I'm on welfare, what!?

So I've mentioned a little thing called 'CAF' in the past, it's a little way to get some of your rent paid for by the government.  What hit me this time while I was filling out some of my paperwork was the differences between American welfare and the French social welfare systems.  In fact welfare isn't even the right word.  Welfare is what happens in the US, it's looked at as being for people in DIRE need and it isn't seen in the best of light, it's great if you can figure out some good programs but France is very different.  It's looked on as a sign of being savvy if you can figure out how (and the patience and diligence it takes to jump through bureaucratic hoops) to get reimbursed by the government, because in basis that's what it is.  

Taxes in France are much higher than the United States, somewhere in the 40% income tax range and France loves to add on other taxes as well.  In your taxes you automatically have CAF, work accidents, care for the elderly, health care and many many other national taxes taken out of your paycheck, I count at least 7 categories of taxes each paycheck which for me is -180€ a month in taxes as well as 9 categories that my school ends up paying for which is about -350€ a month, so we're looking at 530€ in taxes.  My employer ends up paying my gross salary which is nearly 40% more than my net salary, as it is a public government run school most of the money stays with the government but anyway.  The health care system which is mandatory (automatically taken from your pay) if you work in France covers everything from hospital stays, hearing aids, braces, medicine and glasses to 18 days at a spa if you have a doctors note, an average doctors visit with your primary doctor only costs 6€.  

The buracracy is real, you know how in the US they say to keep official documents 7 years or about?  At the bottom of my papers here it says 'dans votre interet.  Conservez ce document sans limitation de durée' -> { In your best interest, please keep this document indefinitely}  So I guess the moral of the story is that with all of these taxes and buracracy France does sometimes give you a way to get that money back BUT you are going to have to work for it.  

But I got it! Finally I got my CAF.  But not so fast again missy, this time because I am renting an appartment through a real estate agent the CAF money was sent to them, rats!  In any event no more rent!  Yes!

So when asked 'oh you're eligible for welfare?'  Yes I qualify and receive a nice little reimbursement because I don't make a lot of money but you can also be eligible if you're young, old, have children, and especially if you are a single mom.  Frankly it's stupid if you don't apply for CAF if you are approved for it (most young people are).  Add this up with a lot of other perks that you get in France for being a young person and you can live pretty comfortably, you just have to do a lot of paperwork and stand up to intimidating French bureaucracy.