Navigating retirement planning can feel overwhelming amid ongoing reforms, but there's a straightforward, free resource available to employees and business leaders alike: the Individual Retirement Interview (EIR), also known as the retirement information interview. Underutilized yet invaluable, it provides expert insights into your pension situation.
Anyone actively working from age 45 onward, seeking a comprehensive review of their career to understand pension rights, can request an EIR—if you've earned rights in a mandatory French pension scheme.
This complimentary one-hour session is open to private and public sector employees, the unemployed, business owners, self-employed individuals, and liberal professionals.
Launched in 2012, the EIR ensures workers' right to pension information, empowering better preparation. Despite its value, it remains underused.
In this personalized meeting with a retirement specialist, you'll gain clarity on your rights, future pension amount, and full-rate eligibility age. The expert accounts for your unique career path—factoring in training periods, unemployment, illness, maternity leave, part-time work, and more.
The EIR also explores optimization strategies, like pension simulations based on points or quarters validated. Solutions may include buying back quarters, combining work and retirement, or phased retirement to boost your benefits.
Simply contact one of your basic or supplemental pension funds (e.g., pension insurance or Agirc-Arrco for employees; state schemes for civil servants, magistrates, or military; CNRACL for local authority agents).
Requests can be made by phone, email, or online via their websites. Identify your funds on info-retraite.fr under "my plans." Note: You can't request another EIR within the prior 6 months, and funds have 6 months to schedule it.
For maximum value, prepare by reviewing your individual situation statement on info-retraite.fr (sent to actives from age 35) and noting questions about your rights and projections.
