Marriage changes many things, including pension provision. One question comes up again and again: which of the two partners is actually allowed to pay into pillar 3a? The idea that only one payment per household is permitted is persistent. But it is wrong.
Pillar 3a is tied to the individual and their earned income, not to the household. What matters is that a person earns an income subject to AHV contributions. So if both partners in a marriage are employed, both may pay into their own pillar 3a independently of each other, each up to the annual maximum amount. This doubles the possible contribution for the couple, and both benefit individually from the tax deduction. From a pension planning point of view, this is one of the most effective and at the same time simplest levers there is.
The only condition that matters is this: both must have their own earned income. Anyone not in gainful employment cannot pay into pillar 3a, not even through their partner's account. For a couple in which both work, however, the answer is clear: yes, both may make contributions. Not just one, not just her, not just him, but both. Those who know this get noticeably more out of their shared retirement.
