Securing benefits with pension planning
What needs to be considered early on?
Taking the right steps at the right time can have a significant impact on your third stage in life. “I kept putting it off until it was almost too late.” This type of statement is heard all too often. To avoid such a situation, take the necessary time now to address all the important issues beforehand without feeling pressured by time in any way.
Marcel Roos
What are the decisive factors to consider?
The closer you get to your planned retirement date, a huge number of questions regarding your financial security will become more pressing. When should I start preparing for retirement? Should I opt for a lump-sum payment or regular pension withdrawals from the pension fund? How high will my living expenses be after I retire? What will change in terms of the taxes I have to pay?
The three most important points to keep in mind are:
- Start planning early
- Make a budget for your living expenses
- Optimise your tax situation
Experience shows that far-sighted planning can achieve considerable financial added value, particularly in the final 10 years before your planned retirement.
Taxes, taxes, taxes
The greatest potential for optimisation lies in the area of taxes. With the right planning for pension benefit purchases, substantial tax relief can be achieved over the years. In addition, after determining your current living expenses, you can also make an informed decision as to whether you should opt for regular pension benefits from the pension fund or whether a capital withdrawal makes more sense. Of course, a combination of these two options can also offer advantages.
Withdrawal of pension assets
dditional significant optimisation can be realised by withdrawing pension assets. In this case, it is important to spread out the individual pension asset withdrawals over several years in order to reduce progressive taxation and keep your lump-sum benefits tax as low as possible. Withdrawals from different pension pots must always comply with the corresponding cantonal regulations.
For example, whereas in Zurich you may make a maximum of two withdrawals from the 2nd pillar, Lucerne allows you to make three.
Planning and implementation are a matter of trust
And now we come to the last and probably most important question for you. Whom should I trust to help me plan and implement my retirement goals? Your individual wishes and goals need to be the focus of an integral, holistic planning approach. The resulting plan and measures will ensure the greatest benefits for your retirement years.
We would be happy to work with you to develop an ideal customised concept so that you can look forward to a worry-free, enjoyable retirement. Contact us so that we can explain the advantages and opportunities available to you. As the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once said, «Only those who know their destination will find the way.»
These five points give you the greatest added value
- Tax-conscious purchases into the pension fund during your employment
- Pension and/or capital withdrawal upon retirement
- Staggered withdrawal of pension assets
- Structuring for financing home ownership (affordability, amortisation, etc.)
- Plan investments beforehand
