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Retirement pensions amount for the largest portion of OASI payments. More than 90% of OASI pensions are paid to retirees. Anyone who has paid contributions for at least one year is entitled to an OASI retirement pension. The payment of benefits normally starts when a person reaches the reference age (from 2028 onwards, this will be 65 for both men and women).

A special rule applies to married couples: a married couple receives a pension that together amounts to no more than 1.5 times the maximum pension. In addition, a child’s pension is paid to those who have children under 18 (or 25 if still in education) when they reach the reference age.

OASI also provides protection for surviving dependents. Children under 18 (or under 25 if they are still in education) receive an orphan’s pension if one of their parents dies. It amounts to 40% of the retirement pension.

Childless widows over the age of 45 are entitled to a widow’s pension if they were married for at least five years. Widows��and widowers who have children at the time of their spouse’s death currently receive a pension of up to 80% of the retirement pension, regardless of their age. In the case of widowers, before 2022 this was conditional on the children still being minors. This unequal treatment was changed, initially on a temporary basis, so since then the same rule has applied to both women and men. A draft proposal is currently being discussed, according to which the widow’s or widower’s pension would generally be paid until the youngest child reaches the age of 25. The proposal is controversial and would not take effect until 2026 at the earliest.

Disability pensions are paid out starting from a degree of disability of 40%. The degree of disability is derived from the loss of income that has occurred due to the permanent health impairment. The amount of the pension corresponds to the OASI pension and depends on the degree of disability. The full pension is paid starting from a degree of disability of 70%.

Those who receive a retirement pension and are in need of care can receive a helplessness allowance in addition to the OASI pension. These payments are based on a severe, moderate or mild need for assistance, regardless of the recipient’s income and assets. A person is considered to need assistance if they are reliant on help with everyday activities such as dressing themselves, eating or using the toilet. In addition to the allowance, OASI also covers the costs of any special equipment required, such as hearing aids.

Each month that you draw an OASI pension before you reach 65 will reduce your pension by 0.6% (one year: 6.8%). Lower reduction rates apply for women born between 1961 and 1969��– known as the transitional generation as part of the OASI 21 reform.

Whether it’s worthwhile drawing your pension early depends on how many years you are likely to live once you start receiving a pension. If your life expectancy is high, a lifelong reduction in the amount you receive can add up to a lot. Although you will receive a pension for a longer period, the amount will be lower. Check whether you can afford to take early retirement.

Alternatively, you can consider partial retirement. This means you gradually reduce your workload and can choose whether to receive your pension early or not.

It’s possible to draw all or part of your pension early (between 20% and 80% of the pension).

Under OASI, everyone who lives or works in Switzerland must pay contributions at the latest from 1 January of the year in which they turn 21. Anyone who is already working at age 18 is already subject to mandatory insurance from 1 January of that year. Once you reach the reference age, OASI contributions must be paid if you continue working and a personal allowance of CHF 1,400 per month applies. This allowance can be waived as part of the OASI 21 reform.

The contribution amount for employees is based on the monthly salary and corresponds to 8.7% for OASI, 1.4% for disability insurance and 0.5% for compensation for loss of earnings. This amounts to 10.6%, which is split equally between the insured and the employer and deducted directly from the salary.

Self-employed individuals make contributions of 10% in total, starting from an annual income of CHF 60,500, and they bear sole responsibility for the payments. Lower contribution rates apply below this income threshold.

Non-employed persons pay an annual contribution of at least CHF 530 up to a maximum of CHF 26,500, depending on their assets and annual retirement income.

Anyone who retires after paying in for the full contribution period of 44 years will receive an amount between the minimum monthly pension of CHF 1,260 and the maximum pension of CHF 2,520. For married couples, the combined total cannot exceed 150% of the maximum pension, i.e. a maximum of CHF 3,780. As a rule, pensions are adjusted every two years to reflect salary developments and inflation.

Contribution gaps may arise if you have studied or lived abroad, for example. Your pension decreases by around 2.3% for every missing contribution year. You can make up for missing contributions – for the last five years at least. Earlier contribution gaps can only be closed if you were already working between the ages of 18 and 20 (youth years) and paid OASI contributions, as well as in certain circumstances if you continue working beyond the reference age.

Contribution gaps may arise if you have studied or lived abroad, for example. Your pension decreases by around 2.3% for every missing contribution year. You can make up for missing contributions – for the last five years at least. Earlier contribution gaps can only be closed if you were already working between the ages of 18 and 20 (youth years) and paid OASI contributions, as well as in certain circumstances if you continue working beyond the reference age.