Retirement: can you really leave earlier by buying quarters?

He has wanted to overhaul the pension system for years now. Emmanuel Macron began to evoke the idea of ​​​​reforming the system of inter-generational solidarity even before the start of his first five-year term. Several times since then, the ambition of the President of the Republic has been thwarted and some are even wondering today: will he really be able, at the start of his new mandate, to carry out this transformation that seems to be constantly receding? The latter is enough to frighten all or part of the workers who, by the very admission of the executive, will have to work longer once the construction site has started.

To avoid such a fate, many people might be tempted to retire early. This is usually what happens in such circumstances, as Planet has already explained in the past. “Historically, this is a phenomenon that we have already observed on several occasions in the past. This was the case in 2003, but also in 2010”, indeed confirms the economist Philippe Crevel in our columns. There are also a number of devices to hasten its cessation of activity. Who all show limits…

Quarterly contributions, when bought back by the future retiree, can be one of these potential solutions. It is a device which makes it possible, in fact, to reach the number of quarters required to reach the full rate. In doing so, it is possible to work for a shorter time without necessarily losing disposable income, once retirement takes effect. With the exception, of course, of the sums invested for the purchase.

Some will be able to take quarters off the possibility of leaving earlier than they had initially planned, indeed. But that doesn’t mean it will work for everyone…

Do not expect, however, to take advantage of a quarter buy-out to leave earlier than theoretically allowed to do so.

The system, as Notre Temps reminds us on its site, does not give rise to rights to early termination of activity before the legal retirement age, currently set at 62 (and increased to 65 in years to come, if the President of the Republic keeps his promise).

To claim retirement before the age of 62, you must be able to justify a long career, continue our colleagues. Concretely, this means that you must have contributed at least 5 quarters of retirement (4, for those born between October 1 and December 31 of the year) before the year of your 20th birthday. It is also not possible to redeem the quarters corresponding to this period.

This state of affairs constitutes one of the possible restrictions, but it is unfortunately not the only one. Explanations.

The redemption of quarter(s) of contribution, it must be specified, constitutes a particularly expensive operation. Sometimes more than the discount buyers are avoiding, observes Notre Temps. A good hearer! De facto, it is therefore necessary to calculate the profitability of such an investment before deciding, yes or no, to buy.

It should also be remembered that not all quarters can be redeemed: it is not possible to acquire more than 12 of these, as the French administration indicates on the public service website.