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Glossary

Multiple 3a Accounts

Multiple 3a Accounts means that a person may hold pension accounts at several banks simultaneously, or as separate accounts at the same institution. The total of annual contributions across all accounts must not exceed the statutory maximum. This strategy enables a staggered withdrawal later to optimise tax progression.

At a glance

01

Holding multiple 3a accounts is permitted by law; total annual contributions must not exceed the maximum set by the BSV (BVV 3 Art. 7).

02

Each account must be fully dissolved at the time of withdrawal; partial withdrawals from a single account are not possible.

03

The allocation across separate accounts must be planned strategically, as subsequent transfers between existing 3a accounts are not permitted.

Frequently asked questions

Swiss law sets no fixed upper limit on the number of 3a accounts. In practice, three to five accounts are typically used to implement the staggered withdrawal strategy over several years before retirement. The key requirement is that total annual contributions do not exceed the statutory maximum.

Part of the topic

Säule 3a

Sources: Bundesamt für Sozialversicherungen (BSV) · Systematische Rechtssammlung (fedlex)