Advance withdrawal from the pension fund

How to use your pension as seed capital

If you are taking the plunge into self-employment, the question arises as to whether it is possible to draw on the pension fund. Below you will find instructions on how to withdraw the pension fund in advance.
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Advance withdrawal when starting self-employment

The pension fund can only be drawn if a partnership (sole proprietorship, general partnership, etc.) is established.

In order to receive a pension fund, self-employment must be your main occupation. This is usually checked on the basis of income and invested working hours.

An entry in the Commercial Register is not mandatory for sole proprietorships with a turnover of less than CHF 100'000 per year. Our recommendation: Make the entry when you set up your company. This increases the credibility of your project. You will also receive an official document that you can use in your business dealings: the extract from the commercial register.

Ideally, you should wait until you have received the extract from the commercial register before registering with the equalisation fund.

As soon as you have received the excerpt from the commercial register, create a file with the necessary documents (see tile «Required documents»).

You send the dossier with the completed questionnaire to your compensation fund. After 10-14 days you should receive a confirmation from the equalisation fund that you have been accepted as self-employed.

You must now send your compensation fund's confirmation to your pension fund or to the bank (in the case of a vested benefits account). You should then receive the funds paid into your pension fund. Please note that you still have to retain approx. 5% (depending on the canton) of the amount paid out for the tax invoice.

The pension fund money must be paid out within 12 months of starting self-employment. After this date, early withdrawal is no longer possible.

In order to use your previously paid-in pension fund assets for your new company, you must prove to the pension fund that you are taking up self-employment. Once you have started self-employment, the application must be submitted to the pension fund within one year. If the insured person is married or lives in a registered partnership, the written consent of the partner is required.

Wait until you have received the extract from the commercial register before registering with the compensation office. Then create a dossier with the following documents:

  • Commercial register excerpt
  • OASI registration
  • Letter of resignation from previous position (copy)
  • min. 3 offers and min. 3 invoices
  • Logo, stationery and business cards
  • Brief description of your activity
  • Possible tenancy agreement and other evidence

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With the step into self-employment, you may also wonder whether you can withdraw your pension fund shares in advance. Our instructions will help you.

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