Pension ABC

PUBLICA is the pension fund of the Swiss Confederation, the independent decentralised administrative units, the ETH Domain and organisations that are closely associated with the Confederation or fulfil a public task on behalf of the Confederation, a canton or a municipality.

All employees of the ETH and the EPFL are insured with the ETH domain Pension Fund at Publica when their employment contract is for more than 3 months, and they earn more than CHF 21,330/year. Only salary out of an employment contract is insured but no grants.

There is no choice. The Swiss law (link: SR 831.40 (fr/it/ge only)) gives the lower limit of the insurance plan (Salary between CHF 24’885 – 85’320 in 2019). The pension scheme may offer better conditions, as does for example PUBLICA. It’s a collective system (defined contribution plan).
 

Contributions/premiums are normally shared between employer and employees. The employer’s part has to be 50% of all contributions at least. The contributions are paid to the pension scheme which is a separate legal entity (foundation or independent public institution).

Yes. The «Eligibility for a life partner’s pension» brochure can be found at http://www.publica.ch/en/home (under «Documentation») containing the «Life partnership agreement» form as well.

Your options depend on your coming employment status:

1) If you change employers in Switzerland,
you will change to the new employer’s occupational pension fund in Switzerland. In this case, the total amount of your accumulated capital, the so called

“Freizügigkeitsleistung” / “prestation de sortie (libre passage)” = termination benefit

is transferred from your previous occupational retirement fund to the new one. The capital must always remain in the retirement fund of your current employer. In general, it is not possible to dispose of the money freely, it may be withdrawn under certain conditions only.

When changing jobs make sure that all your termination benefits have been sent to your new employer’s retirement fund correctly.

2) If you continue to reside in Switzerland, but are no longer employed and not yet retired,
you have the following options:

The termination benefit can be transferred into

• a special blocked bank account (so called Freizügigkeitskonto, compte de libre passage =vested benefits account)
• or a blocked insurance policy (so called Freizügigkeitspolice, police de libre passage = vested benefits policy)
• or the so called auxiliary fund (Auffangeinrichtung- Fondation Institution supplétive)*

However, you have to inform your employer about your decision. Should you not make a decision the PUBLICA will transfer the termination benefit to the auxiliary fund (BVG) 6 month after the termination. More information about the auxiliary fund (www.chaeis.net – Phone: 0041 41 799 75 75).

*The auxiliary fund is a special retirement fund. If you leave your job without instructing your employer´s retirement fund what to do with the accumulated capital, the fund will transfer the termination benefit to an auxiliary fund. This happens no later than 2 years after the termination of employment. Your insurance cover is maintained.

For persons not working in Switzerland any longer but with pension money on a savings account in Switzerland: Rules with the EU oblige to keep the minimum part of your pension savings in Switzerland when leaving for an EU country. In this case, you may claim the lump sum until 3 years before retirement when buying your own real estate where you will live in.

Should you leave Switzerland permanently, your options depend on

1) if you have emigrated to a non-EU/non-EFTA state
you can choose whether you

• apply for payment (Barauszahlung / Paiement) of your accumulated capital (termination benefit); please note: after having received the cash termination benefit, any payment of retirement or other benefits is impossible. The cash payment will be after deduction of the source tax or
• maintain the retirement fund cover (options in this case see below, 3))
  
  If you apply for payment within 6 months after your contract has ended, an application must be submitted to your last employer’s retirement fund. You can do this before leaving Switzerland. Your employer will provide you with the necessary forms when you leave the occupational fund. If you apply for the payment after 6 months, the application must be submitted to the auxiliary fund, (Auffangeinrichtung- Fondation Institution supplétive), please refer to point 3), below.

2) if you have emigrated to an EU/EFTA state and are not subject to any social insurance, see 1)

3) if you have emigrated to an EU/EFTA state and are subject to any social insurance in that country, you can withdraw just part (the non-compulsory portion) of the accrued capital. The obligatory part has to stay in Switzerland until you will retire. In this case, the termination benefit can be transferred into

• a special blocked bank account (so called Freizügigkeitskonto =vested benefits account)
• or a blocked insurance policy (so called Freizügigkeitspolice = vested benefits policy)
• or the so called auxiliary fund

However, you have to inform your last pension scheme about your decision. Should you not make a decision the PUBLICA will transfer the cash termination benefit to the auxiliary fund (BVG) 6 month after the termination. More information about the auxiliary fund (www.chaeis.net – Phone: 0042 41 799 75 75)

4) Shouldn’t you have applied for cash payment of the termination benefit, the retirement fund cover remains in the 2nd pillar-account. In general, the occupational retirement fund of your last employer will transfer your termination benefit to the auxiliary fund no sooner than six months and no later than two years after you leave your job. Then an application for payment must be addressed to the auxiliary fund.

Address:
Stiftung Auffangeinrichtung BVG
Administration Freizügigkeitskonten
Postfach
8036 Zürich
Email: fzk@chaeis.ch
Internet: www.aeis.ch
 

You can address the Central Office of the 2nd pillar. They can find out if you still have any money in the auxiliary fund or in an occupational pension fund in Switzerland.

Form: http://www.zentralstelle.ch/documents/EN_Fragebogen_2010_11.pdf

Address:
Central Office of the 2nd pillar:
Postfach 1023, 3000 Bern 14
Tel. 031 380 79 75
Fax 031 380 7976
E-Mail: info@zentralstelle.ch
Internet: http://www.zentralstelle.ch/xml_2/internet/de/intro.cfm

The occupational pension provision with PUBLICA contains:

• Retirement pensions
• Bridging pension
• Disability pensions
• Spouse’s pensions
• Spouse’s pensions after divorce
• Registered partnerships
• Life partner’s pension
• Child’s pension
• Orphan’s pension
• Lump-sum death benefit

Link: Your pension cover with PUBLICA

All employers’ and employees’ savings contributions for retirement (plus interests) are claimable. No penalties are operated, no minimum period is required, but when moving abroad Swiss withholding tax will be deducted.

The amount of your pension depends on your savings in the scheme. Each pension scheme has its own plan, it’s based on contributions. When you retire your savings are converted into a monthly pension or paid out as a lump sum. Swiss withholding tax will be deducted when living abroad.

Every insured employee gets a 2nd pillar personal insurance statement (Persönlicher Ausweis, Certificat personnel) once a year. On this statement you will find your pension capital accrued and other necessary information.
 

Yes, it is possible to increase the future pension by paying an additional contribution into the pension fund insurance. This amount depends on the amount of the earning and the amount, which has been paid into the insurance already.

On the 2nd pillar personal insurance statement you can find the maximum amount that you can pay (Buy-In, Einkauf) in order to increase your pension benefit.

The key factors governing the amount of the buy-in are your age, insured salary and the retirement assets already held at the time of the buy-in. You are free to choose the amount of the first buy-in made within 90 days of joining. After this time a minimum amount applies, as set out in the pension plan regulations. These can be found at http://www.publica.ch/en/home (under «Ihre Vorsorge» > «Überblick»). You can also simulate buy-ins for yourself using the «Simulationen» section of www.publica.ch.

If you would like a buy-in proposal, please get in touch with your personal contact at PUBLICA. Additional important information about buy-ins can be found at www.publica.ch (under «Ihre Vorsorge» > «Vorsorgethemen» > «Einkauf»).
 

In addition to your normal savings contributions, it is possible to make voluntary contributions that are deducted from your salary. The conditions can be found in the pension plan regulations at http://www.publica.ch/en/home (under «Ihre Vorsorge» > «Überblick»). Should you be interested in making voluntary savings contributions please inform your employer when taking up your new job.

Working in Switzerland you can claim your retirement benefits from 64 years on (female) or 65 years on (male). Early retirement is not possible before your 60th birthday. If your employer agrees, your employment relationship can be maintained until you reach the age of 70, at the latest. Payments you and your employer make into the pension plan after you reach the age of 65 continue to count towards the pension. Benefits may be claimed in case of disability or death.

For persons not working in Switzerland any longer but with pension money on a savings account in Switzerland: Rules with the EU oblige to keep the minimum part of your pension savings in Switzerland when leaving for an EU country. In this case, you may claim the lump sum until 3 years before retirement when buying your own real estate where you will live in.

Pensionskasse des Bundes
PUBLICA
Eigerstrasse 57
Postfach
3000 Bern 23

Form: Anmeldung Anstaltsleistungen

The amount of your pension depends on your savings in the scheme. Each pension scheme has its own plan, it’s based on contributions. When you retire your savings are converted into a monthly pension or paid out as a lump sum. Swiss withholding tax will be deducted when living abroad.

Every insured employee gets a 2nd pillar personal insurance statement (Persönlicher Ausweis, Certificat personnel) once a year. On this statement you will find your pension capital accrued and other necessary information.

You can address the Central Office of the 2nd pillar. They can find out if you still have any money in the auxiliary fund or in an occupational retirement fund.

Form: http://www.zentralstelle.ch/documents/EN_Fragebogen_2010_11.pdf

Address:
Central Office of the 2nd pillar:
Postfach 1023, 3000 Bern 14
Tel. 031 380 79 75
Fax 031 380 7976
E-Mail: info@zentralstelle.ch
Internet: http://www.zentralstelle.ch/xml_2/internet/de/intro.cfm