3rd Pillar Specialists

Let's start at the beginning, as already explained in other articles, every person who is gainfully employed in Switzerland and declares an income to the OASI is entitled to take out a third pillar. For cross-border commuters with withholding tax, the tax authority places additional requirements that must be met, and the procedure for taking advantage of the withholding tax refund is slightly different. One of the requirements, for example, is to receive at least 90% of the income in Switzerland. But be careful, we are talking about all household income (from work, real estate, etc.). This implies, for instance, that if one of the spouses works in another country, the 90 % cannot be reached. In this case, a third pillar 3b is the best solution (see information below). But the tax aspect is not the only one; in fact, it is perhaps the least important. Those living abroad generally find themselves with missing contributions, both in the first pillar (OASI) and in the second pillar (BVG). Just think that the first pillar is mandatory from the age of 21, and the second pillar from the age of 25 (as far as saving for retirement is concerned). For this reason, and given that most cross-border commuters will not receive full benefits, the third pillar should be stipulated to cover their contribution and pension gaps, and benefits in the event of disability and death, regardless of the tax situation and any tax savings at source. But if the tax aspect takes second place, why then make a third pillar in Switzerland and not, for example, a pension fund in the country of residence? First of all because, since you receive your salary in Swiss francs, having the third pillar in the same currency eliminates the exchange rate problem. In addition, Switzerland offers a very stable and secure environment with regard to pensions and the economy in general. Before signing up for a third pillar, however, it is advisable to check your pension situation in order to obtain a third pillar that is perfectly suited to your needs. Our experts are at your disposal for personal advice or a pension analysis, and will be happy to advise you.

Choosing between an insurance third pillar or a banking third pillar depends, above all, on the purpose for which we do it. We can say that the most important difference between a bank and an insurance lies in what is called 'waiver of premium in case of disability'. This cover, typical of insurance companies, means that in the event of disability, the insurance company pays the premiums in your place until the end of the contract (i.e. until retirement age). A concrete example: Mr Rossi, aged 30, starts today paying CHF 3,000/year with a banking third pillar, while Mr Bianchi, also aged 30, pays CHF 3,000 with an insurance third pillar. Since there are 35 years to go until retirement, we can say that both should arrive at age 65 with a capital of approx. CHF 105,000 (not counting interest, surpluses, etc.). But what happens if they both become disabled only after, say, 7 years? Mr Rossi, who has paid his banking third pillar for 7 years, will receive CHF 21,000 (plus interest) when he retires. Mr. Bianchi, on the other hand, who paid his insurance third pillar for 7 years, will receive CHF 105,000 (plus surplus evv) when he retires. This big difference is produced by the waiver of premium payments. This is why, for those who still have many years ahead of them until retirement, the insurance third pillar, or a mix of insurance and banking third pillar, may be the right choice.