Calculation of the old-age pension

As a general rule, the old-age pension can only be calculated efficiently at retirement age when the various calculation elements are known.

The calculation elements of the old-age pensions are as follows:

  • The contribution years, which can be taken into account;

  • The income from gainful employment;

  • Bonus years for the educative and/or assistance tasks.

You are entitled to a full pension (pension scale 44) if you have fulfilled your obligation to contribute without gaps from the year you turn 21.

If the contribution period is incomplete or, in other words, if the applicant did not pay any contributions for as many years as they should have, given their age group, they will only receive a partial pension (level 1 to 43 of the pension scale). One missing contribution year leads, in principle, to a pension reduction of 1/44th.


Income sharing or "splitting"

When calculating the old-age pension of married, widowed or divorced persons the income earned by the two spouses during the marriage is split and half is attributed to each one.

However, this splitting is only done when:

  • each of the two spouses is entitled to an old-age or disability pension;
  • the marriage has been dissolved by a divorce or by a declaration of annulment or
  • one of the two dies and the surviving spouse is already in receipt of a pension.

Upper limit of a married couple's pensions

The sum of the two individual pensions of a married couple must not be superior to 150% of the maximum pension. If this limit is exceeded, the two individual pensions are reduced accordingly.


OASI pension supplement for women who retire at or after the reference age

Women born between 1961 and 1969 who retire at or after the reference age are entitled to a pension supplement. This supplement is calculated on the basis of the year of birth, the average annual income and the contribution period.

Last modification 18.09.2023

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