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Do fine adjustments need to be made to the second pillar model, or are fundamental changes to the pension system necessary? The guests in the “Arena” discussed how the standard of living can be maintained in old age.
The next round in the pension dispute is about to begin: after the narrow yes to AHV 21 last September, the revision of occupational pension schemes (BVG) is now pending. At the center of the modernization is the so-called conversion rate, which is used to calculate the annual pension. According to the Federal Council, this should be reduced from 6.8 to 6 percent.
“Because interest rates remain at a low level and life expectancy is increasing, the capital saved has to last longer,” said Center National Councilor Ruth Humbel, explaining the reduction in pensions in the “Arena” on Friday evening. As a result, billions of euros flowed from the working generation to the pensioners. The aim is to stop this redistribution, said Humbel.
Pension supplements for everyone or just those who need them?
The second pillar works primarily for high income and full-time employees, but is exclusive for people with part-time income and modest wages, said Flavia Wasserfallen.
The supporters of the AHV21 had emphasized in the referendum campaign that the reform of occupational pensions would improve the pension situation for women. “The present proposals do not yet deliver on these promises,” said Wasserfallen, calling for pension surcharges to compensate for the losses due to the reduction in the conversion rate, which would benefit everyone.
With general pension surcharges, the redistribution in the second pillar is only strengthened, Ruth Humbel replied and spoke of a “mini-AHV”. That is a system issue. “Should a 25-year-old saleswoman pay for life so that a well-to-do banker who was always able to pay into the second pillar with tax privileges also receives compensation payments?”
Administrative costs of pension funds in sight
Green National Councilor Katharina Prelicz-Huber criticized in particular the high asset management costs of the pension funds: “Why do we need so many pension funds that poach people from each other and pay expensive salaries, including for advice?” The first pillar is clearly advantageous here: “We have exactly one fund, a stable, fair system that is in the black and in which every franc flows back.”
In the pension fund, on the other hand, a low salary means a low pension, and a high salary means a high pension. “We have to change something systemically here. The three-pillar model was decided fifty years ago. It may not be very promising today,” says Prelicz-Huber.
Alex Kuprecht objected that the income that the pension schemes generated through property management, for example, flowed back into the pension schemes to pay interest on the individual accounts. The SVP Council of States emphasized that it was also deliberately determined that AHV and pension funds would not be financed using the same method.
In order to be able to win a majority, the reform of occupational pensions still has to eliminate major differences between the positions, as was shown in the “Arena”. Next, the Council of States will debate the reform of occupational pensions in the winter session.