Early retirement (FIRE) in Switzerland: bridging the years to your AHV pension
| 01 | What the bridge to AHV is |
| 02 | Where the money comes from |
| 03 | The two costs people miss |
| 04 | A word on "safe withdrawal" rules of thumb |
| 05 | Common questions |
| 06 | See how the bridge holds in your plan |
Take early retirement in Switzerland (sometimes called FIRE) and stop working before 65, and you face a gap. It's the years between your last pay and the start of your state pension (AHV), and you have to bridge it yourself. You fill it from your workplace pension (Pillar 2), money from old jobs, your private 3a savings (Pillar 3a), and your own savings. Two costs catch people out: take your AHV early and it's smaller for life, and you still owe AHV contributions until 65. Planning this bridge is mostly about what you draw first, and when.
In one line: retire before 65 and you have to bridge the years until your state pension — from your pension, 3a and savings. Two hidden costs: early AHV is smaller for life, and you still owe AHV until 65.
What the bridge to AHV is
Your pension, your 3a and the state pension (AHV) are all built to pay out from 65. Stop earlier and there's a gap to fill before they kick in. Bridging it is your plan for those in-between years — where the money comes from, in what order, and what each step costs.
Where the money comes from
- Your workplace pension. Early retirement may let you take an early pension or a cash sum, depending on your fund (plus any money from old jobs).
- Your private 3a. You can take it from age 60, so it's handy for the early years.
- Your own savings. The most flexible — drawn alongside the rest.
The two costs people miss
- Take AHV early and it's smaller for life. You can start your state pension before 65, but it's permanently reduced — around 6.8% lower for each year early (2026). Wait, and it's higher.
- You still owe AHV until 65. Even with no salary, you pay AHV based on your savings and pension income — see Retiring early? You may still owe AHV until 65.
A quick example (made up, to show the idea): someone retiring at 60 might live off their 3a and savings through the gap, take their pension cash in a planned year, and decide whether to start AHV early (smaller for life) or wait. Each choice changes the tax and the pension it leaves them.
A word on "safe withdrawal" rules of thumb
You'll see fixed "safe withdrawal rate" rules online (like "4%"). They're rough starting points, not promises. They came from particular markets, so they don't match your Swiss pension, taxes and lifespan. Your own safe amount is worth working out on your own numbers. See how to work out your financial-independence number for Switzerland.
Common questions
What's the gap in early retirement?
The years between stopping work and your state pension starting, which you fund yourself from your pension, 3a and savings.
Is my AHV smaller if I take it early?
Yes — starting it before 65 makes it permanently smaller (around 6.8% less for each year early, in 2026). Waiting makes it bigger.
Can I use my 3a to bridge early retirement?
Yes — you can take 3a from age 60 (up to 70 only if you keep working past 65; if you have stopped working, it pays out at 65), so it can fund the early years. Earlier access is only for special reasons like buying a home or leaving Switzerland.
Do I still pay AHV during the gap?
Yes — based on your savings and pension income until 65, unless the contributions of your employed spouse or registered partner cover you (married couples and registered partnerships only).
See how the bridge holds in your plan
The bridge is hard to judge because everything moves at once: which pot you draw from, the tax on each withdrawal, the AHV you still owe, and the permanent cut if you start AHV early. SORVA lays it out for you year by year: which money carries you through each bridge year, whether your savings last until Pillar 3a and your pension fund open, and what starting AHV earlier or later could mean for your income for life. Taxes and AHV contributions are calculated with the actual Swiss rules for your canton, on your real balances. And if the bridge doesn't hold, you see in which year it gets tight, while there is still time to adjust. See whether your savings carry you to your pillars: create your plan at sorva.ch, free during the public beta.
Educational information, not financial advice. Figures are for 2026 and may change.