At Profond, you have the opportunity to customise your retirement. Whether you want to retire early, work until the statutory retirement age or delay your retirement – you can tailor your pension to your personal situation.
The right time to retire
Normal retirement
The regulatory reference age is equal to the AHV reference age 65. The amount of the retirement pension corresponds to the retirement assets acquired multiplied by the conversion rate at retirement age.
In the case of normal retirement, your employer and you do not need to take any action. Since we know the date of retirement, we will notify you 4 to 6 months in advance and provide you with the following documents in ProfondConnect:
“Instructions for your retirement”
“Request for lump sum payment of retirement benefits”
“Information sheet Retirement ”
If you do not have an account with ProfondConnect, you will receive the documents by post.
Early retirement
Early retirement is possible at the earliest from the age of 58. . If early retirement is taken, the retirement pension will be reduced. The existing retirement assets and the conversion rate corresponding to the early retirement age are decisive for calculating the retirement pension. The reduction of the retirement pension can be cancelled in whole or in part through a purchase.
Your early retirement will be notified to us by your employer – ideally 4 to 6 months before retirement.
If you are interested in early retirement, you can simulate various scenarios and their impact on your pension in ProfondConnect. You will find the corresponding function under “Simulations – Various simulations”, here you will find the instructions.
After we have received the notification from your employer, we will provide you with all the necessary documents. These are:
“Instructions for your retirement”
“Request for lump sum payment of retirement benefits”
“Information sheet Retirement ”
Please complete the “Instructions for your retirement” form and return it to us. In the event of a lump-sum withdrawal, please contact us using the form “Request for lump sum payment of retirement benefits” together with official certification of your spouse or proof of your marital status (single, divorced, widowed).
Postponement of retirement
In consultation with your employer, retirement can be postponed until the age of 70. In this case, the retirement pension is paid out at the time of cessation of gainful employment, but no later than the age of 70.
The amount of the retirement pension corresponds to the retirement assets acquired multiplied by the conversion rate at retirement age. We will be notified by the employer of a deferral of retirement. In the case of continued insurance after ordinary retirement age, risk contributions are no longer charged; only the savings contributions and administrative costs are continued.
Partial retirement
Retirement can also be gradual. In the case of partial retirement, the amount of the retirement assets withdrawn early corresponds to the respective percentage reduction in the degree of employment.
How to receive your retirement benefits
At Profond, various forms of withdrawal are available to you: the classic retirement pension, a pension with capital protection, a one-off lump-sum withdrawal or a combination of these options.
Pension
If you decide to retire, you will receive a monthly payment at the end of each month, starting from the date of your retirement. The amount of the pension depends on your retirement assets saved and the so-called conversion rate, which depends on your age.
Example: With retirement assets of CHF 300,000 and a conversion rate of 5.6% (at age 65), your annual pension is CHF 16,800 – i.e. CHF 1,400 per month.
Your advantage at Profond
- In the first three years after the start of your pension, survivors of an insured person receive a lump sum payable at death in the amount of three annual pensions less the pension benefits already paid and less the assets required for the spouse’s or partner's pension.
- This lump sum payable at death is paid out in accordance with the beneficiary order. You can find more information on the information sheet “Lump sum payable at death”.
Important! If a pension is less than 10 per cent of the minimum AHV pension, the retirement benefits are paid out as a lump sum in any case.
Pension with capital protection
It is possible to choose a pension with temporary capital protection. This protects your retirement assets in the event of the death of the retired person. This capital protection is valid for 10 years from the date of retirement, but only until the age of 75 at the latest. To finance the capital protection, the conversion rate is reduced by 0.2 percentage points for life.
In the event of death, the retired retirement assets will be paid out at the time of retirement, less the retirement pension already paid out (lump sum payable at death). There is no interest on the lump sum payable at death.
If a spouse’s or partner’s pension is due, the lump sum payable at death is reduced to 40 per cent. The remaining 60 per cent of the lump sum payable at death will be used to finance the surviving dependants’ pension.
Example: With CHF 300,000 of capital saved and a conversion rate of 5.4%, the pension is CHF 16,200 per year and CHF 1,350 per month. If the retired person dies four years after the start of the pension, a spouse’s pension and a lump sum payable at death of CHF 94,080 will be paid out – if the partner is no more than ten years younger.
Your advantage at Profond
The calculated remaining retirement assets will be paid out in accordance with the beneficiary order. As a result, this can be partially passed on in the event of an early death.
Important!
- For 10 years, but until the age of 75 at the latest, this lifetime protection "costs" 0.2 percentage points of the conversion rate for life.
- The retirement assets available for payment are reduced by the amount of pension paid out (lump sum payable at death).
- In the case of a partner’s pension, the lump sum payable at death is reduced to 40 per cent.
- The pension with capital protection is not available for insured persons with a minimum BVG pension.
- The lump sum payable at death for retirement pensioners amounting to three annual pensions in accordance with Art. 17 para. 2 of the Pension Fund Regulations, as accumulation of these benefits is not possible.
Lump sum
You can also withdraw your entire retirement assets in a one-off payment. The payment is made on the date on which your first pension payment would be due. Please note that the application for the withdrawal of a lump sum must be submitted to Profond no later than the last working day. In this variant, the entitlement to pension payments and survivors' benefits is waived.
Combination of pension and capital
It is also possible to divide your retirement benefits – for example, half as capital and half as pension. With CHF 300,000 in assets, CHF 150,000 would be withdrawn as capital and CHF 150,000 would be converted into a pension. With a conversion rate of 5.6%, this results in an annual pension of 8,400 (CHF 150,000 × 5.6% = CHF 8,400) and a monthly pension of CHF 700 (CHF 8,400 ÷ 12 months = CHF 700).
Plan retirement
Step 1:
Select the withdrawal option 4 to 6 months prior to retirement
Log in to ProfondConnect to download your pension certificate for planning your pension. Simulate a range of retirement options on ProfondConnect and find the solution that is right for you.
If you need advice on this, contact a financial advisor or the association BVG Auskünfte. As a pension fund, however, we may only inform and not advise.
Step 2:
Vorbereitung 4 bis 6 Monate vor der Pensionierung
- For normal retirement: Profond will contact you 4 to 6 months before retirement and provide the necessary documents for you.
- For early retirement: Simulate your pension in ProfondConnect and inform your employer. Normally, your employer notifies us of your retirement 4 to 6 months before the retirement date.
- For partial retirement: Plan the reduction in your workload, simulate the effects on ProfondConnect and then inform your employer.
- For deferred retirement: Check with the employer whether you are still insured. The employer will notify us of this accordingly.
Step 3:
AHV retirement pension
The AHV retirement pension is not automatically paid out, you have to register for it. In order for the compensation fund to obtain the necessary documents and calculate the amount of the pension, you should submit the application approximately three to six months before your retirement. Here you can find the registration form.
Step 4:
Submission of documents
Submit the required “Retirement Information” form and the documents requested in the form in a timely and complete manner.
Step 5:
Payment of benefits
Pension payments begin at the end of the month following the month of your retirement. This means, for example, if you retire at the end of May 2026, you will receive your first pension payment at the end of June 2026. Lump-sum payments are due at the same time. If you receive a pension, you will automatically receive the pension certificate for your tax return by post.
Other benefits at a glance
AHV bridging pension
If you retire early and do not receive an AHV retirement pension or a full disability insurance pension, you can apply for an AHV bridging pension from Profond. This pension corresponds at most to the current maximum AHV pension and will only be paid until the reference age has been reached (65 years for men, women please refer to the information on page 1 under “Date of your retirement”).
You decide how long the bridging pension should be paid out for before the first payment. You will also need to consult your employer if they are involved in the costs.
The bridging pension leads to a reduction in the retirement assets and thus the pension or capital, unless the bridging pension was previously fully financed by the employer. Detailed information can be found in the information sheet “AHV Bridging Pension”.
Children’s pension for pensioners
If you receive a retirement pension and have children who are under the age of majority or in education, you are entitled to a children’s pension.
This is 20 per cent of your retirement pension per child. The payment will be made until their 18th birthday, in the event of training or disability (min. 70%) until their 25th birthday at the latest. In order to continue to receive the children’s pension after the 18th birthday of the child, confirmation from the school or the training place must be submitted.
Good to know
Purchase planning
- Purchase before retirement with lump-sum withdrawal
If you plan to withdraw a lump sum or partial lump sum, the purchase must take place no later than three years before retirement. If the purchase is made later, this amount cannot be paid out as capital and the taxes thus saved may have to be repaid. This depends on the applicable tax law. - Purchase for early retirement
If you plan to retire before the normal retirement age, your retirement pension will be lower. You can compensate for this reduction in whole or in part – through a voluntary purchase into the pension fund. This allows you to buy the missing contributions until the normal retirement age. Prerequisite: Your regular purchase opportunities must already be exhausted. Further information can be found in the information sheet “Calculation of pension reduction purchase in the event of early retirement (Art. 18 of the Pension Fund Regulations)”
Use the calculation function in ProfondConnect or we will be happy to advise you personally.
Special features of the occupational retirement benefits for members aged over 58
If you are over 58 years old and your professional situation changes, whether due to termination, unemployment or a reduction in the amount of work, special provisions apply with regard to the occupational retirement benefits.
You can find out what options you have and what you should be aware of in the information sheet: “Special features of the occupational retirement benefits for members aged over 58” (PDF)
AHV retirement pension
The AHV retirement pension is not automatically paid out, you have to register for it. In order for the compensation fund to obtain the necessary documents and calculate the amount of the pension, you should submit the application approximately three to six months before your retirement. Here you can find the registration form.
Enjoy retirement
We congratulate you on your retirement and wish you all the best for this new phase of life. Please note that access to ProfondConnect is no longer available from the retirement date. Changes such as the completion of children’s education, residence, marital status or account details must be communicated by post or e-mail to @email.
Grant powers of attorney
In the event of a prolonged illness, it may be necessary to grant a power of attorney to a trusted person to act on your behalf. You should write and sign this power of attorney in writing as long as you are able to do so. This ensures that your wishes are respected and that you are well represented in the event of an emergency.
Deepen your knowledge with the quiz "retirement".
To the quiz
Are you looking for more information on the occupational pension?
The Verein BVG Auskünfte will provide you with free information on questions about your pension fund or your retirement pension. More information on the Verein, which is supported by Profond (available in German and French only).