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Australia's 'retirement age' just became 67. So why are the French so upset about working until 64?

https://theconversation.com/australias-retirement-age-just-became-67-so-why-are-the-french-so-upset-about-working-until-64-208648

Lifting Australia’s retirement age happened with little protest. But it hits some more than others: especially Indigenous men and women, and tens of thousands of older people pushed onto JobSeeker.

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daanzel

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It's good to know that in France, there is a required number of "working years" next to the retirement age. So for many people 64 is already not an option as they went to university for example. I often hear people argue that the French shouldn't complain because in country X it's age Y, but for a lot of French it's already Y or >Y (I don't know the exact details though as I'm not French, but have family there. So feel free to add or correct me)

sonovebitch

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IIRC (haven't looked into the details recently) in France you can have full pension from 64yo IF you've worked every year from 18yo. You can retire earlier, but your pension will be cut down for each month not "cotisé" up to 64.

I think years of high school don't typically count, but there are ways to "convert" or "buy" those years back for the calculation of your pension. Parental leave also can be converted.

So yes, the less you work, the longer it takes to unlock 100% of your pension funds.

EDIT: I just checked. To be eligible for full pension at 64 in France (full pension is 50% of the average of the best 25 years salaries) you need to have "cotisé" for 498 or 516 months (depending on your year of birth). Missing months can be bought back, or you can take a lower pension.

capnminus

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Assumimg four weeks in a month, that's 2,064 weeks/43 years. In Mexico, you "only" need 1,250 weeks, or 25 years or work (although the pension is locked until you're 65 years old.

That's an insane number.

sonovebitch

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Thanks for doing the math. With that, it means a french worker must work every single month without any gap from 21yo to 64yo to be eligible for full pension. Literally live to work.

Fun fact: french policitians (and some other specific work fields) "cotisent" months faster. Our deputies can get the full pension unlocked after only 5 years of work (while it takes us plebs >40 years).

Liberté, Égalité*, Fraternité, brothers...

*Different terms may apply