Senators are sitting on a pile of gold. Their very generous pension fund available in late 2008 from 575 million euros in reserves. Enough to finance 23 years of service! This study reveals that Safeguard pensions, including Le Figaro revealed the exclusive content.

The association, which aims to promote equity between the retirement of private employees and that of other assets (staff, nationals of special schemes …) based on official documents, public or not.It highlights the "extraordinary performance" of the Senate plan: taking into account life expectancy and age of retirement (67.5 years), a senator "means" receive before his death, 4.90 euro pension for every dollar contributed during his career – against 1 euro pension for about an employee's private and 2 for an official.

A former senator who made a single six year term and receives 1 932 euros monthly pension. Either "30% more than the average pension of an employee's private after a full career," observes Backup pensions. Only condition, almost always true: have paid double, as any senator has the opportunity during his first fifteen years in the "house" (480 euro premium "pay" per month). Reversion (retired widower and widow elected) is more favorable than in the general scheme.Finally, "most varnishes are the senators from the public (39% of the Chamber)," wrote Saving pensions. They can continue to contribute 7.85% of wages they would have received in their original, adding the State as 60.14% for all staff. Finally, they combined so full of retired staff and retired Senator, unlimited.

And yet, despite this apparent generosity, the body of senators shows no deficit, despite his bad demographic situation: 1.7 to 1 pensioner contributor (cons 1 retiree for 1.4 active in the general scheme). By what miracle? Strong support from taxpayers? Not really: the contribution "employer" paid by the Senate, represents 2.4 times the premium "pay" for senators.This is more than in the private but much less than in the public or any other special arrangements (for members, taxpayers pay 7 times more than the elected themselves!).

Everything comes from the fact, that the backup pension scheme senators is "remarkably managed. Based on the collective capitalization (1), he leads every three years an audit in which it updates its forecasts and issue invitations to tender to select managers for its funds. Sewing up since birth … in 1905, he held a "pot" whose composition is unknown but the end of 2008 amounted to 575 million euros – given the financial crisis, a provision impairment has been moved cautiously, however, reducing the carrying value of these reserves to 484 million.Result: only the interest generated by these investments provide over half of the pensions paid each year.

A pool of 1 billion euros in 2050

A performance such as – and this is the only criticism Backup pensions – by "employer" is "not only immoral but unnecessary. Why bother keeping a grant which only swell the reserves that increase perceptibly from year to year? ". Calculations of the association, placed at a reasonable rate of 4%, this kitty will reach 1 billion euros in 2050 …

(1) Safeguarding pensions do not hide that she is campaigning for the introduction of a dose of capitalization in the general scheme, which currently relies on distribution, Ed.

"DOCUMENT – The study Backup Pensions (pdf)