đź“… Retirement age, length of career, taxation… You’re often concerned about all these parameters. But have you thought about your membership, care and social security contributions? Dive into the world of Social Security for your (future) retirement with us!

🔎 What is your social affiliation?

It covers two essential aspects:

Your right to healthcare (in which country or countries, what procedures to follow, etc.)
Payment of your social security contributions (in which country(ies), at what rate(s) and with what procedures).
⚠️ Important: European regulations stipulate that a person may only be affiliated in one country.

What does this mean in practice?
👉 You cannot have a German pension subject to German social security contributions and a Belgian pension subject to Belgian social security contributions. Only one country manages your affiliation!

How can I find out about my affiliation?

👉 I am still working alongside a pension → I am affiliated in my country of work.

👉 I no longer work and receive a pension from my country of residence → I am affiliated in my country of residence, even if I have other pensions.

👉 I no longer work and receive a single pension → I am affiliated in this country, even if I do not reside there.

👉 I no longer work and receive several pensions from different countries (excluding my country of residence) → I am affiliated to the country where I have had the longest career.

A concrete example

GEF has worked in Belgium, France and Luxembourg. Now retired, he lives in France.

Affiliation :
GEF receives a pension from his country of residence (France) and does not work. He is therefore affiliated in France.

🏥 GEF’s medical care

Care in France
GEF can receive normal medical care in France and be reimbursed by the CPAM.

🌍 Care abroad (Belgium, Luxembourg, etc.)
⚠️Ces treatment will be considered as treatment carried out abroad. Special rules apply:

Routine care (consultation with a general practitioner, specialist, etc.): GEF may seek treatment in Belgium or Luxembourg. However, they will not be covered locally and will have to pay in advance.
The CPAM will then reimburse the costs on the basis of French rates.
Expensive treatment (scanner, MRI, hospitalisation, etc.): Mandatory validation by the CPAM before carrying out this treatment abroad.
đź’ł European Health Insurance Card (EHIC): essential in the event of a medical emergency in Europe.

đź“Ś All the procedures explained here 👉 CPAM – Care abroad

GEF social security contributions: which country levies them?

đź“Ť GEF receives a pension from his country of residence (France). He must therefore be affiliated in France and all his pensions (French, Belgian and Luxembourg) are subject to French social security contributions, including CSG-CRDS.

Payment of social security contributions at the French rate (see rates here) on their pensions (French, Belgian and Luxembourg), including CSG-CRDS based on their reference tax income (see here).

Caution: a current subtlety regarding CSG-CRDS!

At present, the amount of CSG-CRDS deducted from a foreign pension is capped at the amount of the French pension net of social security contributions received in the same year.

Example
If you receive an annual French pension of €2,000, the amount of CSG-CRDS-CASA deducted will be limited to a maximum of €2,000.

But beware: a Conseil d’État ruling on 26 October could remove this ceiling.
👉 The entire foreign pension could be subject to CSG-CRDS.

📢 Where do things stand?
We have contacted the departmental public finance departments to find out their official position on the 2024 tax return.
To date, we have not received an official response.
Our request is currently being examined by Bercy.

For more information, visit the website of our partner Frontaliers Grand Est