Studies and analyses
We offer you independent analyses of all three pillars of the Swiss pension system. This will help you to deepen your understanding of retirement planning, better understand policy discussions, and make informed decisions about your financial future.
Other studies
Pillar 1
The pay-as-you-go system of pillar 1 will only work if enough young people will finance future pension payments. But Switzerland’s birth rate is at an all-time low. How many children do we need for the pay-as-you-go system to function smoothly?
Pillar 2
Voters rejected changes to the Occupational Benefits Law. What will happen now that the reform has been rejected?
Second pillar benefits can be drawn in the form of a pension or a lump sum. Would the prospect of higher inflation speak in favor of one or the other?
Pillar 3
The investment success of private savings for old age has become more important, because the Swiss pension system is under pressure. Voluntary pension provision under pillar 3a offers opportunities for this. Investments in retirement savings should vary depending on the investment horizon.
The tax advantages of pillar 3a are well known. But is it worth it for everyone? In this publication, we analyze various living conditions and find that pillar 3a is always worthwhile.
Are contributions to the pillar 3a fiscally worthwhile for low-income households, and if so, how interesting are they?
How should private individuals best plan their voluntary pension savings? There are options in occupational pensions or in pillar 3, with tax incentives and without. However, the investment strategy and usage options are different and should be taken into account.
Self-employed persons can voluntarily join the occupational pension scheme or save more retirement capital in pillar 3a. What is the best option and what else do self-employed people need to consider in order to financially secure themselves and their families?
Emotions accompany us consciously and unconsciously throughout life. Especially when it comes to financial matters, the emotion barometer rises and guides our decisions. This publication shows which emotions one should be aware of in which phase.
The pension system helps us to save capital for retirement. But even after retirement, financial planning is not complete. This publication shows how best to tackle this – already before retirement.
We need to make provisions for retirement to meet our standard of living. But how do our expenses and income change from working life to retirement and how does our budget change over the long retirement phase?
Retiring abroad may be tempting – potentially better weather and a cheaper cost of living. But there are a number of administrative and practical aspects to consider.
The 3-pillar system
Early retirement requires trade-offs, especially between leisure time and purchasing power. The amount of money needed depends on many factors, but often you need more capital than expected. Meticulous planning is therefore essential.
Those who seek their fortune in a new country often think last of retirement provision. But it can be an important component of total remuneration, especially for employed persons, and in Switzerland, pension provision also offers attractive tax and investment advantages.
Demographic change is a persistent phenomenon around the world. It has implications for economics and finance, for social and other public policy matters. This paper gives a general perspective on the challenges and opportunities to come.
The pension gap index analyzes the mandatory component of various pension systems around the world and gives an indication of the private voluntary savings necessary to keep up the accustomed living standard in retirement.
Across the developed world, the concept of retirement is embedded in our way of life - but the necessity of a retirement age is questionable. Could we conceive retirement without a defined threshold?
