France changes pension calculation for parents to 24 or 23 best years

The 2026 Social Security Financing Law, enacted on 31 December 2025, will alter the reference period used to compute French basic pensions. From 1 September 2026, private‑sector salaried parents will have their pension calculated on their 24 best years of earnings for one child and on 23 best years for two or more children, replacing the previous 25‑year benchmark. The reform aims to reduce the penalising effect of career interruptions linked to child‑rearing.

Parents must claim education‑related quarters within six months after a child’s fourth birthday; otherwise the two education quarters automatically revert to the mother. Fathers who secure at least one education quarter become eligible for the new calculation. The change could raise monthly pensions by a few dozen euros for many families.

A recent personal account illustrates the rule’s impact: a father discovered that two of his entitled quarters were transferred to his ex‑partner because he missed the six‑month filing deadline, highlighting the system’s silent enforcement and lack of automatic notifications.