Finance

A full AHV pension requires 44 years of contributions. Each missing year reduces the pension by about 1/44, which is why years abroad or without registration matter.1

Ask your compensation office for a statement of your individual account to see which years are recorded. Missing contributions can only be paid for the last five years.12

If your country has no social security agreement with Switzerland and you leave for good, you can ask for your AHV contributions to be refunded, provided you paid for at least one full year. Your spouse and children under 25 must leave too, no interest is paid and all rights from those years lapse.67

In 2026 you can pay in up to CHF 7,258 if you have a pension fund. Without one, the limit is 20% of your earned income, at most CHF 36,288. From 1 January 2027 the limits rise to CHF 7,373 and CHF 36,864.411

Since 2026 you can make up for missed years. If you paid in less than the maximum in a year from 2025 onwards, you can pay the difference later, up to ten years back. You need AHV-liable earned income in that year and in the year you pay, and you must first pay the full amount for the current year. Catch-up payments are capped at the small maximum per year (CHF 7,258 in 2026), with or without a pension fund, and are tax-deductible.12

You can only pay in with income subject to AHV. The money stays tied until five years before retirement age at the earliest, except to buy a home you live in, to become self-employed or to leave Switzerland for good.4

Income tax is levied by the Confederation, your canton and your commune, and rates differ considerably from one commune to the next.4

Without a C permit, your employer deducts tax at source from your salary. If your gross income is above CHF 120,000, a full tax return is compulsory; below that, you can request one by 31 March of the following year, for example to deduct pillar 3a payments.8

Fees and exchange-rate margins vary widely between providers and countries. The World Bank’s Remittance Prices Worldwide compares the total cost for each corridor.9

The UN Sustainable Development Goals aim to cut the cost of remittances to less than 3% by 2030.10

If you receive a payment order for a debt you dispute, you have ten days to lodge an objection, at the debt collection office or straight away with the person who delivers it.5

Debt collection entries appear in the register extract many landlords ask for. If the creditor takes no further step within three months of your objection, you can ask the office not to disclose the entry.5