The 2023 pension reform should indeed be put on hold… but only for one year. The announcement by the Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, of the suspension until January 1, 2028 of this highly controversial law – with in particular a gradual increase in the legal age of departure from 62 to 64 years – could have given rise to strong hopes among those wishing to be able to liquidate their rights as soon as possible. The result will not necessarily live up to their expectations.
And for good reason, since“this is indeed a delay in the reform»says Pascale Gauthier, from the firm specializing in retirement assessments Novelvy Retraite. The expert has in fact dissected article 45 bis of the Social Security financing bill (PLFSS) for 2026, which specifies the terms of suspension of the reform. And his conclusions are clear: “The 1964 to 1968 generations will be able to leave three months earlier than with the reform.” Thus, a worker born in 1964 will be in a position to retire at 62 years and nine months, compared to 63 years with the reform, and with an insurance duration of 170 quarters instead of the 171 provided for in the 2023 reform.
No six-month gain in retirement for the 1965 generation
For the generation born in 1965, the pattern is identical, with a gain of one quarter to be validated and the same for the legal age of departure. “People born before September 1, 1965 could be expected to have a starting age maintained at 62 years and nine monthsbut article 45 bis of the PLFSS and the Social Security Code as it is written argue for a limit of 63 years.specifies Pascale Gauthier.
Also, here is the legal age of retirement and the number of quarters to be validated if you are part of the 1964-1968 generations compared to the limit provided for in the pension reform:
- 1964: 62 years and nine months vs. 63 years / 170 quarters vs. 171 quarters
- 1965: 63 years vs 63 years and three months / 171 quarters vs 172 quarters
- 1966: 63 years and three months vs. 63 years and six months / 172 quarters
- 1967: 63 years and six months vs. 63 years and nine months / 172 quarters
- 1968: 63 years and nine months vs. 64 years / 172 quarters
The 1969 generation will therefore be the first to be affected by a legal retirement age of 64.
A gain of one quarter also valid for long careers
Side long careerssame gain for policyholders who started working before the age of 20. “Long careers are not cited in the measure detailing the suspension of pension reformconcedes Pascale Gauthier. But in the social security code, the early retirement age is set at 2 years and six months before the legal age. Thus, policyholders born before 1971 could benefit from this system three months earlier.she assures. Concrete translation: workers born on January 1, 1966 and covered by this system will be able to retire from 60 years and nine months (compared to 61 years in the reform), i.e. from October 1, 2026 instead of January 1, 2027. A person eligible for the system born on April 1, 1970 will be able to retire from 61 years and nine months instead of 62, i.e. from January 1 2032, against April 1, 2032 with the reform. Finally, from generations born in 1971, the starting age for long careers will be set at 62 years. The reform planned to reach this milestone from the 1970 generation.
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