Pension ABC

The LUPK is the occupational pension fund for all employees of the Canton Luzern and for the employed teachers of its Municipalities as well as other employers performing public duties. 
 
From the age of 18 up all persons

• who are employed in a company registered and operated in Switzerland and 

• are resident in Switzerland with an annual income of at least CHF 21’330 (year 2019) and 

• are subject to the Swiss social security system 

 
have to join the occupational pension fund insurance in Switzerland, by law. 
The employment contract has to be issued for at least more than 3 months. 
 
At the LUPK the insurance already starts when earning an annual income of CHF 18’800 yearly. 
 

There is no choice. The employee has to join the pension fund which has been chosen by the employer, if the criteria in point 1 are met.

This is regulated by law. The employer’s contribution has to be at least 50% of the premium. It is the employer’s choice to pay more than 50% of the premium. The employee pays the rest. 
 
The contribution amount to be paid by the employee depends on his/her individual age and the level of employment, respectively the insured salary. 
 
Find the contribution amount of the LUPK in the table at the following sheet: https://www.lupk.ch/files/1915/5957/1847/Alterspensionierung_ab_2019.pdf 
 
Furthermore there is the possibility to make a so called “Eintrittsleistung” (Buy-In) which is a voluntary payment up to the full regulatory benefits. On your personal 2nd pillar benefit certificate (Versicherungsausweis) you can find the maximum amount payable in order to increase your pension benefit. Should you be interested please contact your employer or the LUPK 
 
E-Mail info@lupk.ch 
 
With the help of this calculator you can check the possible payment when considering the Eintrittsleistung.

Your options depend on your coming employment status: 
 
1) If you change employers in Switzerland, 
you will change to the new employer’s occupational pension fund in Switzerland. In this case, the total amount of your accumulated capital, the so called 
 
“Freizügigkeitsleistung” / “Austrittsleistung” = termination benefit 
 
is transferred from your previous occupational retirement fund to the new one. The capital must always remain in the retirement fund of your current employer. In general, it is not possible to dispose of the money freely, it may be withdrawn under certain conditions only. 
 
When changing jobs make sure that all your termination benefits have been sent to your new employer’s retirement fund correctly. 
 
 
2) If you continue to reside in Switzerland, but are no longer employed and not yet retired, 
you have the following options: 
The termination benefit can be transferred into

• a special blocked bank account (so called Freizügigkeitskonto =vested benefits account) 

• or a blocked insurance policy (so called Freizügigkeitspolice = vested benefits policy) 

• or the so called auxiliary fund (Auffangeinrichtung- Fondation Institution supplétive)* 

 However, you have to inform your employer about your decision. Should you not make a decision the LUPK will transfer the cash termination benefit to the auxiliary fund (BVG) 6 months after the termination at the earliest. More information about the auxiliary fund (www.chaeis.net – Phone: 0041 41 799 75 75). 
 
*The auxiliary fund is a special retirement fund. If you leave your job without instructing your employer´s retirement fund what to do with the accumulated capital, the fund will transfer the termination benefit to an auxiliary fund. This happens no later than 2 years after the termination of employment. Your insurance cover is maintained.

In Switzerland you will receive the whole pension capital accrued and eventually paid in as the so called termination benefit and not only the pure refund of your personal contributions. To learn more about when this is possible, please refer to A4 and A6.

Should you leave Switzerland permanently, your options depend on 
 
1) if you have emigrated to a non-EU/non-EFTA state you can choose whether you

• apply for payment (Barauszahlung) of your accumulated capital (termination benefit); please note: after having received the termination benefit, any payment of retirement- or other benefits is impossible. The cash payment will be after deduction of the source tax or 

• maintain the retirement fund cover (options in this case see below, 3)) If you apply for payment within 6 months after your contract has ended, an application must be submitted to your last employer’s retirement fund (e.g. the LUPK). You can do this before leaving Switzerland. Your employer will provide you with the necessary forms when you leave the occupational fund. If you apply for the payment after 6 months, the application must be submitted to the auxiliary fund, (Auffangeinrichtung- Fondation Institution supplétive), please refer to point 3), below. 

 
2) if you have emigrated to an EU/EFTA state and are not subject to any social insurance, see 1) 
 
3) if you have emigrated to an EU/EFTA state and are subject to any social insurance in that country, you can withdraw just part (the non-compulsory portion) of the accrued capital. The obligatory part has to stay in Switzerland until you will retire. In this case, the termination benefit can be transferred into 
 
 

• a special blocked bank account (so called Freizügigkeitskonto =vested benefits account) 

• or a blocked insurance policy (so called Freizügigkeitspolice = vested benefits policy) 

• or the so called auxiliary fund 

 
However, you have to inform your last pension scheme about your decision. Should you not make a decision the LUPK will transfer the cash termination benefit to the auxiliary fund (BVG) 6 month after the termination at the earliest. More information about the auxiliary fund (www.chaeis.net – Phone: 0042 41 799 75 75) 
 
4) Shouldn’t you have applied for cash payment of the termination benefit, the retirement fund cover remains in the 2nd pillar-account. In general, the occupational retirement fund of your last employer will transfer your termination benefit to the auxiliary fund no sooner than six months and no later than two years after you leave your job. In this case an application for payment must be addressed to the auxiliary fund. 
 
Address: 
 
Stiftung Auffangeinrichtung BVG 
Administration Freizügigkeitskonten 
 
Postfach 
8036 Zürich 
 
Email: fzk@chaeis.ch 
Internet: http://www.chaeis.net/ 
 

You can address the Central Office of the 2nd pillar. They can find out if you still have any money in the auxiliary fund or in an occupational pension fund in Switzerland. 
 
Form: http://www.zentralstelle.ch/documents/EN_Fragebogen_2010_11.pdf 
 
Address: 
Central Office of the 2nd pillar: 
Postfach 1023, 3000 Bern 14 
Tel. 031 380 79 75 
Fax 031 380 7976 
E-Mail: info@zentralstelle.ch 
Internet: http://www.zentralstelle.ch/xml_2/internet/de/intro.cfm 

The occupational pension provision with LUPK contains:

• retirement pensions 

• disability pensions 

• survivors’ pensions 

There is no minimum period of eligibility.

The pension amount depends on the earned salaries, the period of insurance and the amount paid into the pension fund insurance plan or scheme. Every insured employee gets a 2nd pillar benefit certificate (Versicherungsausweis) once a year. On this statement you will find your pension capital accrued and other necessary information.

From the age of 42 you can opt for an additional pension plan which is called “Versicherungsplan Plus”. According to the Plan Plus you have to pay another two percent of the insured salary as additional contribution in order to increase your pension capital. 
 
More information on the additional insurance 
https://www.lupk.ch/de/versicherung/mitteilung-planwechsel/ 
 
Regarding the option to pay an “Eintrittsleistung“(Buy-In) please refer to A3. 

Old-age pension can be claimed regularly with the age of 64 for woman and 65 for men. You can also retire earlier, as of the age of 58, but this would result in a pension reduction. On the other hand it is possible to postpone the retirement until the age of 70 as long as your working contract continues and you have an annual income of at least CHF 18’960 (year 2019). 
 

You have to be aware that in Switzerland the pension is paid by the pension fund you are insured with when retiring. In case you change your employer before you are entitled to claim benefits, please refer to question A5. 
 
If you think about retiring in the near future please contact the customer service of the LUPK. 
 
https://www.lupk.ch/de/kontakt/ 
 

The pension amount depends on the earned salaries, the period of insurance and the amount paid into the pension fund insurance plan or scheme. Every insured employee gets a 2nd pillar benefit certificate (Versicherungsausweis) once a year. On this statement you will find your pension capital accrued and other necessary information. 
 

You can address the Central Office of the 2nd pillar. They can find out if you still have any money in the auxiliary fund or in an occupational retirement fund. 
 
Form: http://www.zentralstelle.ch/documents/EN_Fragebogen_2010_11.pdf 
 
Address: 
Central Office of the 2nd pillar: 
Postfach 1023, 3000 Bern 14 
Tel. 031 380 79 75 
Fax 031 380 7976 
E-Mail: info@zentralstelle.ch 
Internet: http://www.zentralstelle.ch/xml_2/internet/de/intro.cfm