Are you going to retire? Apply for your OASI pension
Let’s get started with the OASI retirement pension, since it’s the most common one!
Let’s get started with the OASI retirement pension, since it’s the most common one!
When can you apply for the OASI benefit?
Generally speaking, you are entitled to an OASI benefit when you reach the legal retirement age – 64 years for women and 65 years for men.
It’s nevertheless possible to break that rule, thus you can decide to anticipate your OASI pension up to 2 years before the legal retirement age, or to postpone it up to 5 years later. But keep in mind that both latter decisions are going to have consequences.
What is the OASI pension total value as of 2022?
First, you should know that the monthly OASI pension has two limits: it can’t exceed 2’390 CHF (for 2022) and can’t be less than 1’195 CHF (again for 2022).
A small detail though, the maximal OASI pension for a married couple is 3’585 CHF. Yes, you got it right, although you have paid your contributions to reach a maximum of CHF 2,390 per month per person, if you are married, this maximum will not be CHF 4,780 (2,390 x 2), but CHF 3,585.
Applying for a disability pension from the IV (Invalidly Insurance)
In order to benefit from a disability pension from the IV, the 1st pillar must consider the application with the aim to carry out rehabilitation measures. If these are not possible, then the OASI will have to evaluate the level of disability to determine the pension amount that will be granted.
In order to benefit from a disability pension from the IV, the 1st pillar must consider the application with the aim to carry out rehabilitation measures. If these are not possible, then the OASI will have to evaluate the level of disability to determine the pension amount that will be granted.
There is no pension paid below a degree of disability of 40%.
| Disability pension invalidity degree | |
| 40-49% | ¼ pension |
| 50-59% | ½ pension |
| 60-69% | ¾ pension |
| More than 70% | Full pension |
What happens next? Just as when you retire, the pension will be assessed and then multiplied by the degree of disability.
This DI pension will be paid as of the first day on which the insurance for loss of earnings ceases and will end on the first day of your retirement and will then be transformed into an OASI pension.
Applying for a widow’s/widower’s or orphan’s pension
As its name indicates, the OASI (Old Age and Survivors’ Insurance) is also there to provide support to survivors following a death. While it’s never a pleasant topic, being informed about it is always better.
As its name indicates, the OASI (Old Age and Survivors’ Insurance) is also there to provide support to survivors following a death. While it’s never a pleasant topic, being informed about it is always better.
Requirements for the granting of a widower's pension for the surviving husband
As far as men are concerned, the OASI has not been particularly kind. Being a social insurance system established a long time ago, there are still some old clichés that arise out of it regrettably... The government ruled that men are the ones who provide for the household and that, consequently, the death of their wife will not significantly impact their living standard.
Thus, a man can essentially expect to get a widower’s pension from the OASI if he has children to support under the age of 18 and if he didn’t remarry. If not, he’s screwed. As soon as the children are over the age of legal majority, his pensions will cease to be granted automatically.
Requirements for the granting of a widow's pension for the surviving or ex wife
A woman who was previously married may claim a widow’s pension if either of two requirements apply:
- She has children when her husband’s passes away.
Or
- She is over 45 at the time of the death plus she’s got to have been married to the deceased man for at least 5 years.
On the other hand, a woman who divorced her husband before he passed away can claim a widow’s pension from the OASI if:
- She had children with her husband and their marriage lasted at least 10 years.
Or
- She is over 45 years old at the time of death and their marriage lasted at least 10 years.
Or
- She is over 45 years of age when their youngest child reaches the age of 18.
Phew... That’s all quite technical, innit?
Requirements for the granting of an orphan's pension for surviving children
Obviously, if a surviving spouse can obtain a pension from the social security system (OASI) following the death of their spouse – should they have children, these children will also be able to benefit from a financial aid: the orphan's pension provided by the OASI.
The only prerequisite for children is their age limit. To receive an orphan's pension, the child must be less than 18, or less than 25 if the child is still studying. The pension ends once the child has reached one of these age limits.
The payment of your OASI or disability pension: Follow these steps designed by FBKConseils
1. The first date!
The goal is to meet each other either in person or by videoconference to find out what your needs are, and how we can help you with setting up your OASI or disability pension.
2. The contacts!
We then take care of contacting the different parties involved, so that we can ask you for the necessary documents to kick off the administrative process.
3. The paperwork!
Thanks to the documents you provided we’re going to be able to create your case file and work it all out.
4. The 2nd date!
After completing the paperwork, we will schedule a second meeting to go over everything together.
5. The monitoring!
And to finish this whole process, we’re going to monitor the setting up of your annuity to make sure that everything goes as planned – and that nothing goes wrong!
How long does this procedure take and how much does it cost ?
Applying for your AHV pension is very quick and can take up to two hours with a week's delay for communication with the AHV compensation fund. However, it can take up to a month to receive the first pension.
The fee for this procedure is charged on the basis of 120.- per hour.
Anyway, we will provide you with a detailed offer and a tailor-made quotation following the first free appointment, during which we will have analysed your needs.
- The 1st pillar OASI pension is between 1’195 and 2’390 CHF for a single person. However, it cannot exceed 3’585 CHF for a married couple. The exact amount will depend on your average income over the course of your career and the number of years you have paid into it (which generally equates to 44 years for a man and 43 years for a woman if you retire at the legal age).
- The OASI pension is paid starting from the legal retirement age, i.e. 64 years for women and 65 years for men. However, it is possible to receive the OASI pension in advance, up to 2 years before the legal age for it, or to postpone it, up to 5 years after the legal age. In case of an early withdrawal two years before the legal age, the pension will be reduced by 13.5%, and by 6.8% for one year. In case of a one-year postponement, the pension will be increased by 5.2%, for 2 years, 10.8%, 3 years, 17.1%, 4 years, 24% and 5 years 31.5%.
- As crazy as it may sound, it sees both as sources of income. Even the pensions paid by the state and more precisely the AVS and AI pensions are entirely taxed as income. The exception to the rule is the 1st pillar pensions from the supplementary benefits (EL/PC).
- In order to have an OASI number, you must live or work in Switzerland. The OASI number can be found on your mandatory health insurance card. You can also request it from your health insurance company, your employer or directly from your OASI compensation fund.
