Calcul retraite France 2026 — CNAV régime général + AGIRC-ARRCO complementary

• Régime général (CNAV) — formula explained
• AGIRC-ARRCO complementary pension — points-based
• The 2023 reform: cohort-by-cohort
• PER (Plan Épargne Retraite) — the private layer

Pension brute annuelle = Salaire Annuel Moyen (SAM) × Taux × (Trimestres validés ÷ Trimestres requis).

SAM = average of your 25 BEST years of gross salary, capped at the Plafond de la Sécurité Sociale (€47,100 in 2026, gross). Years above the cap are taken at the cap.

Taux: 50% if you reach 'taux plein' (either age 67 OR meeting the trimestres count). Below taux plein: applies 'décote' of 1.25% per missing trimester (max 25 missing = 31.25% reduction).

Trimestres requis 2026 (cohort born 1973+): 172 trimestres = 43 years of contributions. Cohorts born before 1973 have a sliding scale (e.g. 1965 cohort = 169 trimestres).

Each trimester requires either: 90 days of work, 600 hours at SMIC level, OR contributions equivalent to 150 hours × SMIC. Cap: 4 trimestres per year regardless of how much you earned.

Mandatory complementary pension for all salariés du privé. Each year you accumulate POINTS based on your annual gross × cotisation rate ÷ Salaire de Référence (SR).

2026 figures: SR ≈ €18.36/point bought; Valeur du Point at retirement ≈ €1.4159 (annual). So 1 point = €1.4159/year ≈ €0.118/month.

Cotisation rate: 7.87% on the first slice (0-PSS), 21.59% on the second slice (PSS to 8×PSS).

Average French private-sector retiree has ~3,000-4,500 AGIRC-ARRCO points after 40-year career → €4,250-€6,400/year complementary pension = €350-€530/month, on top of régime général.

Decote/surcote on AGIRC-ARRCO: -10% for 3 years if you take the pension at minimum age WITHOUT taux plein; -4% for 1 year, -2% for 2 years (gone after age 67). Surcote is +10%/year up to +30% past age 67.

Born before 1 September 1961: standard age stays 62, trimestres requis 167 (e.g. retiring March 2026 — full pension if 167 trim. by then).

Born 1 September 1961 to 31 December 1962: 62 years 3 months, 169 trimestres.

Born 1963: 62 years 6 months, 170 trimestres.

Born 1964: 62 years 9 months, 171 trimestres.

Born 1965: 63 years, 172 trimestres.

Born 1966 onwards: standard age rises 3 months/year until 64 for the 1968 cohort and beyond.

If you DON'T have the trimestres at the standard age, you can keep working until age 67 to reach taux plein automatically. Working past 64 with full trimestres earns surcote.

Introduced October 2019, PER replaced PERCO + PERP. Single product for both individual and collective retirement savings, with full portability between employers.

Tax advantage: contributions deductible from income tax up to 10% of net imposable (cap ~€32k/year in 2026). Payouts taxed as pension income in retirement (typically lower marginal rate than during career).

Two payout options at retirement: rente viagère (annuity for life) — taxable at SAM-based rate; OR sortie en capital (lump sum) — taxable as capital gains plus social charges. Capital sortie is usually optimal for tax planning.

Maximum tax savings: someone in the 41% TMI putting €5,000/year into PER saves €2,050/year in tax for 25 years = €51,250 in tax savings, plus the underlying €125,000 capital + investment growth.