Swiss Vested Benefits Account Comparison 2024

Follow these simple steps to find the best vested benefits savings accounts:

• Use the free vested benefits account comparison on moneyland.ch to compare all Swiss vested benefits accounts from all major banks.
• The annual interest rate is the most important factor for choosing a vested benefits account.
• It is also important to look at possible fees and charges. Fees and charges may apply to early withdrawals (for a home purchase or when you leave Switzerland, for example). Fees may also apply to vested benefits transfers. Fees and charges are clearly shown on the detailed information pages of accounts in the vested benefits account comparison. Avoid vested benefits accounts with high fees regardless of their interest rates.

Find the highest-yield Swiss vested benefits accounts now and optimize your retirement savings.

The vested benefits account comparison on moneyland.ch lets you compare all relevant Swiss vested benefits accounts.

The comparison clearly lists and compares the annual interest rates of each account. It also provides clear breakdowns of fees and charges, for accounts which have these.

A vested benefits account is a savings account for pension fund benefits. In Switzerland you are required to transfer your benefits from your occupational pension funds into vested benefits accounts (or other vested benefits solutions) in these cases:

• You are between jobs. If you stop working for a Swiss employer and do not move directly to another Swiss employer, your pension fund benefits must be transferred to vested benefits solutions.
• If you stop working for Swiss employer long-term. Your benefits must remain in a vested benefits account, fund, asset management service or cash-value life insurance policy until you either become employed by a Swiss employer or become eligible to withdraw your benefits.
• If you leave Switzerland and move to an EU or EFTA member country, the compulsory portion of your occupational pension fund benefits must be placed in a Swiss vested benefits account (or other solution) until you become eligible to withdraw them.
• If you change or reduce employment and your new salary falls below the minimum salary required to participate in a pension fund. In this case, your existing pension benefits must be placed in a vested benefits solution until you become eligible to participate in an occupational pension fund.
• If you divorce and split pension benefits. In this case, divorcees who receive benefits from their ex-spouse’s pension fund must place these into vested benefits accounts.

A vested benefits account is similar to an escrow account. The balance of a vested benefits account is held in trust by a vested benefits foundation until certain conditions are met. You have the right (but are not required to) withdraw vested benefits if:

• You become self-employed (the majority of your income is earned through self-employment as per the social security office).
• You leave Switzerland. If you move outside of EFTA and the EU, you can withdraw your benefits in full. If you move to an EFTA or EU country, you can only withdraw voluntary benefits built with contributions in excess of compulsory pension fund contributions.
• Your vested benefits are lower than your required pension fund contributions for one year.
• You use your vested benefits to buy a primary residence.
• You become disabled or die.

Vested benefits do not count towards your personal wealth for wealth tax purposes.

Because you do not pay income tax on money contributed to your occupational pension fund(s), you pay a capital withdrawal tax when you withdraw vested benefits. Capital withdrawal taxes vary broadly between cantons, so the amount of tax you have to pay when you withdraw vested benefits depends on which canton you live in.

If you live outside of Switzerland when you withdraw Swiss vested benefits, a withholding tax is deducted from your benefits before they are paid out. Withholding taxes vary broadly between cantons, so the amount of withholding tax deducted depends on the canton in which the vested benefits foundation is located. If Switzerland and the country you live in have a double-taxation agreement which accounts for vested benefits, you can reclaim the Swiss withholding tax because you pay applicable taxes in your country of residence.

The interest rates of Swiss vested benefits accounts change around as frequently as those of Swiss savings accounts. Interest rate adjustments are normally made at the beginning of the month.

moneyland.ch reviews and updates the interest rates used for comparisons at least once a month. In every case the comparison is reviewed and updated at the beginning of each month.

Currently there are no Swiss vested benefits accounts which have negative interest rates.

But there are banks which charge high account fees to maintain your account or high account closure fees when you close your account. If the fees outweigh total interest yields, you will lose money.

Every time a situation arises in which you have to transfer benefits from a pension fund to a vested benefits account (or other solution), you can either transfer all benefits to one vested benefits solution or divide them between two vested benefits solutions from two different vested benefits foundations.

You can find more information about the number of vested benefits you can open here.

Vested benefits accounts have traditionally been free of charge, but banks are increasingly charging account fees. Some service providers charge 36 francs per year for vested benefits accounts. When interest rates are low, the presence of fees can result in vested benefits accounts costing you more than you earn in interest.

You may pay account closure fees depending on why you cash out your account. For example, some financial services providers charge a fee (typically 400 francs) when you cash out a vested benefits account ahead of retirement in order to buy a primary residence. You can find more information about vested benefits accounts here.

The vested benefits account comparison on moneyland.ch accounts for all major Swiss banks and vested benefits foundations:

Aargauische Kantonalbank (AKB), Acrevis Bank, AEK Bank 1826, Alpha RHEINTAL Bank, Alternative Bank Schweiz, Appenzeller Kantonalbank (APPKB), Baloise Bank SoBa, BancaStato, Bank BSU Genossenschaft, Bank Cler, Bank EEK, Bank EKI, Bank Gantrisch Genossenschaft, Bank Safra Sarasin, Bank Thalwil, Bank Zimmerberg, Bank Zweiplus, Basellandschaftliche Kantonalbank (BLKB), Basler Kantonalbank (BKB), BBO Bank Brienz Oberhasli, Berner Kantonalbank (BEKB), Bezirks-Sparkasse Dielsdorf, Clientis Bank im Thal, Clientis Bank Küttigen-Erlinsbach, Clientis Bank Leerau, Clientis Bank Oberaargau, Clientis Bank Thur, Clientis Bank Toggenburg, Clientis Biene Bank im Rheintal, Clientis BS Bank Schaffhausen, Clientis Caisse d'Epargne CEC, Clientis EB Entlebucher Bank, Clientis Regiobank Männedorf, Clientis Spar- und Leihkasse Thayngen, Clientis Sparcassa 1816, Clientis Sparkasse Oftringen, Clientis Sparkasse Sense, Bank Avera, Credit Suisse, DC Bank Deposito-Cassa der Stadt Bern, Ersparniskasse Rüeggisberg (EKR), Ersparniskasse Schaffhausen, freeMe (Glarner Kantonalbank), Freiburger Kantonalbank, Genfer Kantonalbank (BCGE), Graubündner Kantonalbank (GKB), GRB Glarner Regionalbank, Hypothekarbank Lenzburg, Jurassische Kantonalbank (BCJ), Leihkasse Stammheim, LLB (Switzerland), Luzerner Kantonalbank (LUKB), Migros Bank, Neuenburger Kantonalbank (BCN), Nidwaldner Kantonalbank (NKB), Obwaldner Kantonalbank (OKB), Piguet Galland, PostFinance, Raiffeisen Schweiz, Regiobank Solothurn, Schaffhauser Kantonalbank (SHKB), Schwyzer Kantonalbank (SZKB), Sparhafen Bank, Spar + Leihkasse Gürbetal SLG, Spar + Leihkasse Münsingen, Spar- und Leihkasse Bucheggberg, Spar- und Leihkasse Frutigen, Sparkasse Schwyz, St. Galler Kantonalbank (SGKB), Tellco, Thurgauer Kantonalbank (TKB), UBS, Urner Kantonalbank (URKB), Valiant, Vorarlberger Landes- und Hypothekenbank, Waadtländische Kantonalbank (BCV), Walliser Kantonalbank (BCVS), WIR Bank, Zuger Kantonalbank, Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB), Zürcher Landbank, Liberty Vorsorge.