The Interprofessional Pension Fund for Liberal Professions (CIPAV) serves as the primary pension, provident, and social action fund for a wide range of liberal professions in France. It oversees both basic and supplementary pension plans for its members.
Established in 1978 through the merger of the Engineers Fund (Cavitec) and the Architects Fund (Caava), CIPAV is a private-law organization fulfilling a public service role. Governed by the Social Security Code, it is overseen by the National Mission for the Control of Social Security Organizations.
CIPAV forms one of the ten professional sections within the National Pension Fund for Liberal Professions (CNAVPL), which covers all liberal professionals affiliated with an order (e.g., doctors, accountants, architects) or in regulated professions (e.g., dentists, physiotherapists, nurses). On behalf of CNAVPL, CIPAV administers the basic pension scheme for these groups.
Additionally, CIPAV manages the supplementary pension scheme as defined by Social Security financing laws. It also handles disability-death insurance and provides social action services, including financial aid to active members and retirees facing life's challenges or dependency issues.
Both basic and supplementary schemes operate on a pay-as-you-go principle: contributions from members in a given year fund benefits for that year. Currently, CIPAV supports a ratio of 5 contributors per retiree.
As the leading pension fund for liberal professions—spanning about 400 professions across diverse fields—CIPAV covers non-agricultural, non-craft, and non-commercial activities that are unregulated, per the Social Security Code. It now manages 800,000 members.
Originally focused on construction-related roles (architects, expert surveyors, consulting engineers), CIPAV has expanded to five key areas: consulting, education, construction, well-being, and sports. In 2009, it also began serving self-employed micro-entrepreneurs.
However, the 2018 Social Security financing law refined its scope to 21 specific professions, plus some in the arts. Notably, micro-entrepreneurs ceased contributions in 2019, and traditional liberal professionals (under orders or regulated) since 2018.
Affiliation is automatic upon registering an activity with the Urssaf Business Formalities Center.
For retirement, CIPAV calculates and collects contributions twice yearly based on income. Upon retirement, it liquidates rights and disburses basic and supplementary pensions monthly.
Contributors earn pension rights as quarters and points.
