Are you planning to retire in less than a year? It is high time to start preparing your file. Because, “the payment of your retirement pension is not automatic”, recalls Dominique Prévert, partner of the consulting firm Optimaretraite. You must indeed request it, from the age of 62, which is the current legal age (or before if you benefit from a special device). “To gain security in the liquidation process, be sure to compile your retirement file at least six months before the planned retirement date.”
To do this, check your rights.
“If you want to save time and get paid quickly, it is indeed essential to compare your memory with that of pension funds, well in advance. Consult your individual career statement available via your personal account via the Info-retraite site. It lists all your rights, so you can analyze them with your documents,” he explains.
“If you think you don’t have time to look into it and you notice any errors at the last moment, you risk accumulating a big delay” which will weigh heavily on your finances, warns the expert.
Especially since the malfunctions are numerous. The Court of Auditors has indeed revealed in its new report on the certification of Social Security accounts that “one in seven newly granted retirement benefits was affected by at least one error of financial scope in 2021.” This is slightly less than in 2020, where one file in six contained a falsehood. According to the expert, this figure is however well below reality. According to him, it is better not to blindly trust the administration. Because problems with the transmission of elements may have arisen throughout your career. And all the more so if you have experienced various upheavals: unemployment, illness, change of status, work abroad, temporary work, etc.
Finding old documents (pay slips, unemployment or sickness benefits) is not always easy. Gathering the supporting documents and having your rights rectified takes time. This is why it is essential to digitize and keep all of your documents relating to your career.
“The sooner you have done this comparison work by detecting and correcting blunders, the sooner you can liquidate your rights and the sooner you will be paid,” says Dominique Prévert. Here’s how to go about getting errors corrected.
“Write to pension funds, by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt, by Internet… Double your requests for modification of rights. Insist until you understand, until you get satisfaction. Write again, call as many times as you “it will be necessary, to obtain your due. The more the stakes are important financially, the more it is necessary to insist”, advises the expert.
You can also request an interview with your pension fund (basic and/or supplementary) to take stock of your rights and avoid any risk of blocking. You can make an appointment by calling 3960 or via your personal space on the Retirement Insurance website.
In the event of financial difficulties following a late payment, do not hesitate to contact the social service of your town hall.
