What is the third pillar of the pension system?
Was ist die dritte Säule der Altersvorsorge?
Correct answer: A
- A private pension provisiondie private Vorsorge
- B the service sectorder Dienstleistungssektor
- C invalidity insurancedie Invalidenversicherung
- D income compensationder Erwerbsersatz
Why
The third pillar is voluntary private saving. It adds to the AHV and the pension fund.
Common mistakes
- C: invalidity insurance
- Invalidity insurance belongs to the first pillar, together with the AHV.
- D: income compensation
- Income compensation (EO) replaces wages, for example during military service or maternity. It is not a pillar of the pension system.
Topic
The pension system in Switzerland rests on three pillars. Each pillar has its own task. Together they are meant to ensure that you have enough money to live on in old age, in case of invalidity or after the death of a partner. This is also called the three-pillar system.
Reference age 65
First pillar
Erste Säule
State pension provision with the AHV and IV, compulsory for everyone.
Second pillar
Zweite Säule
Occupational pension provision, also called the pension fund or BVG.
Third pillar
Dritte Säule
Voluntary private pension provision, for example pillar 3a.
State, job, self: 1st pillar from the state (AHV), 2nd pillar through your job (pension fund), 3rd pillar you save yourself.
Supplementary benefits Extra money if the pension is not enough for the subsistence minimum.
Living in Switzerland
Pension provision
Sources
Last checked: September 2026
Question 141 of the official question list of the Canton of Zurich (Gemeindeamt, May 2025). Translation and explanation: Swiss Passport.