I plan to live abroad during my retirement
When you move abroad, you will still be able to receive your retirement pension. However, several specific rules apply.
Ma retraite à l'étranger
Payment of your pension
Payment of any solidarity benefits such as the elderly solidarity allowance (“allocation de solidarité aux personnes âgées”/ Aspa) and the supplementary disability allowance (“allocation supplémentaire d’invalidité/ ASI) will stop if you no longer live in France.
Read the article entitled “Low-income benefits”
Taxation
You will continue to pay your taxes in France if :
- You live in France for more than 183 days per year,
- Or if your household and your economic interests are located in France.
If neither of the above criteria applies, you will be taxed in accordance with the tax agreement that has been signed between France and your country of residence.
In addition, if your tax residence is no longer in France:
- CSG, CRDS, and Casa contributions will no longer be deducted from your retirement pension,
- Health insurance contributions may be deducted from your basic retirement pension at a rate of 4.9% and at a rate of 5.9% from your supplementary retirement pensions; this rate is 7.2% for retired merchants and craftsmen (Sécurité sociale for the Indépendants members) and private-practice professionals (CNAVPL and CNBF members) and only applies to the basic retirement pension.
Read the article entitled “Tax and social security contribution”
The proof of life certificate (“Attestation d’existence”)
Some of France’s retirement pension schemes will require you to submit a proof of life certificate each year. This document, entitled “attestation d’existence” or “justificatif d’existence,” must be filled out by the competent local authorities (town hall, embassy, or consulate). If you do not fill out the document and send it back by the deadline, your pension payments may be suspended.
To check whether this requirement applies to your pension, please refer to your pension fund’s website
- Under certain conditions, your health care expenses may be covered during temporary stays in France.
To learn more about your entitlement to health care coverage abroad, please refer to the official website for France’s health insurance system.
To also read our article entitled “Health coverage”
- If you are receiving an SNCF pension, any health care you (or your beneficiaries) receive abroad will be reimbursed by CPRPSNCF.
To learn more, please refer to CPRPSNCF’s website
Steps you will need to take
You will need to notify your pension funds of any change of address as quickly as possible : you will then be able to receive your pension in your new country of residence or through your bank account in France.
For personalized information based on your pension schemes, please log into your pension account.
You can also use this account to :
- access your career history
- and estimate your pension entitlements
