HBL Vested Benefits Foundation

When you leave your employer, your membership of the pension fund usually ends as well. If your pension savings cannot be transferred directly to a new pension fund, they will be transferred to a vested benefits account. They remain there until you rejoin a pension fund or can withdraw your pension savings in accordance with the statutory provisions.

With the HBL Foundation, you can transfer your pension savings easily and securely. Depending on your personal goals, you can choose between an account solution or various investment solutions. 

Good to know:

Arrange your vested benefits solution as early as possible. This ensures that your pension savings can be transferred to your chosen pension fund without delay.

A vested benefits account is a pension solution for people who are leaving their job and cannot transfer their pension savings directly to a new employer’s pension fund. The pension savings remain ‘parked’ in the vested benefits account until you rejoin a pension fund or meet the statutory requirements for a withdrawal.

At HBL Foundation, you can choose between a traditional account solution and various investment solutions. This allows you to tailor your pension provision to your personal goals, your investment horizon and your risk appetite. 

Good to know:

The longer your investment horizon, the more likely a securities-based solution is to be an attractive alternative to a standard account-based solution.

A vested benefits foundation is a pension institution that manages pension assets from occupational pension schemes. It is used when pension assets cannot be transferred directly to a new pension fund following withdrawal from a pension fund.

The HBL Foundation manages vested benefits in accordance with statutory provisions and offers you the option of investing your pension savings in a vested benefits account or in a securities solution.

Good to know:

Vested benefits foundations are subject to statutory supervision and manage pension funds in accordance with clearly defined legal requirements.

If you change employers, your previous pension fund will settle your pension savings. If you start a new job immediately, these savings will be transferred to your new employer’s pension fund. If your new employer has not yet been confirmed or if your new employment starts at a later date, your pension savings will be transferred to a vested benefits account.

They will remain safely held there until they can be transferred to a pension fund again or withdrawn in accordance with the statutory provisions.

Good to know:

Let your previous pension fund know in good time where your pension savings should be transferred to. This will prevent your savings from being transferred to the BVG Substitute Pension Fund.

Opening a vested benefits account online takes just a few steps. At HBL Foundation, you can conveniently open your vested benefits account online. Once the account has been opened, provide your previous pension fund with the account details so that your pension savings can be transferred.

As soon as the transfer has been received, your pension assets will be credited to your vested benefits account. You can then decide whether you wish to hold your assets in an account or invest them in a suitable securities solution.

Good to know:

The sooner you open your vested benefits account, the smoother the transfer of your pension savings will be. At the HBL Vested Benefits Foundation, you can conveniently open an account online at any time.

It is possible to split your pension savings between two vested benefits accounts, provided this is done before the entire pension savings have been transferred to a single vested benefits foundation. It is generally not possible to split an existing vested benefits account retrospectively.

Having several vested benefits accounts can be useful if you are planning your pension provision for the long term or wish to withdraw your balance in instalments at a later date.

Good to know:

When you leave your pension fund, consider whether splitting your pension savings would be a sensible option for you.

You are not obliged to keep your vested benefits account with the same vested benefits foundation permanently. If your needs change or you prefer a different pension solution, you can transfer your pension savings to another vested benefits foundation.

The HBL Vested Benefits Foundation will assist you both with opening a new vested benefits account and with transferring your pension savings. The process is simple and is usually handled by the new vested benefits foundation, which will coordinate the necessary steps with you.

Good to know:

Changing providers may be a good idea if you wish to benefit from different investment options, digital services or a pension solution that better suits your needs.

Your vested benefits balance is intended for your retirement provision. Once you reach the reference age, you can apply to have your balance paid out. The payout is generally made as a lump sum and is taxed separately from your other income.

You can easily apply to withdraw your vested benefits from the HBL Vested Benefits Foundation. Many customers plan their payout well in advance to make the best possible preparations for their retirement and to manage the tax implications effectively.

Good to know:

If you hold several vested benefits accounts, a staggered payout over several years may offer tax advantages. It is therefore particularly worthwhile to plan ahead.

Whilst an account-based solution focuses on security and stability, a securities-based solution offers additional opportunities for returns. Particularly with a long-term investment horizon, securities can help to grow your pension assets over the years. 

The HBL Foundations offer both account-based and securities-based solutions. This allows you to choose the pension solution that best suits your personal needs. 

Good to know:

Securities are subject to market fluctuations. However, over the long term, the financial markets have historically achieved higher returns than simple savings accounts. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Not every investment strategy is suitable for everyone. Various factors play a role in your choice – for example, your investment horizon, your financial situation and your personal risk tolerance. 

The HBL Foundation offers a range of securities solutions so that you can choose an investment strategy that suits your individual needs. 

Good to know:

If your life circumstances change, it may be worth reviewing your investment strategy.

With a securities solution, you invest your pension savings across various asset classes. This allows you to benefit from developments in the financial markets over the long term. 

The HBL Foundations offer a range of investment solutions designed to cater for different needs and investment profiles. 

Good to know:

Broad diversification reduces the risk associated with individual investments but cannot completely rule out fluctuations in value.

ETFs invest in a wide range of securities, thereby enabling broad diversification. They are regarded as cost-effective and transparent investment instruments and are frequently used for long-term investment strategies. 

Depending on the chosen investment solution, ETFs may form part of the investment strategy. 

Good to know:

ETFs are passively managed and therefore often incur lower costs than many actively managed investment funds.

You benefit from tax advantages whilst the pension plan is in force. It is only upon withdrawal that your pension capital is taxed separately from your other income. The amount of tax depends, amongst other things, on your canton of residence and the amount of capital withdrawn. 

Planning ahead helps you to gain a better overview of your pension situation and to take tax implications into account in good time.

Good to know:

The tax on capital withdrawals varies from canton to canton. Make sure you find out in good time about the regulations that apply to you.

In many cantons, capital withdrawals are taxed on a progressive basis. This means that the higher the amount withdrawn in the same tax year, the higher the tax burden may be. 

If you split your pension savings into several vested benefits accounts at an early stage, you can spread the withdrawals – within the limits of the law – across different tax years. 

Good to know:

In principle, a split is only possible before the entire pension savings have been transferred to a vested benefits foundation.

When you withdraw your pension capital depends, amongst other things, on your retirement date, your canton of residence and any other pension savings you hold. 

If you plan your withdrawal well in advance, you can better coordinate your various pension benefits and make the best possible preparations for your retirement. 

Good to know: 

Ideally, plan larger lump-sum withdrawals several years in advance.

Lump-sum withdrawals from Pillar 3a, vested benefits and, in some cases, from the pension fund are taken into account for tax purposes depending on cantonal regulations. 

If you do not withdraw different pension funds in the same tax year, you may be able to reduce your tax burden.

Good to know:

Tax implications vary from canton to canton. It is therefore particularly worthwhile to plan well in advance.

By spreading your pension savings across several accounts, you create more flexibility for the future. This allows you to plan your capital withdrawals more effectively and – depending on your situation – to take them in stages. 

Whether splitting your assets makes sense depends on your personal pension situation and the amount of your pension capital.

Good to know:

It is generally not possible to split an existing pension account retrospectively. You should therefore plan well in advance.

Pillar 3a and vested benefits can, in principle, be withdrawn in the same year. As lump-sum withdrawals are treated jointly for tax purposes in many cantons, this may result in a higher tax burden.

Planning well in advance helps to ensure that your income streams are optimally coordinated. 

Good to know:

Seek advice before making any major lump-sum withdrawals. Even small adjustments to the timing of withdrawals can have tax implications.

If you decide to take early retirement, your income and pension situation will change. Depending on your pension fund and your balances from vested benefits and Pillar 3a, there are various options for taking a lump-sum payment.

Planning ahead helps you to avoid gaps in your pension provision and to better take tax implications into account.

Good to know:

Ideally, you should start planning for early retirement several years in advance. This will ensure the best possible conditions for a successful transition into retirement.

The HBL 3a Pension Foundation manages your pension savings in accordance with statutory provisions. You decide whether you wish to hold your savings in a vested benefits account or a Pillar 3a account, or invest them in a securities solution.

With investment solutions, your pension assets are held as a separate fund. This ensures that your assets remain separate from those of the participating institutions (e.g. even in the event of bankruptcy). At the same time, you benefit from professional management and a transparent pension solution.

Good to know:

Which solution suits you best depends on your investment horizon, your risk appetite and your personal pension goals.

The HBL Foundations ensure the careful management of your pension savings. If you opt for an account-based solution, your savings will earn interest. If you choose a securities-based solution, your investments will be managed in accordance with your chosen investment strategy.

You will receive regular updates on your pension savings and can track their performance at any time.

Good to know:

You can review your pension solution at any time and – within the limits of the law and the regulations – adapt it to your needs.

Vested benefits and pension foundations in Switzerland are supervised by the relevant cantonal supervisory authorities. They are also audited by independent auditors.

These checks ensure that legal requirements are met and that pension funds are managed carefully.

Good to know:

Statutory supervision makes a significant contribution to the security and transparency of the Swiss pension system.

The HBL Foundations support you in various life situations with modern pension solutions. For vested benefits and Pillar 3a, you can choose from both traditional account-based solutions and investment solutions based on the “Aare strategies”, which have proven their worth against the competition for more than 10 years.

Opening an account is simple and convenient – you can do it digitally. This allows you to tailor your pension provision flexibly to suit your personal needs.

Good to know:

You decide for yourself whether you wish to keep your pension savings safely in an account or invest them in securities for the long term.

The HBL Foundations support you through various stages of life – from changing jobs to private pension provision and right through to retirement. As well as a simple digital account opening process, you benefit from personalised advice, transparent management of your pension savings and the choice between account-based and investment solutions.

Our aim is to offer you a clear and long-term pension solution tailored to your personal needs.

Good to know:

A good pension solution supports you throughout your life. That’s why it’s worth choosing a partner that combines security, flexibility and personalised support.

Funds from Pillar 3a and – depending on your situation – from vested benefits can be used for owner-occupied property, subject to the statutory requirements. This can be used, for example, for the purchase, construction or repayment of a mortgage on a property you live in yourself.

However, before making an early withdrawal, you should check what impact this will have on your retirement provision. The HBL Foundations will be happy to advise you on the requirements and the procedure.

Good to know:

An early withdrawal reduces your pension savings. You should therefore check at an early stage which solution best suits your personal situation.

Anyone who takes up self-employment and is no longer subject to the compulsory occupational pension scheme may withdraw their vested benefits or Pillar 3a savings subject to the statutory requirements. Whether a withdrawal is advisable depends on your personal pension planning.

The HBL Foundations will be happy to assist you in clarifying the requirements and the necessary documentation.

Good to know:

A lump-sum withdrawal should be carefully considered, as it will affect your retirement provision in the long term.

If you are moving permanently out of Switzerland, different legal regulations apply – in particular depending on whether you are moving to an EU/EFTA country or to another country.

The HBL Foundations will provide you with information on the legal requirements, the procedure and the necessary documents.

Good to know:

Moving abroad can have tax and pension-related consequences. You should therefore seek advice in good time.

The pension savings are paid out in accordance with the statutory provisions and the regulations of the relevant HBL Foundation. Depending on your personal circumstances, spouses, registered partners, children or other legally entitled beneficiaries may be eligible to receive the payment.

The HBL Foundations assist the surviving dependants with the settlement of the estate and support them with the necessary formalities.

Good to know:

Check your beneficiary arrangements regularly and find out about the options available under the law.

Whether you’re opening an account, setting up a securities solution, transferring your pension savings or taking a lump-sum withdrawal – the staff at the HBL Foundations will provide you with expert and personalised support.

You can contact the HBL Foundations by telephone, email or via the website. We’ll be happy to help with any questions you may have about your pension provision.

Good to know:

Many matters can already be dealt with online. You can find information and forms at any time on the HBL Foundations’ website.