How is the French state pension calculated?

The régime général basic pension equals SAM × rate × (validated quarters ÷ required quarters). SAM is the average of your best 25 years' salary capped at the PASS ceiling, the full rate is 50%, and the required total is 172 quarters (43 years) for people born in 1965 or later.

What happens if I have too few quarters?

If you retire without the required 172 validated quarters and before the automatic full-rate age, a décote reduces the 50% rate by about 1.25 points per missing quarter, and the pension is also prorated. Working longer or buying back quarters raises the figure.

It is the mandatory complementary pension for private-sector employees, run on a points system. You earn points from contributions throughout your career and convert them to income at retirement. This tool approximates it as a share of the basic pension.

How does the PER fit in?

The Plan d'Épargne Retraite is voluntary, tax-deductible retirement savings. The calculator grows your pot to retirement and converts it to income using a 4% drawdown estimate, on top of your state and complementary pensions.

Is this an official forecast?

No. It is a simplified estimate. Your official forecast comes from your relevé de carrière on info-retraite.fr. Use this to model scenarios and see how extra years or savings change the outcome.

France Pension & Retirement Calculator

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This France pension and retirement calculator projects the income you can expect in retirement from the three layers of the French system: the régime général state pension, the AGIRC-ARRCO complementary scheme, and any voluntary PER savings. It reflects the 2023 reform rules — a 64-year minimum age and 172 quarters for a full rate.

How it works

The basic state pension uses the standard formula:

pension = SAM × taux × (validated quarters ÷ required quarters)

SAM is the average salary of your best 25 years, capped at the annual PASS ceiling, so very high earners gain no extra basic pension above the cap. The full taux is 50%. The required total is 172 quarters for anyone born in 1965 or later.

If you fall short of 172 quarters, a décote trims the rate (about 1.25 points per missing quarter) and the pension is prorated by validated ÷ required quarters. On top of the basic pension, the tool adds an approximation of the AGIRC-ARRCO points pension, then converts any PER pot — grown to retirement with your contributions — into income using a 4% drawdown estimate.

Example

A 40-year-old earning EUR 40,000, having worked 18 years and retiring at 64, validates the full 172 quarters by retirement. The basic pension is roughly SAM × 50%, the complementary scheme adds a meaningful top-up, and a EUR 20,000 PER pot with EUR 200/month contributions grows substantially over 24 years — together pushing the replacement rate toward the 60–75% range typical of a full French career.

Notes

This is an estimate. The régime général only counts salary up to the PASS ceiling, the AGIRC-ARRCO figure is approximated rather than computed point-by-point, and special regimes (civil service, self-employed) follow different rules. For your official numbers, check your relevé de carrière on info-retraite.fr.