Methodology · France
How we calculate French net pay
The calculator follows the payroll of a full-time private-sector employee month by month, because the minimum wage rises in June 2026 and the withholding grid changed in May 2025. Rates come from Urssaf, Agirc-Arrco and the official tax guidance (BOFiP) — see data sources.
Employee contributions
State pension 6.90% up to the Social Security ceiling (€4,005 a month in 2026, €3,925 in 2025) and 0.40% on all pay; Agirc-Arrco supplementary pension 4.01% on band 1 and 9.72% on band 2 (including CEG), plus 0.14% CET above the ceiling; APEC 0.024% for managers. The ceiling applies over the year (progressive regularisation), so a 13th month paid in December uses ceiling left over from earlier months.
CSG, CRDS and health cover
CSG 9.2% (of which 6.8% deductible) and CRDS 0.5% on 98.25% of gross pay up to 4 ceilings and 100% above, plus the employer's health and protection contributions. Mandatory health cover is set by default at €40 a month, half paid by the employer, as in Urssaf's model; you can enter your own amounts.
Taxable net and income tax withholding
Taxable net = net before tax + non-deductible CSG + CRDS + the employer's health and protection contributions. Withholding applies either the neutral-rate grid (0% to 43%) or your personal rate to the month's taxable net. In 2025 the 2025 grid only applied from May; January to April used the 2024 grid.
Employer cost
Health 13%, pension 8.55% + 2.11%, family 5.25%, work-accident insurance at the average rate (2.08%), CSA, FNAL, unemployment and AGS, Agirc-Arrco, training, apprenticeship tax, social dialogue, the 8% levy on protection contributions from 11 employees and PEEC from 50, depending on company size. From 2026 the single degressive general reduction (RGDU) applies up to 3× minimum wage, computed over the year with the January minimum wage, even after the June increase; in 2025 the general reduction (up to 1.6× minimum wage) and reduced health (7% up to 2.25×) and family (3.45% up to 3.3×) rates applied. The transport levy depends on the municipality and is not included.
Tests
| Test | Scope | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Urssaf's open model (modele-social 11.1.0) | 228 cases: 19 salaries from €1,850 to €20,000, manager and non-manager, 3 company sizes, January and June 2026 | Employee contributions, net, taxable net and employer cost (January) identical to within 2 cents |
| Neutral-rate grid (BOFiP) | 2024, 2025 and 2026 thresholds | Identical |
| General reduction | Annual calculation for 2025 and 2026 | Tested; in June 2026 Urssaf's model works month by month, we use the annual basis set by the Social Security Code |
Not yet included
- Part-time work, tax-free overtime, benefits in kind, meal vouchers.
- Civil servants, apprentices, interns, company officers.
- Annual income tax itself: family quotient, reductions and credits.
Estimates only. Not tax, legal or financial advice.