Entrepreneurs, With Acre, Benefit from A Year of Exemption from Social Security Contributions!

Since 1 January, the Aid for the unemployed creating or taking over a business (Acre) has become the Aid to the creators and buyers of companies (Acre). We explain the changes that entail.

With 691,000 new companies, the number of new businesses has increased by 17% compared to 2017, a record since the creation of the status of auto-entrepreneur in 2009. This is what we learn from the figures published by the INSEE this Tuesday, January 29th. And these results could still improve in 2019. In fact, the enlargement of the beneficiaries of the Aid to unemployed creating or taking over a business (Acre), which now takes the name of Aid to entrepreneurs and buyers of businesses ( Acre).

Concretely, since 1 January, all creators and buyers of companies can benefit from a degressive or total exemption of their social contributions during their first year of activity. So far, only job seekers, recipients of the RSA or specific solidarity allowance, or young people aged 18 to 25 (or 29 if disabled) could benefit.

Nevertheless, certain conditions must be fulfilled in order to be granted Acre. First, you must not have touched the Acre, old or new generation, in the last three years. In detail, if you have already touched Acre, this three-year period runs from the days when you stopped receiving assistance, with the obligation that your creation or takeover of business took place from January 1st. Another condition: whether a recovery or a creation, you must have effective control of your company, which will also prevent your partners from benefiting from Acre. Note that in the case of a repurchase of securities, the beneficiary of the aid must be the manager of the company.

More administrative procedures!

Above all, incomes are capped to benefit from Acre, and a degressivity applies to depend on their amount. Thus, if the income of the neo-entrepreneur exceeds 40,524 euros, he can not benefit from the exemption, because this amount corresponds to the annual Social Security Ceiling (PASS). If the income is between 30,393 and 40,524 euros, there is a degressivity of the exemption. For the exemption to be total, one must not exceed 30.393 euros or 75% of the PASS.

Compared to the old generation Acre, administrative procedures are greatly simplified: there is simply no more! The entrepreneur, after having verified that he fulfills all the conditions to benefit from it, can apply himself the exemption at the time of the payment of the social charges to Urssaf. The latter will, of course, then have the right to verify whether the contractor was eligible for Acre when it applied for the exemption.

Originally published at Entrepreneur News and Startup Guide.