Submitting an application to receive your OASI pension early (1st pillar)

In Switzerland, you can retire one or two years ahead of the statutory retirement age: men can already retire at the age of 64 or 63; and women, at 63 or 62.

You need to submit an application to your cantonal compensation office ideally three to four months before the time you wish to start your early retirement, but no later than the last day of the month in which you reach the age at which you have the right to retire early.

If you submit your request after this date, you can only receive an early OASI pension from your next birthday.

Submitting an application to receive your occupational pension early (2nd pillar)

Generally you cannot receive your 2nd pillar pension before you reach the statutory retirement age. However, some pension funds allow early retirement from the age of 58.

If you are interested in early retirement, contact your occupational pension office at least a year before you turn 58 to find out whether early retirement is possible and under what conditions.

Submitting an application to receive your 3rd pillar benefits early

In most cases, you can only withdraw your 3rd pillar savings in one go, at the earliest five years before the statutory retirement age (i.e. at the earliest at 60 for men and 59 for women).

Contact your 3rd pillar savings institution to obtain more information about the amount you have saved in your 3rd pillar account and how you can withdraw the capital. For an early withdrawal, you need submit an application a few months before you decide to retire.

The OASI pension (1st pillar) if you continue working after retirement age

Once you have reached retirement age, you may continue to work. In this case, you can postpone the moment you start receiving your OASI pension by at least one year, but by no more than five years. You can also continue to work and receive your OASI pension.

Contact your cantonal compensation office at least three months before your reach the statutory retirement age to find how to postpone your retirement.

The occupational pension (2nd pillar) if you continue working after retirement age

Normally, the 2nd pillar is paid out once you reach the statutory retirement age. However, the regulations of your pension fund may also provide for a postponement until the age of 70.

To find out whether postponing your 2nd pillar pension is a good option for you and what conditions apply, contact your occupational pension office.

Your 3rd pillar savings if you continue working in retirement

In most cases, you can only withdraw your 3rd pillar savings in one go, at the latest at the end of the month in which you start receiving your OASI pension.

However, if you can prove that you will continue to work after the statutory retirement age, you can postpone withdrawing your 3rd pillar savings by up to five years after the statutory retirement age.

Contact your 3rd pillar savings institution to find out the amount you have saved in your 3rd pillar account and how you can withdraw the capital.

As long as you are employed, your employer provides your accident insurance. You should remember to take out accident insurance once you retire.

The Federal Social Insurance Office offers various brochures on retirement benefits: you can order them for free, or download them as a PDF file from the FSIO website.

For more information, check the pages on flexible pensions, social insurance and earnings in retirement.

Once you retire, you should remember to take out accident insurance, which your employer will no longer be providing.