FUTURA A to Z

What are retirement assets?

The retirement assets are the money that an insured person accumulates in the pension fund over the course of their working life. It is the personal savings account for the pension from the second pillar.

Your pension certificate, which you can generate at any time via the portal (see under "myFUTURA"), shows the current account balance on the selected key date.

"BVG" corresponds to the mandatory portion resulting from the statutory minimum benefits. The "Total" refers to the assets actually saved during the period of employment in accordance with the FUTURA regulations and the defined benefit plans of the employer.

How are the retirement savings made up?

The retirement savings consist of:

1. vested benefits transferred (amount transferred when changing pension fund)
2. Retirement credits (savings contributions from employee and employer)
3. Voluntary contributions made (purchase sums)
4. Interest credits
5. Further deposits, e.g. from divorce or free funds

The credit balance may be reduced by a payout in the event of divorce or when withdrawing funds for home ownership.

Further information on the pension certificate can be found in our information sheet in the download area.

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What are retirement credits?

Retirement credits are annual savings contributions that you and your employer pay into your pension fund account together. These contributions are calculated as a percentage of the insured salary and are used to build up retirement capital.

The amount of the retirement credits varies according to age and is generally or in accordance with the BVG:

• 25-34 years: 7% of the coordinated savings salary
• 35-44 years: 10% of the coordinated savings salary
• 45-54 years: 15% of the coordinated savings salary
• 55-65 years: 18% of the coordinated savings wage (women born in 1964 or later)

Your employer's pension plan may provide for different savings contributions!

What is the old-age pension?

The savings capital available on retirement is converted into an annual, lifelong retirement pension at the conversion rate in accordance with the currently valid regulations. The conversion rate used for this is determined by the Board of Trustees and is already defined at FUTURA until 2029.

TO THE KEY FIGURES

You can find a calculation example here:

TO THE MEMO SHEET

The insured person is free to opt for a (partial) lump-sum withdrawal instead of a pension (see "Lump-sum withdrawal").

How far in advance do I have to register my retirement?

If you retire at the normal AHV reference age, we will send you the registration form and a calculation of your retirement benefits by post a few months before you retire.

If you would like to retire early (i.e. sometime between 58 and 65) or would like to take partial retirement, please contact our customer service.

All documents (registration form, proof of marital status, ID copy, etc.) must be submitted to us at least 1 month before the withdrawal to ensure smooth processing.

You can find the form here:

Retirement notification

What is the reversionary spouse's pension?

The reversionary spouse's pension is the pension that is co-insured if the insured person dies.

In the event of death before retirement, the spouse's pension calculated in the pension certificate is paid out (provided you are married or the surviving dependant meets the conditions for a partner's pension).

At the time of retirement, you can choose how high the entitlement should be for the period after retirement (60%, 80% or 100%). An increase in the prospective spouse's pension results in a lifelong flat-rate reduction in the personal retirement pension and is irrevocable (reduction for a prospective entitlement of 80% = 6%, for 100% = 11%).

Are unemployed persons insured under the 2nd pillar?

Persons who receive an unemployment benefit of more than CHF 83.00 per day (as at 2025) are compulsorily insured with the BVG SubstituteOccupational Benefit Institution (Stiftung Auffangeinrichtung BVG) for the risks of disability and death (but not for old age). Half of the risk contributions are paid by the insured person and half by the unemployment insurance fund.

Retirement provision, i.e. savings, can be continued voluntarily. However, the insured person pays these contributions themselves.

Do I still have to pay pension fund contributions if I am unable to work?

Contributions are waived in the event of incapacity for work of more than 25% and after a waiting period of generally three months. From this point on, no more contributions have to be paid. Nevertheless, you remain insured.

What does deferment of retirement mean?

With the consent of the employer, it is possible to remain in gainful employment with the same employer beyond the normal reference age (65), but at the latest until the first month after the 70th birthday, and to remain insured in the pension fund in accordance with the previous pension plan. However, the insurance of disability benefits and lump-sum death benefits in excess of the retirement assets shall lapse.

If the person dies after reaching the reference age, the survivors are entitled to the benefits that would be due after the death of the old-age pensioner.

The employer is responsible for notifying FUTURA. FUTURA will contact the insured person because the pension plan can either be deferred without contributions or continued with savings contributions in accordance with the pension plan. This decision must be made no later than one month before the reference age is reached. In any case, administrative costs will be due in accordance with the Foundation's cost regulations.

I am emigrating. What does this mean for my pension fund assets?

A cash payment of the pension capital is possible if someone emigrates, i.e. leaves Switzerland permanently.

• The non-compulsory portion of the pension capital is freely available for withdrawal.
• There are restrictions on the mandatory part. If you move to an EU/EFTA country, cash payment is not possible if the person there continues to be insured against old age, death and disability. You must invest the mandatory portion of your vested benefits in a vested benefits account in Switzerland. Whether there is a compulsory insurance obligation varies from person to person and can be clarified at www.verbindungsstelle.ch. If you are not subject to compulsory insurance in your new country, the entire vested benefits can be transferred to a private account.
• If you move to another country, a so-called cash payment (transfer to a personal account) is possible.

Please note: If you move abroad, you can only withdraw the capital after you have officially deregistered from your place of residence. The departure from the company must have taken place at this point in time or be completed promptly. Withholding tax is levied at the location of the pension fund. You will only receive the net amount. The insured person is responsible for reclaiming the withholding tax in the respective country.

In the case of cash payments, the notarized signature of the spouse is also required for married persons.

TO THE WITHDRAWAL FORM

I am emigrating. Can I have my pension paid out abroad?

The retirement pension can also be transferred to an account abroad. Please note that the Foundation does not compensate for exchange rate losses.

See under "Pension certificate".