Didier, a retired man, now 77 years old, was a judicial officer in Paris for more than three decades and decided to postpone his retirement simply because he loved what he did. He retired at the age of 65, later than recommended by law for his profession, and currently receives a pension of 4,205 euros per month from French Social Security. A value above the national average, but which, as he explains, reflects the demands and responsibility of his former position.
In an interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro, the 77-year-old retiree recalls that work was his great passion. “I retired at 65 because I was happy in what I did. At the end of my career I realized that it was no longer my time and that I should leave space for younger people”, he said.
The national average pension value in France was 1,666 euros gross in 2023, a higher average than in Portugal. The differences are mainly due to the type of contributory scheme: public servants and self-employed workers tend to receive higher pensions.
A career in the service of Justice
Having graduated in Law, Didier entered public service after passing a rigorous entrance exam. He gradually rose to a position of high responsibility in the French Ministry of Justice, where he performed functions that required an oath at the Cour d’appel, after approval by the Minister of Justice.
During more than 30 years of service, he made regular contributions to two different funds: the National Old-Age Insurance Fund for Liberal Professionals (CNAVPL) and the Old-Age Insurance Fund for Ministerial Employees, Public Officials and Judicial Companies (CAVOM)
Both schemes work according to a points system, in which each contribution made throughout your career accumulates credits that, at the time of retirement, determine the final value of the pension. In Didier’s case, these additional contributions allowed him to substantially increase the basic pension of the general scheme.
Decision to retire and enjoy life
The decision to leave work was not an easy one for the retired man, now 77 years old. Didier confesses, quoted by the same source, that his professional routine gave him pleasure and purpose. However, he accepted that it was time to retire: “I love my work, but I realized that I had to make room for the new generation.”
Since then, I have known how to manage my time and savings well. “I managed to build an important real estate portfolio. I have a house in Paris and a holiday residence in Sologne, where I spend most of my time with my wife”, he said.
A demanding and lacking profession
Despite the good remuneration, the profession of judicial agent in France continues to face a lack of professionals. According to data from the National Chamber of Judicial Commissioners, only 100 to 120 new graduates enter the sector annually, when between 150 and 180 would be needed to replace the reforms and cover the country’s needs.
This deficit of new professionals also explains the higher pension values in this sector: it is a role with a strong legal component, long hours, great responsibility and a constant requirement for legal updating, according to the source previously cited.
An example of stability and dedication
Didier’s case illustrates a generation that believed in stability, a public career and total dedication to the service of the State. For him, the reward was twofold: a long career and a comfortable retirement.
Above all, there was the feeling of having accomplished a mission. “I worked hard, but I was happy with what I did. Now I enjoy the reform with peace of mind and gratitude”, he concludes, quoted by .
How does it work in Portugal?
In Portugal, the equivalent of Didier’s case is divided into two distinct profiles. On the one hand, there is the enforcement agent, a self-employed professional regulated by the Order of Solicitors and Execution Agents (OSAE), who pays contributions to the Lawyers and Solicitors Pension Fund (CPAS) through levels.
In this regime, the pension is calculated based on conventional remuneration and a training rate of approximately 2% per year on these bases, with the grade history chosen throughout the career determining the final value. Only a simulation with the real contribution history allows us to know the exact amount of the pension.
Bailiff
On the other hand, there is the bailiff, a public servant who is part of the State’s career in the courts. Those who entered until 2005 remained in the Caixa Geral de Aposentações (CGA) regime, while those who entered from 2006 onwards moved to the General Social Security Regime.
In this regime, the annual pension formation rate varies between 2% and 2.3%, up to a maximum of 40 years of career, in accordance with Decree-Law no. 187/2007. A simple example helps you understand: with 30 years of discounts and a reference salary of 2,000 euros, the theoretical pension would be around 1,200 euros per month; If the remuneration were 2,500 euros, the value would rise to around 1,500 to 1,725 euros, depending on the rate applied and without considering bonuses or the sustainability factor.
In general, the amounts in Portugal are lower than the case of a 77-year-old retiree (4,205 €/month in France), which is the result of a long career, high level of responsibility and accumulation of schemes. In Portugal, the liberal path depends on the level of ranks; the public road depends on the remuneration table and the years of discounts.
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