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Retroactive purchase of periods
Filling career gaps by buying back periods, useful after activity that was reduced or given up for family reasons.
Principle and conditions
Certain periods of activity that was given up or reduced can be bought back, subject to conditions (at least 12 months of compulsory insurance, before age 65 and before any liquidation de pension). The repurchased periods count as effective and increase the majorations forfaitaires and the majorations proportionnelles.
Cost versus gain
Buying back has a cost: for family periods the basis ranges from 1× to 2.5× the social minimum wage (overall cap 5× SSM), at the contribution rate in force, plus 4% compound interest per year. Payment is within 3 months, or in up to 5 annual instalments. The trade-off: weigh this cost against the pension gain over time (break-even).
Which periods, and until when
Eligible are periods of reduced or abandoned activity for family reasons after age 18: marriage, raising a minor child, caring for a dependent or severely disabled person — plus periods with international organisations or foreign schemes not covered by coordination. Study periods are excluded. There is no fixed maximum number of years: the buy-back is bounded by the actual length of those interruptions. Conditions: apply before age 65 and before any pension, have at least 12 months of compulsory insurance, and reside in the EU/EEA.
Get more, or leave earlier?
Both — but not for every door. Bought-back periods count as insurance: they raise the amount (flat-rate and proportional increments) AND count toward the qualifying period for early retirement at 60 (480 months, art. 184). However, they do NOT count for the 57 door (reserved for compulsory insurance), nor for the rate step-up bonus. So a buy-back can increase your pension and, where relevant, let you leave at 60 — but not bring departure forward to 57.
Legal basis: art. 174 of the Code de la sécurité sociale.