Hervé Raquin is Managing Director of ANPERE (National Association for Provident, Savings and Retirement), which is one of the main French associations of insured persons, with 1.4 million members.
The health then economic crisis had the effect of encouraging the French to save and build up surplus savings in 2020 and 2021 compared to previous years.
This surplus is estimated at more than 200 billion euros.
Of course, if part of this savings is due to consumption hampered by successive restrictions, the other important part is made up of what is called a precautionary savings surplus.
Indeed, in times of crisis, it is quite legitimate to save more as a precaution to guard against a possible drop in income or even a possible loss of activity.
Easily mobilized, this savings can be invested in secure media such as Livrets A or current accounts.
It is important to keep in mind that the future of pensions is still not secure and will continue to be an important issue for tomorrow.
Remember that, in normal times, the level of this precautionary savings intended to cope with the hard knocks of life is generally estimated at 3 or even 4 months of income.
But it is up to each and every one of us to estimate as precisely as possible, according to his personal and professional situation, the optimal amount of this savings.
The challenge will then be to encourage the French to “
un-spare
” the excess savings accumulated since the start of the crisis, either for the benefit of stimulating consumption or for the benefit of investment in the real economy.
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"The error of the universal income is to believe that the consumption makes the prosperity of a nation"
Facilitating transfers to the younger generations and / or those in difficulty following the health and economic crisis (students, young graduates, the unemployed, etc.) could be an excellent way of reinjecting savings into the consumption circuit and meeting the expectations of long-term savings (retirement).
Indeed in the current context, it is important to keep in mind that the future of pensions is still not secure and will continue to represent an important issue for tomorrow given the difficulties we are experiencing today.
Isn't it time to give the keys to the economy of tomorrow to young generations aware of the issues of responsibility, ecological transition…?
Isn't it time to give the keys to the economy of tomorrow to young generations aware of the issues of responsibility, ecological transition…?
But none of this can be done without restoring the confidence of our fellow citizens through better economic and health prospects.
To be more effective, it would be necessary to target all intergenerational transfers, from parents to children but also from grandparents to grandchildren or even from great-grandparents to great-grandchildren because children inherit more and more from their parents. late at a time when they don't necessarily need it the most.
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So, of course, with the implementation of an additional deduction of € 100,000 on donations until June 30, 2021, a first step has been taken.
But this measure remains too restrictive in terms of the use of the sums received * to achieve its objectives, namely to help business development and accelerate the energy transition.
To make this measure more interesting, could we not free up the use of the sums transferred by broadening the framework provided for by the legislator to other forms of long-term savings (up to 30% or 40% minimum of the sums transferred? ), the remaining balance available to finance the equipment of his home, the purchase of a car ... or quite simply to find a "normal" life?
* Investment of the sums transmitted in the construction of his main residence, in the financing of energy renovation works of his main residence or, finally, in the subscription to the capital of a small company in which the donee exercises
