Pension funds and retirement provision
Solutions built around the second and third pillar that can be used to finance or secure homeownership.
- 1
St. Gallen
The Helvetia collective foundation provides occupational pension coverage for several thousand companies and their employees. Insured members can withdraw in advance or pledge their pension fund balance for self-occupied housing.
- 2
Schweiz
VZ VermögensZentrum is a Swiss financial services provider with advice on pensions, real estate, taxes, and investments at several locations. For buying a home, VZ explains the advance withdrawal of pension fund and pillar 3a money as well as pledging as an alternative, where the retirement savings serve as collateral and stay in the pension system. On its knowledge pages, VZ shows how an advance withdrawal lowers the future pension and in which cases pledging works out better for taxes.
- 3
Luzern
finpension is a digital provider of pillar 3a and vested benefits solutions, based in Lucerne with an office in Geneva. For buying a home, finpension describes the WEF advance withdrawal from pillar 3a, which is possible even before retirement and gets used as equity when buying owner-occupied housing. The knowledge pages point out that only one withdrawal is allowed per pension foundation every five years, and that withdrawn pillar 3a funds cannot be paid back in.
- 4
Schwyz
Liberty Vorsorge is an independent pension platform based in Schwyz with further locations in Nyon and Lugano. Its offering includes a pillar 3a foundation as well as a vested benefits foundation, where retirement savings can be parked and invested in securities. Liberty states that funds from the second and third pillar can be used to buy a home, provided the owner occupies the property.
- 5
Schweiz
Vita Sammelstiftung runs occupational pension provision for affiliated companies and works together with Zurich in doing so. In its help center, Vita describes the conditions for an advance withdrawal for home ownership promotion from the second pillar, such as the legal minimum amount, the five-year gap required between two withdrawals, and the requirement to occupy the property yourself. Insured members aged 50 and older can withdraw at most half the balance, or the amount reached at age 50.
- 6
Zürich
frankly is Zurich Cantonal Bank's digital pension solution for pillar 3a and vested benefits, run through an app and the web. For financing a home, frankly names three routes, an advance withdrawal used as equity, pledging the pillar 3a balance as collateral for the bank, and indirect amortization through pillar 3a. On the advance withdrawal, frankly points out that the withdrawn capital must be taxed.
- 7
Schweiz
VIAC is a digital pension solution for pillar 3a and vested benefits, built together with Bank WIR and run through the Terzo pension foundation and Bank WIR's vested benefits foundation. An advance withdrawal is possible for buying owner-occupied housing, for value-adding investments, or to amortize a mortgage. VIAC names a processing fee for the advance withdrawal, which is waived if the financing runs through Bank WIR.
- 8
Zürich
BVK is the pension fund of the canton of Zurich and insures its employees along with affiliated organizations. It describes the advance withdrawal of retirement savings for owner-occupied housing, which can among other things be used to pay down a mortgage, but not for a pure land purchase without a building project. Married policyholders need their spouse or registered partner's consent, and an advance withdrawal reduces the later retirement pension.
- 9
Bern
PUBLICA is the pension fund of the Swiss Confederation and covers employees of the federal administration as well as affiliated organizations. For housing, PUBLICA explains the advance withdrawal, which increases equity and lowers the future pension, and pledging, where the balance stays with PUBLICA and benefits continue unchanged. An advance withdrawal is possible every five years above a legal minimum amount and must be repaid by the time of retirement.
- 10
Basel
The Basel-Stadt pension fund is one of the larger public pension funds in Switzerland and allows advance withdrawal and pledging of pension fund balances toward buying self-occupied housing.
- 11
Zuerich
The pension fund of the City of Zurich provides coverage for city staff and allows advance withdrawal and pledging of savings balances for self-occupied housing. The application is submitted directly through the fund.
- 12
Zuerich
COPAS is a large collective pension foundation in Switzerland that allows advance withdrawal and pledging of retirement capital toward buying owner-occupied housing. Insured members must submit the application through their employer.
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Schweiz
The Stiftung Auffangeinrichtung BVG runs, among other things, vested benefits accounts for retirement savings from the second pillar. For home ownership promotion, the vested benefits balance can be withdrawn in advance or pledged once it reaches the legal minimum amount, for example to buy an owner-occupied home or to pay down a mortgage. The foundation charges a processing fee for each advance withdrawal and each pledge.
- 14
Zürich
PKE Pensionskasse Energie is a pension institution based in Zurich for employees of the energy sector. For housing, retirement capital can be withdrawn in advance or pledged, for instance to buy owner-occupied housing, to amortize a mortgage, or for shares in a housing cooperative. PKE states that an advance withdrawal reduces the retirement benefit, while pledging leaves the insured benefits intact.
Frequently asked questions
Wie kann ich mein Pensionskassenguthaben für den Kauf einer Immobilie nutzen?
Sie können Ihr Guthaben aus der zweiten Säule entweder als Vorbezug direkt beziehen oder das Kapital verpfänden. Dies ist möglich, um das Eigenkapital für selbstgenutztes Wohneigentum zu erhöhen oder die Hypothek abzusichern.
Was ist der Unterschied zwischen der Nutzung der zweiten und der dritten Säule für Wohneigentum?
Bei der zweiten Säule nutzen Sie das Guthaben aus der beruflichen Vorsorge bzw. der Pensionskasse. Für die dritte Säule können Sie den WEF-Vorbezug aus Ihren 3a-Konten oder Freizügigkeitskonten tätigen, um Wohneigentum zu finanzieren.
Kann ich mein Vorsorgekapital auch verpfänden, statt es komplett zu beziehen?
Ja, viele Anbieter ermöglichen neben dem Vorbezug auch die Verpfändung des Sparguthabens. Das ist oft eine Option, um die Belehnung der Hypothek zu verbessern, ohne dass das Vorsorgekapital tatsächlich aus der Kasse fliesst.
Gibt es digitale Anbieter für die Säule 3a, die den Vorbezug für Wohneigentum unterstützen?
Es gibt spezialisierte digitale Vorsorgelösungen für die Säule 3a und Freizügigkeit, die den Prozess für den WEF-Vorbezug zum Eigenheimkauf beschreiben. Diese Lösungen lassen sich oft bequem per App oder Web steuern.