Tag Archives: Swiss state pension

Swiss state pensions have been in the news a lot recently. VAT increased on 1 January 2024 to help fund them, and two referenda on the subject are set for voting on 3 March 2024. This week, RTS published an article setting out the mathematical reality of Switzerland’s pension finances. © Toa555 | Dreamstime.comPensions in Switzerland, like in much of the developed world, face two significant head winds. The biggest of these is demographic shift. The ratio of people paying into the system...

Switzerland’s ageing population is undermining the future financial health of its state pension system, a challenge facing much of the world. A number of Swiss politicians believe later retirement is the only way to meaningfully confront the issue. Andri Silberschmidt, a member of the PLR/FDP in Zurich, along with others, has launched an initiative to raise the retirement age by one year to 66 and index it to average life expectancy. This week, parliament discussed the plan. © Marekusz |...

The gap between Switzerland’s official retirement age – 65 for men and 64 for women – and average life expectancy is long. Life expectancy at 65 is 20 years for men (85) and 23 for women (88). © Andor Bujdoso | Dreamstime.com More and more people are questioning the viability of living for two decades or more without working, particularly when the population is aging and the pension system is crumbling. However, rather than raising the official retirement age, some favour financial incentives...