Retirement – the start of a new chapter in your life.

Checklist for working post-retirement:

• In Switzerland, you can continue working part-time or full-time after retirement. Neither the AHV nor pension funds set an upper limit for continued employment after retirement.
• You no longer need to pay AHV contributions once you reach the ordinary retirement age.
  
• However, accident insurance is still compulsory after retirement. 
  
• It may make sense for you to continue working. This will allow you to maintain social contacts and give you an additional income. Make your decision depending on your personal needs, your finances and your health.
  

AHV contributions after retirement:

• If you retire early in Switzerland, you must continue paying AHV contributions. 
• Early drawing of the AHV pension is possible from the age of 63.
• You can retire as early as age 63 and as late as age 70.

Pre-retirement checklist:

• Financial planning: Calculate your pensions and post-retirement expenses to ensure you are financially secure.
• AHV registration: Register with the AHV in good time.
  
• Pension fund: Find out about your pension fund and clarify whether you would like to withdraw your pension fund assets as a pension or as a lump sum.
  
• Early retirement: If you are considering early retirement, clarify the advantages and disadvantages and the potential effects this might have on your AHV pension.
  
• Continued employment: Consider whether you would like to continue working after retirement and how that might affect your financial situation.
  
• Healthcare: Check how healthy you are and consider whether it makes sense to take out private supplementary insurance for medical benefits in old age.
  
• Accident insurance: Clarify the regulations on compulsory accident insurance after retirement.
  
• Advice: Seek professional advice from an expert early on to discuss your individual situation and options.
  
• Adjust insurance policies: Review your existing insurance policies and adjust them to your new life situation as needed.
  
• Tax considerations: Find out about tax issues related to your pension and your continued employment after retirement.
  
• Personal goals: Set clear goals for your time in retirement and plan your personal activities and interests.
  
• Official formalities: Find out about potential official formalities and deadlines you need to meet before you retire.
  

Planning your retirement properly:  

• Find out when you can start receiving benefits from pillars 1, 2 and 3. Get advice on whether staggering the payout is a sensible approach to save tax.
• Important: If you stop working sooner, you will receive a lower pension. People who work for longer can use their continued employment to increase their pension or to earn additional income on top of their pension. 
  
• Early drawing of the AHV pension is possible from the age of 63.
  
• AHV pension: You can retire as early as age 63 and as late as age 70.
  
• Pension from the pension fund: In principle, you receive your BVG pension from the ordinary retirement age, but some pension fund foundations also allow early retirement at 58 or deferral until 70.
  
• Benefits from pillar 3: You can only have your pillar 3a or 3b paid out in full. If you have several accounts or policies, you can also stagger the payout. You can withdraw it at the earliest five years before the ordinary retirement age and at the latest five years thereafter.
  

Checklist for registering retirement:

• AHV pension (pillar 1): Register your retirement with the compensation office in writing at least three months before your birthday (the compensation office needs these three months to gather all the information and calculate your pension).
• BVG pension from the pension fund (pillar 2): Get in touch with your pension fund a few months before your birthday. You will be informed of how much pension you will receive from the pension fund and what steps you need to take. 
  
• Benefits from pillar 3: Contact the insurance company or bank you have your pillar 3a or 3b with a few months before your birthday. You will receive information on how much capital you have saved and how you can withdraw it.