Leaving Switzerland: withdrawing your pension, vested benefits and Pillar 3a
| 01 | What you can withdraw when you leave Switzerland |
| 02 | The tax on the way out |
| 03 | A few things to get right |
| 04 | Common questions |
| 05 | See the Swiss side before you go |
When you leave Switzerland for good, your Swiss pension money doesn't disappear. But it doesn't just follow you either. Your private 3a savings (Pillar 3a) and your workplace-pension money (Pillar 2) — including money from old jobs (vested benefits) — can usually be withdrawn. The exact rules depend on where you're moving. And a payout is taxed on the way out (a withholding tax, Quellensteuer). One thing surprises people: which canton holds your pension money affects how much tax you pay.
In one line: leaving Switzerland? Your 3a and pension money can usually be paid out — but the rules depend on where you move, and there's a withholding tax that varies by canton.
What you can withdraw when you leave Switzerland
- Your private 3a — when you leave Switzerland for good, you can usually have it paid out.
- Your workplace-pension money — money from old jobs sits in a special account. On leaving, you can usually take it, subject to the limit below.
- One important limit — the basic, compulsory part of your workplace pension can't be paid in cash if you move to an EU/EFTA country and stay insured there. It has to stay in a Swiss account. The extra part above it can usually be paid. If you move outside the EU/EFTA, you can usually take the basic part too. (Check your own case.)
The tax on the way out
A payout made after you've left Switzerland is taxed at source (a "withholding tax"), instead of through a normal tax return. It's charged where the account that pays you is based — the canton holding your pension money. A tax treaty between Switzerland and your new country may lower it, or let you claim some back. Because the rate varies by canton, which canton holds your money can change the bill (see the tax by canton).
A quick example (made up, to show the idea): someone leaving might hold their pension money in an account based in a lower-tax canton, then take it after leaving. The withholding tax is charged, and some may be claimed back under a treaty where it applies. The actual figures depend on the canton, the amount, and your new country's treaty. The Swiss-side tax can be worked out in advance; the treaty side is handled where you move.
A few things to get right
- 3a and pension timing — taking them in different years keeps each year's amount lower (see spreading your withdrawals).
- Which canton holds your money — it changes the withholding tax, so it's worth checking before you move it.
- Tax treaty and refund — your new country's treaty with Switzerland may lower the tax, or let you claim some back. That's a step you handle where you're moving.
Common questions
Can I take my Swiss pension money when I leave?
Your 3a and workplace-pension money can usually be paid out when you leave for good. The basic compulsory part can't be paid in cash if you move within the EU/EFTA and stay insured there; outside the EU/EFTA it usually can.
How is the payout taxed?
By a withholding tax charged at source, in the canton that holds your pension money. A tax treaty with your new country may lower it or let you claim some back.
Does the canton matter?
Yes — the withholding-tax rate depends on the canton holding your money, so it can change the bill.
What happens to the basic part if I move within the EU/EFTA?
It generally has to stay in a Swiss account rather than being paid in cash; the extra part above it can usually be paid out.
See the Swiss side before you go
Before you leave, you can see the Swiss side of the payout in full. SORVA calculates the estimated withholding tax on taking your pension and Pillar 3a money out of Switzerland, including how the canton that holds the money changes the bill, using the official Swiss rules on your own balances. You can also see what taking the amounts in different years could change, while there is still time to plan. The treaty and refund side depends on your new country and is handled there; SORVA gives you the Swiss picture to start from. See the Swiss tax on your own payout: create your plan at sorva.ch, free during the public beta.
Educational information, not financial advice. Figures are for 2026 and may change.