Parents’ retirement: what changes in the calculation of pensions as of September 1st

From 1 September 2026, the method of calculating the parents' retirement pension changes for hundreds of thousands of insured persons under the general scheme. Two decrees, which came into force on 1 August 2026 and were published in the Journal officiel, revise the rules for taking into account career interruptions related to children. Concrete result : for many mothers, and some fathers, the pension calculated from September will be more favorable than under the previous rules.

Fewer years counted in the calculation

Until now, the basic pension of the general scheme was calculated on the 25 best years of earnings. With the reform, parents benefiting from additional credited quarters for children will see that number reduced to 24 best years, and even to 23 best years for insured persons who have had two children or more. Concretely, each year removed from the calculation often corresponds to a period of reduced earnings: part-time work, parental leave or an interruption of activity at the time of a child's arrival. By excluding these less favorable years, the average annual salary used to calculate the pension increases mechanically.

Child-related quarters now count toward early retirement

Second change, less visible but just as important for long careers : until now, quarters granted for maternity, adoption or child-rearing were not counted as contributed quarters for access to the early retirement scheme. As of 1 September, up to two of these quarters may be counted as contributed periods. This development can, in some cases, allow a slightly earlier retirement for parents whose careers were interrupted early.

• Calculation base reduced from 25 to 24, or even 23 best years depending on the number of children.
• Up to two “child” quarters now counted as contributed for the long-career scheme.
• Decrees in force since 1 August 2026, applying to pensions taking effect from 1 September 2026.
• Measure primarily targeted at mothers, whose careers include the most interruptions.

Who is affected by this reform ?

The scheme applies to insured persons of the general scheme whose retirement pension takes effect from September 2026 and who benefited, during their career, from quarter credits related to a child. It therefore does not apply retroactively to pensions already settled before that date. Retirement funds (Cnav, Carsat, MSA depending on the scheme) must automatically incorporate these new calculation rules into retirement files processed from that date, without any additional steps required by the insured persons concerned.

An adjustment in a wider context of pension freezes

This reform comes at a time when other pension parameters remain constrained: the Agirc-Arrco supplementary pension has remained frozen since November 2025, and budgetary discussions are considering a possible freeze of certain pensions in 2027. In this context, the revision of the calculation for parents appears as a targeted and positive measure for a specific category of insured persons, without calling into question the major balances of the pay-as-you-go system nor the timetable for the legal retirement age.

Anticipate your retirement application

For affected future retirees, it remains useful to check their career statement on the official Assurance retraite website before submitting an application, to ensure that child-related quarters are properly recorded. As with other administrative procedures related to the household, it is also advisable to anticipate ancillary expenses that often accompany a change of status, whether small home repairs or adjustments to the monthly budget.

Frequently asked questions

From when does this reform apply in practice ?

The decrees came into force on 1 August 2026, but the new calculation rules concern retirement pensions of the general scheme that take effect from 1 September 2026, and not pensions already settled.

Do you need to take any particular steps to benefit ?

No, the retirement funds apply the new rules automatically to retirement files processed from September 2026, provided that the parent has indeed benefited from quarter credits for a child during their career.

Does this reform increase the amount of all pensions ?

It specifically concerns parents who had interruptions or reductions in salary related to a child, particularly mothers. The effect on the pension amount depends on each person's career profile; it does not change the general revaluation rules applicable to all retirees.

Sources

• Service-public.gouv.fr : changes in retirement bonuses related to children
• BDOR : the pensions of these retirees increase from 1 September
• CesdeFrance : the child entitlement that can change their pension in 2026

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This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence. Editorial policy