Pillar 3a

Pillar 3a is tax-privileged private pension provision in Switzerland. It complements benefits from OASI/AHV and the occupational pension fund and helps you build assets specifically for retirement. This can reduce potential pension gaps and help you maintain your accustomed standard of living in retirement. You can deduct your contributions from taxable income up to the statutory maximum amount.

In principle, anyone who earns income subject to Swiss social security contributions (AHV) can pay into pillar 3a. This includes employees, self-employed persons and, under certain conditions, cross-border commuters.

Those who start early benefit from the interest or investment effect for longer. With Tellco, you can also start with smaller regular amounts and later adjust your contributions to your financial situation.

In 2026, employees who are affiliated with a pension fund can pay a maximum of CHF 7’258 into pillar 3a. Self-employed persons without a pension fund can contribute up to 20 per cent of their earned income, subject to a maximum of CHF 36’288.

You do not have to use the full maximum amount. Smaller contributions also strengthen your private pension provision and may reduce your tax burden.

Both options are possible. Regular monthly contributions are usually easier to incorporate into your personal budget. A standing order also helps prevent you from postponing the contribution until the end of the year or forgetting it altogether.

By contributing early and regularly, you can also benefit from the interest or investment effect for longer. With an account solution, the assets start earning interest earlier. With a securities solution, the capital remains invested for longer and can therefore participate in financial market opportunities for longer, although prices can fluctuate and losses are possible.

To reach the maximum amount in 2026, employees could, for example, contribute CHF 604 per month and add the remaining balance during the year. Tellco Vorsento gives you an up-to-date overview of your contributions at all times.

For a contribution to be taken into account for tax purposes in the current year, it must be credited to the pillar 3a account in good time. If you transfer the money shortly before the end of the year, there is a risk that it will only be booked in the new year because of weekends, public holidays or processing times.

It is therefore advisable to pay the annual contribution early or by standing order. With an account solution, the assets start earning interest earlier. With a securities solution, the capital remains invested for longer, although investments are subject to fluctuations in value.

Contributions to pillar 3a can be deducted from taxable income up to the statutory maximum amount. The actual tax saving depends on factors including your income, place of residence, marital status and the amount contributed.

The Tellco 3a calculator allows you to estimate how different contribution amounts may affect your expected tax burden and pension assets.

This depends on your investment horizon and personal risk tolerance. An interest-bearing account solution is particularly suitable if stability is important to you or if your planned withdrawal date is approaching.

A securities solution offers higher long-term return potential, but is subject to market fluctuations. With Tellco, you can choose between an account solution and a securities solution and adjust your investment strategy online at any time if required.

A securities solution can also make sense with smaller regular contributions, particularly if you have a long investment horizon. Regular investing means entering the market at different times, so you do not have to try to identify the supposedly ideal time to invest.

It is important that the chosen strategy matches your personal risk capacity and planned withdrawal date. With Tellco, you can view your investment strategy online and adjust it at any time if required.

No. Each year, you decide whether to contribute and how much to pay in. You can use the full maximum amount, transfer a smaller amount or temporarily make no contribution.

Tellco does not require a minimum contribution for the 3a account. This allows you to adjust your contributions flexibly to your income and current financial situation.

Since 2026, contribution gaps arising from 2025 onwards can be closed retrospectively under certain conditions. Buy-ins can be made retrospectively for up to ten years.

One condition is that you earned income subject to AHV contributions both in the relevant contribution year and in the year of the buy-in. In addition, the ordinary maximum contribution must first be paid in full in the year of the buy-in. The additional buy-in is limited to the statutory “small contribution” amount for each year.

Several pillar 3a accounts can be useful when planning future withdrawals. As a single 3a account generally has to be withdrawn in full, several accounts allow you to spread the withdrawals across different tax years.

Staggering withdrawals may reduce the tax burden. Whether this is worthwhile in an individual case depends on your canton of residence, the amount of your assets and other capital withdrawals. With Tellco, you can hold up to five 3a accounts and manage them centrally through Tellco Vorsento.

Yes. Existing pillar 3a assets can generally be transferred from one recognised pension institution to another. The transfer takes place directly between the pension institutions; the money is not paid into a private account.

Before switching, it is advisable to check the terms, investment options and any transfer fees charged by the current provider. After the transfer, Tellco allows you to choose between an interest-bearing account solution and a securities solution.

For the Tellco account solution, account opening, account management and ordinary account closure are free of charge under the currently published terms. There is also no minimum investment.

For securities solutions, costs depend on the selected investment solution and the investment products used. They may consist of a flat fee as well as the relevant product costs or Total Expense Ratio (TER). Additional fees may apply to individual services.

An overview is available in the current fee regulations of Tellco Vorsorge 3a.

An ordinary withdrawal is generally possible no earlier than five years before reaching the OASI/AHV reference age. If you continue working after reaching the reference age, you can defer the withdrawal by up to five years under certain conditions.

An early withdrawal is only possible in situations defined by law, for example to finance owner-occupied residential property, when starting self-employment, when leaving Switzerland permanently or in the event of total disability.

When withdrawn, pillar 3a assets are taxed separately from other income at a special capital benefits tax rate. The amount of tax depends in particular on the amount withdrawn and your place of residence at the time of withdrawal.

If you have several pension accounts, it may be advisable to spread the withdrawals across different calendar years. The Tellco capital withdrawal calculator allows you to compare different withdrawal scenarios. If you live abroad, the registered office of the foundation may also be relevant for Swiss withholding tax.