instances, consider leaving instructions or documents for your beneficiaries who may not necessarily be aware of the arrangements you made.
Estate planning
You can plan ahead for how your stock portfolio will be distributed among your heirs.
Upon your passing, a notarized declaration stating your marital status, your beneficiaries’ names, and the number of securities attributed to each beneficiary will permit your portfolio to be distributed. Your account manager (Air Liquide for direct registered Shareholders or your financial institution for intermediary registered or bearer Shareholders) will execute the instructions given by your notary or the person managing your estate. Your account manager will need to be sent a copy of your inheritance declaration form in order to revalue the securities.
For direct registered Shareholders, Shareholder Services Department will contact your notary after receiving his or her contact information and the death certificate.
Shareholder Services Department is here to help with anything you may need. You can contact us:
online through our “Contact Us” form and select “Inheritance”
over the phone at 0 800 166 179 (toll-free call from France) or at +33 (0) 1 57 05 02 26 (for international calls).