What you need to know about buying into the pension fund.

You can make purchases into comPlan up to the amount of the maximum benefits permitted by the fund rules. By doing this, you enhance your retirement benefits and reduce your income tax bill at the same time. While the law expressly provides for this attractive option, it does in return, and in order to prevent the non-payment of tax due, require transparent documentation of the pension assets already held.

Why is a declaration of purchase required?

The pension funds are obliged to verify whether the legal and regulatory requirements are met before the initial purchase into the pension fund. You must therefore complete our "Declaration/confirmation of purchase into the pension fund" form once before making your first payment. This transparent documentation of existing pension assets serves as the basis for us to review your purchase options, without which we cannot accept your payment.

How much is my purchasing potential?

You can find out the amount of your purchasing potential from the general information in your statement of insurance or see it on comPlan Online. If you have made advance withdrawals for the purpose of facilitating home ownership, the law does not permit you to make further purchases. You have to pay back these advance withdrawals before being able to again make tax-deductible purchases.

Your purchasing potential will be reduced if the amount of your tied Pillar 3a savings exceeds the prescribed maximum for your year of birth. In addition, your annual purchase potential is limited to 20% of the insured annual salary if you have moved to Switzerland from abroad in the past five years and have never previously been insured in a Swiss pension scheme.

What tax aspects do I have to bear in mind?

Our pension fund rules require that your purchases should have been credited to the comPlan account by 15 December in any financial year so that they can count for the current tax period. Transfers made after this date will be returned to your account. We will automatically send you a tax receipt for your tax return after your purchase. The general rule is that you can deduct such purchases from taxable income, but in the event of any doubt, the tax office's decision is final. If there are any uncertainties, then, we recommend that you discuss your situation directly with your tax authority or with a tax advisor.

What does the three-year blocking period for purchases mean?

The law stipulates that benefits resulting from a purchase may not be withdrawn in the form of a lump sum within three years. This blocking period is violated if you request a cash payment before the end of this three-year period, for example on retirement or as an early withdrawal for home ownership promotion. Under certain circumstances, the tax authorities may retroactively offset the purchase and revoke the tax benefits.

However, this blocking period is irrelevant if you convert your entire pension capital into a lifelong retirement pension when you retire. In this case, you can make tax-advantaged purchases until shortly before retirement. If you are planning a lump-sum withdrawal, it is advisable to comply with this three-year blocking period. In this case, choose either the "Plus" or "Extra" savings option and make additional tax-advantaged payments into the pension fund.