Withdrawing vested benefits

If you plan to leave Switzerland permanently (you’ll neither be working nor living in Switzerland), you can request that your vested benefits be paid out. If you’re moving to an EU/EFTA country, generally only the supplementary portions of your pension assets can be withdrawn. If you are not subject to mandatory insurance in the country you are moving to, you can also withdraw the obligatory portion of your assets. A confirmation of this will be issued by the BVG Security Fund (available by going to www.verbindungsstelle.ch or by calling +41 31 380 79 71).

If you’re moving to a country outside of the EU/EFTA (third country), you can withdraw all of your retirement assets.

In addition to the payout form, one of the following certificates is also required to withdraw your pension assets upon leaving Switzerland:

• Deregistration notice from the Swiss resident’s registration office including the target country (deregistration date no earlier than one year prior)
• Residence certificate from abroad (date of issue no earlier than three months prior)

Send all signed documents to the above-mentioned address.

If you no longer work in Switzerland, making your cross-border commuter pass invalid, you can request that your pension assets be paid out. By doing so, you may no longer pursue employment in Switzerland nor have any place of residence in Switzerland.

In addition to the payout form, the following document is also required to withdraw your pension assets when no longer working in Switzerland:

• confirmation of cross-border pass annulment

Send all signed documents to the above-mentioned address.

If recipient of a full disability allowance from the Swiss Federal Invalidity Insurance, you can request the payout of pension assets.

In addition to the payout form, the following document is also required to withdraw your pension assets following invalidity:

• a current Swiss Federal Invalidity Insurance confirmation (no older than one year)

Send all signed documents to the above-mentioned address.

If you become self-employed within a year and this is your main job, you can request that your pension assets be paid out. You must be self-employed in Switzerland and your business must either be a sole proprietorship or a partnership.

In addition to the payout form, the following document is also required to withdraw your pension assets if you’re self-employed:

• AHV compensation office intake confirmation

Send all signed documents to the above-mentioned address.

If your assets with your most recent pension fund are lower than your personal pension contributions and you're not covered by any other pension fund, you can request that your pension assets be paid out.

In addition to the payout form, the following document is also required to withdraw your pension assets in case of insufficiency:

• most recent pension fund statement

Send all signed documents to the above-mentioned address.

If a pension account holder dies, the pension assets will be given to the legal heirs.

The assets will be paid out according to UBS Vested Benefits Foundation regulations. The assets will be paid out according to the order of beneficiaries if the pension account holder had drawn one up with the UBS Vested Benefits Foundation.

In addition to the payout form, the following document is also required to withdraw pension assets in case of death:

• copy of the deceased pension account holder registered civil status document and/or a certificate of inheritance
• death certificate

Send all signed documents to the above-mentioned address.

You can use your vested benefits to buy a home you plan to live in.
In addition to the payout form, the following documents are required to withdraw your pension assets to buy your own home:

• officially notarized or a draft purchase agreement (no older than 3 months)
• use of funds confirmation from the mortgage creditor or notary (cf., payout form)
• consent to noting a selling restriction in the land register (cf., payout form)

Send all signed documents to the above-mentioned address.

If your desired home is under construction or still in the planning phase, you can use your vested benefits to finance it.

In addition to the payout form, the following documents are also required to withdraw your pension assets when building your own home:

• extract from land registry (no older than 3 months) or an officially notarized purchase agreement for a piece of land (no older than 3 months) and a building loan or a draft of a purchase agreement for the piece of land and building services / architect contract
• use of funds confirmation from the mortgage creditor or notary (cf., payout form)
• consent to noting a selling restriction in the land register (cf., payout form)

Send all signed documents to the above-mentioned address.

You can use your vested benefits to repay your mortgage loan (amortization).

In addition to the payout form, the following documents are also required to withdraw your pension assets to repay your mortgage loan:

• extract from land registry (no more than 3 months old)
• current residence certificate (no more than 3 months old)
• valid mortgage contract / confirmation from a mortgage creditor
• use of funds confirmation from the mortgage creditor or notary (cf., payout form)
• consent to noting a selling restriction in the land register (cf., payout form)

Send all signed documents to the above-mentioned address.

You can use your vested benefits to participate in financing a housing cooperative.

In addition to the payout form, the following documents are also required to withdraw your pension assets to finance your participation in a housing cooperative / shares in a tenant public limited company:

• confirmation from the housing cooperative stating the number of shares (number and amount)
• rental contract
• QR-bill from the housing cooperative / tenant public limited company (payout to personal account not possible)

Send all signed documents to the above-mentioned address.

Renovations improve your home and increase its value, and you can use your vested benefits to finance them.

You can find out more about the conditions of withdrawing your assets for renovation work in the fact sheet "Withdrawal for renovations".

In addition to the payout form, the following documents are also required to withdraw your pension assets for home renovations:

• extract from land registry (no more than 3 months old)
• current residence certificate (no more than 3 months old)
• list of investments and detailed and signed order confirmations / statements (no more than 1 year old)
• consent to noting a selling restriction in the land register (cf., payout form)

Send all signed documents to the above-mentioned address.