Phased retirement provides a flexible bridge from full-time work to full retirement. Reduce your hours and receive a portion of your pension—maintaining nearly the same income while easing into retirement.
This option lets employees work part-time while drawing part of their pension, continuing to build rights and quarters for their final payout. As retirement specialists, we've seen phased retirement grow in popularity for its practical advantages in end-of-career planning.
Eligible workers include those under the general scheme, agricultural employees (MSA), farmers, craftsmen, and traders (RSI). Rights from liberal professions (CNAVPL) or lawyers (CNBF) basic schemes are also considered. However, you can't qualify solely through a liberal profession at application time. The pension portion is calculated across all relevant schemes.
During phased retirement, you can over-contribute to maintain full-time equivalent contributions. Note: Civil servants lost access to this option after January 1, 2011.
Updated by the 2014 reform, requirements include being at least 60 years old with 150 quarters of old-age insurance across all schemes. Part-time work must be 40-80% of full-time legal or contractual hours. If already part-time and meeting other criteria, provide an employer-signed certificate. Full-time workers need employer approval for reduction; refusal is possible if the role doesn't suit part-time.
Once eligible, submit your request to your pension fund with: employment contract, sworn statement of no other professional activities, proof of non-activity if previously self-employed, and employer certificate of applicable work hours.
Upon approval, you'll receive a fraction of basic and supplementary pensions alongside your part-time salary—offering significant benefits backed by years of guiding clients through this process.
Popularity has surged: 11,561 beneficiaries by December 31, 2016 (CNAV data), up from under 3,000 pre-2014 reform. It lets you ease off after 60 without fully stopping.
Phased retirement is the primary way to blend earned income with pensions while still contributing.
From age 60, collect part of your pensions plus salary via part-time with your current or new employer. Agree on 40-80% hours; pension share matches (e.g., 20% for 80% work, 30% for 70%).
Partial pensions don't reduce future full benefits. Part-time contributions add quarters and points—request full-time basis contributions or negotiate employer coverage for the difference.
It stops upon full-time return or added part-time work (no reapplication except for farmers). Hour changes adjust pensions from January 1 (employees), July 1 (craftsmen/traders), or next month (farmers). Full retirement recalculates including all phased period rights.
