The reform of the pension fund comes directly into the house. The final details will be discussed in parliament at the spring meeting. On Tuesday, the National Council moved closer to the model of the Council of States, but also showed some differences.
The template must be sealed and sealed in this session. However, the left and the unions have already announced the referendum. The left-green camp also continued to resist in the debate of the National Council. “The price tag of the current proposals is very high and the cost-benefit ratio is also unbalanced,” criticized SP National Councilor Flavia Wasserfallen (44, BE). “It even means that people on low incomes get less pay due to higher premiums.”
The Conservatives, on the other hand, rejected all left-wing minority motions. “We want to put an end to the non-systemic redistribution in the context of occupational pensions, namely the redistribution from young to old”, FDP national councilor Regine Sauter (56, ZH) made clear. In addition, the second pillar must be adapted to the changed social circumstances.
The main pillars
There are only a few points left for the Council of States and the National Council to agree on the reform of occupational pensions (BVG). The Council of States will discuss the bill on Thursday.
The main key figures of the BVG reform are as follows:
- Lower conversion rate: The minimum conversion rate in the mandatory BVG plan should drop from the current 6.8 percent to 6.0 percent. This means that for every CHF 100,000 you have saved in pension capital, there is only CHF 6,000 instead of CHF 6,800 in pension per year. This leads to a pension gap of approximately 12 percent. Both chambers have already approved the reduction.
- Pension supplement transitional generation: It is the real heart of the template. The impending pension gap must be compensated with a pension surcharge. However, only for a transitional generation of 15 years. It is also classified by age and income. There is a maximum of CHF 200 per month for the first five years, after which it is reduced. Those who have less than 220,500 francs in the pension fund – about a quarter of the insured – will receive the full supplement. Another quarter with a pension capital of up to CHF 441,000 receives a partial supplement. If you have more money in your pension fund, you get nothing. More than half of the insured receive nothing. The pension surcharge is financed by deduction from wages. The left has argued in vain for unlimited pension supplements and a more social means of financing.
- Flexible coordination deduction: The last major bone of contention is the so-called coordination deduction. The amount of the insured salary on which contributions must be paid to the pension fund depends on this. The Council of States would like to limit the coordination deduction flexibly to 15 percent of the salary, the responsible National Council Committee wanted to set it at 12,863 francs. In the National Council, however, a proposal from central National Council member Thomas Rechsteiner (51, AI) who wants a flexible withholding of 20 percent was adopted on Tuesday. The flexible solution is intended to make part-time workers on lower incomes – often women – better off. It is quite possible that the Council of States will also switch to this variant.
- Adjusted pension credits: The salary contribution to the pension fund – the so-called old-age discount – will be leveled off with the reform: up to the age of 44, the old-age discount will be 9 percent (previously 7 or 10 percent) of the salary subject to BVG. From the age of 45 this is 14 percent (previously 15 or 18 percent). It is one of the few points that is largely undisputed. This is because the state pension is being reduced, especially for older employees. This should increase their chances on the labor market. Just like today, contributions must be paid from the age of 25.
- entry threshold: To be insured with a pension fund, you must earn at least 22,050 francs per year with an employer. The Council of States wanted to reduce this to CHF 17,640, which would cover approximately 140,000 people. However, the National Council now wants to stick to the current threshold, also with a view to the new, flexible coordination deduction.
Source:Blick
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