Support FAQ

The 3rd pillar is part of the Swiss pension system, which is divided into three pillars. The first pillar is the AHV/AVS (old-age and survivors' insurance), the 2nd is occupational pension provision (BVG/LPP), and the 3rd pillar is optional private savings intended to complement the first two pillars and ensure sufficient income in retirement.

• Pillar 3a: tied retirement savings. Contributions are tax-deductible up to a certain ceiling, but access to the funds is restricted until retirement or in exceptional cases (purchase of a primary residence, permanent departure from Switzerland, etc.).
• Pillar 3b: flexible savings with no specific tax advantages. You have total flexibility to withdraw the funds, but contributions are not tax-deductible.

Pillar 3a contributions are deductible from taxable income, reducing your tax burden. Simply attach to your tax return the certificate issued by BANCOR 3a at the end of the year in which the contributions were made. Gains earned (interest, dividends, capital gains) are tax-exempt until retirement. Withdrawn capital is taxed separately, generally at a favourable rate.

Anyone with AHV/AVS-liable income can take out a pillar 3a, whether employed or self-employed. People without gainful employment cannot benefit from the tax advantages associated with pillar 3a contributions.

For 2025, the maximum contribution amounts are:

• If you are employed and affiliated to a pension fund: CHF 7,258.
• If you are self-employed without a pension fund: 20% of your net income, up to a maximum of CHF 36,288.

These amounts are adjusted regularly by the authorities.

No, contributions to the 3rd pillar are voluntary. Unlike solutions offered by insurers, you can make contributions as often as you like, whenever you like, within the permitted limit.

Initially, your savings are temporarily held in a BANCOR 3a Foundation account with a first-class Swiss bank. Once invested in investment funds, these are also held with a first-class Swiss bank, guaranteeing secure management in line with Swiss regulatory standards.

Your money is invested in institutional funds, renowned for their solidity and performance and tax-optimised. These funds are diversified to balance risk and optimise returns, taking your investor profile into account. Management fees are among the lowest on the market.

The balance in a pillar 3a account is not covered by the deposit guarantee, which protects client deposits up to CHF 100,000 in the event of a bank's bankruptcy. The balance is however given preferential status under bankruptcy law up to CHF 100,000 (ranked in the 2nd class) per client and per pension foundation. Claims on pillar 3a accounts are therefore repaid during or at the end of the bank's liquidation proceedings. The balance is returned to the pension foundation. Invested assets, on the other hand, are not part of the bank's bankruptcy estate and are therefore protected.

The BANCOR 3a Foundation is an independent entity responsible for managing our clients' pension assets. It ensures that funds are managed in compliance with Swiss laws and regulations, while guaranteeing the security and transparency of operations. It is supervised by the Western Switzerland Supervisory Authority for Occupational Pensions and Foundations (www.as-so.ch).

Signing up for the BANCOR 3a Foundation's pillar 3a offer is quick and easy. You can do it online via our website.

The BANCOR 3a Foundation has delegated management to FUNDO SA, a Swiss institutional asset manager supervised by FINMA.

Our fees are transparent and competitive. They include annual management fees that vary depending on the product chosen. Please see our fee brochure for more details.

Yes, you can transfer an existing pillar 3a from another institution. The BANCOR 3a Foundation takes care of all the administrative formalities to make the process as simple as possible.

We offer several investment options for your pillar 3a, suited to different risk profiles, ranging from funds fully invested in equities to more conservative bond solutions. Our website can help you choose the option best suited to your needs and risk tolerance.

In the event of death before retirement, the capital accumulated in your pillar 3a is paid to your designated beneficiaries (spouse, children or other beneficiaries according to the legal order). It is important to designate your beneficiaries to avoid any ambiguity.

You can track your pillar 3a online via our secure platform, or by receiving an annual statement detailing your contributions, the returns achieved and your account balance.

There are two types of pillar 3a: those offered by banks and those offered by insurers. A bank pillar 3a is more flexible, allowing variable withdrawals and contributions, whereas an insurance pillar 3a combines retirement savings with insurance cover (disability, death), but often with more rigid contributions. We only provide a bank solution.

At retirement, capital withdrawn from pillar 3a is taxed separately from ordinary income, generally at a reduced rate. It is advisable to plan your withdrawals to minimise the tax impact, for example by spreading them over several years.

You can withdraw your pillar 3a in stages from five years before the official retirement age. Staggered withdrawal can be tax-efficient, as the capital withdrawn is taxed at a reduced rate. This strategy can reduce your overall tax burden.

You can suspend your pillar 3a contributions at any time if your financial situation requires it. Unlike an insurance-linked pillar 3a, a bank pillar 3a offers great flexibility in this respect.

Yes, you can open several pillar 3a accounts, which can be advantageous for spreading withdrawals at retirement. However, the total annual contributions to these accounts cannot exceed the legal ceiling (currently CHF 7,258).

If you leave Switzerland permanently, you can withdraw your pillar 3a savings, provided you meet the criteria set by law, such as closing your tax domicile in Switzerland. The administrative formalities must be completed with the BANCOR/QoQa pension institution.

The BANCOR 3a Foundation follows strict management and control rules in line with Swiss regulations. It is supervised by an independent authority and regularly publishes transparency reports on the management of funds.