Pens3a

How does Pens3a work?

• You decide what goes into your retirement custodian account.

  Mixed strategy profiles

  Pens3a offers you numerous mixed strategy profiles from investment foundations and investment funds depending on your personal risk capacity and risk appetite. You benefit from institutional rates for all your investment solutions. This brings tangible cost advantages, which positively affects the investment returns of your assets.

  Free choice of bank, free choice of strategy

  With Pens3a you can invest your 3a pension assets in a varied and customised way. You also have full transparency with regard to costs and performance. Pens3a works with different banks, investment foundations and fund providers on individual investment solutions. The choice of bank and way in which the investment strategy is implemented is entirely yours. A mortgage to finance an owner-occupied home also generates additional value.

  Benefit from our network

  Investing money is a matter of trust. With Pens3a, in addition to our founding partner, Privatbank Reichmuth & Co, you can select your preferred bank from our select network:

  • Bank Vontobel Ltd
  • Sparkasse Schwyz AG
  • Zähringer Privatbank AG

  Investment strategies with a discretionary asset management mandate

  The advantages of a customised investment strategy are greatest if you want to use specific securities or special themes, such as equity income funds or sustainable investments for your selected strategy. For diversification reasons, these strategies are only suitable for larger pension pots. You attain maximum benefit when you align your retirement portfolio with your private assets.

  Opportunity to invest in your own property

  Usually homeowners take out a mortgage with a bank and pay interest to the bank. Within a fund investment, Pens3a gives you the unique opportunity to raise a mortgage from your vested benefits assets. The interest you pay on the mortgage is tax-deductible and is paid back into your pension pot tax-free after deduction of fund fees.

  Your advantages at a glance:

  • Attractive alternative to fixed-income securities
  • Low-risk investment for increased stability in the retirement custodian account
  • Mortgage up to 100% of pension assets possible
  • Interest payments are tax-deductible
  • Income is paid tax-free into the retirement custodian account
• Paying into the third pillar

  Take advantage of the tax benefits

  Anyone subject to AHV/AVS contributions may pay into a tied pillar 3a account. During the savings phase, these contributions are tax deductible up to a legally defined maximum annual amount.

  Your tax advantages:

  • Reduction of taxable income
  • No wealth tax
  • Tax-exempt interest and dividend earnings

  If you are married and both spouses are working, both can make tax-deductible contributions up to the amounts specified below.

  The maximum contributions for 2026 are as follows

  with pension fund: maximum CHF 7'258.– 
  without pension fund: 20% of income earned, up to a maximum of CHF 36'288.–

• Lump-sum withdrawal if you are resident in Switzerland

  Lump-sum withdrawal in Switzerland

  A one-off tax applies to the withdrawal of pension assets. If you are resident in Switzerland, a lump sum is taxed separately from other income at a preferential rate.

  The level of this lump-sum withdrawal tax varies from canton to canton. You can reduce the tax impact by making advance withdrawals to finance owner-occupied property or by holding several vested benefits accounts and staggering your lump-sum withdrawals.

• Lump-sum withdrawal when moving abroad

  If the pension or vested benefits assets are withdrawn after moving abroad, in many cases double taxation agreements («DTAs») govern whether Switzerland or the new country of residence is entitled to tax the lump-sum withdrawal. In the absence of such a DTA, withholding tax is always applied in Switzerland and, in certain cases, there may even be double taxation. Our tax experts will assist you in this important tax issue together with network partners in various countries.

  You can find more information in our news article.

  Restrictions you need to observe

  A number of formalities have to be completed to withdraw your pension assets. Our checklist will help you with this.

  Application for withdrawal from Pens3a account

  Checklist for withdrawal of pension assets

• Withdrawal of pension assets

  Retirement benefits

  Pens3a always pays out pension assets as retirement lump-sum capital. The earliest date for withdrawal is five years before the regular AHV/AVS retirement age.

  There are some important points to bear in mind when withdrawing pension assets. Plan as early as possible.
  

  Transfer to private assets

  Pens3a enables you to transfer your investment portfolio to your private assets if you withdraw capital. PensExpert’s experts will be happy to inform you of the intricacies you need to be aware of.

  Additional withdrawal options

  Scenario 1: You become self-employed

  You can withdraw your 3a assets within one year if you take up self-employment as your main occupation.
  

  Scenario 2: Home ownership

  You can withdraw your 3a assets to finance home ownership (assuming it is owner-occupied) or repay a mortgage.
  

  Scenario 3: You leave Switzerland

  You can also withdraw your pillar 3a assets if you leave Switzerland permanently.

• Documents and forms
  • Factsheet