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Legal5 June 2025· 9 min

The best legal structure for independent professionals?

EI, micro-enterprise, SELARL, SELAS, SCP, SCM: full guide for freelancers and regulated professions.

1. Key criteria

  • Level of financial risk to protect against
  • Desired social charges and taxation (TNS vs assimilated employee)
  • Need or not to partner with others
  • Future development plans
  • Type of profession: regulated or not
  • Desire to limit administrative burden
  • Search for tax optimisation (CIT) or simplicity (PIT)

2. Practising in own name (BNC)

Micro-enterprise: ideal for starting up, low charges, secondary activity. Simple, tax proportional to turnover. Limits: caps, few deductions, limited retirement.

Sole Proprietorship (EI): personal wealth protected, PIT (BNC controlled declaration), simplified accounting. Limits: no CIT option, social contributions on full profit.

3. Liberal Practice Companies (SEL)

SELARL: TNS manager, lower social charges, framework close to SARL. Good control of social cost.

SELAS: assimilated-employee president, high social protection, ideal to partner or attract investors.

4. SCP and SCM: pooling structures

SCP (Professional Civil Company): full pooling of revenues and strategy.

SCM (Civil Means Company): each partner stays independent, only shared means (premises, staff, equipment).

5. Conclusion: which optimal choice?

The optimal choice depends on your strategy: business volume, tax-optimisation goals, partnership plans, social-protection level. A wealth review with a chartered accountant is essential to model scenarios.

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