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How you invest your retirement assets also depends on your own willingness to take risks.
Pay into the third pillar and put something aside for old age – it’s definitely worth it. As is well known, the paid-in amount (in 2022 a maximum of CHF 6,883 for people with a pension fund; a maximum of CHF 34,416 for employees without a pension fund) can be deducted from taxes.
3a equity funds: “It’s worth it in the long term”
You can either deposit this money into a 3a savings account or invest it in a 3a equity fund. In view of the poor IPO in recent months, the latter option may well seem too risky for many.
There can be big losses in the short and medium term, but stocks have always performed very well over the long term
But financial experts like Benjamin Manz from the Moneyland comparison service and Florian Schubiger from Vermögenspartner AG have given the all-clear: The past has shown that long-term investments in 3a equity funds are worthwhile, they say. “In the short and medium term there can be big losses, but in the long term the shares have always done very well,” said Florian Schubiger in the SRF consumer magazine “Espresso”.
Savings account: No risk, but no profit either
But the prerequisites are a long investment horizon – at least 10 years – and good nerves, says Benjamin Manz: “Anyone who can’t sleep well when an equity fund is in the red should opt for a conservative 3a savings account.”
However, the savings account has the disadvantage that the 3a assets hardly increase there. Interest rates are measly – 0.5 percent is probably the highest of feelings at the moment. But because of the current inflation, the money saved is steadily losing purchasing power and ultimately value, financial expert Schubiger points out.
Split deposit: may make sense
Under certain circumstances, however, the strategy of splitting the 3a payments in each case could also pay off, i.e. paying part of it into a savings account and investing the rest in a fund solution. But once you’ve decided on it, you have to stick with it, otherwise this strategy won’t work in the long term, says Schubiger.
Practically all banks offer 3a savings accounts, many a fund solution. In addition, there are now a good dozen Pillar 3a apps for smartphones. The financial experts recommend comparing the interest rates for savings accounts and the fees for 3a funds. These costs in particular can vary greatly depending on the offer. Various online platforms offer comparisons in this area (e.g. Moneyland, Comparis or the VZ Vermögenszentrum).
plan exit
What to do if the 3a fund rattles into the basement just at the time of retirement? “You shouldn’t leave at the worst possible time if you don’t need the money immediately after retirement,” recommends Manz. Many banks would transfer these funds to a private custody account free of charge. In other words, it gives you the opportunity to wait for better times to exit.
In general, the experts recommend that you spread your third-pillar assets over different accounts and fund solutions – no more than around 50,000 francs each. And that it is then dissolved in stages in order to save on taxes. However, this exit should be planned in good time and together with a specialist, according to the advice.