Marital status plays a decisive role in determining the amount of the pension.
Keystone-SDA
In December a 13th monthly pension will be paid out in Switzerland for the first time. It is expected to amount to around CHF1,580 ($1,930) on average. However, there are significant differences between pensions paid in Switzerland and abroad, as well as depending on the marital status of the recipients.
The forecast for the amount of the 13th monthly pension payment is based on the previous year’s figures, an analysis by the Federal Social Insurance Office showed on Tuesday. According to the analysis, in 2025 around 2.6 million people received an old-age pension, which amounted to an average of CHF1,576 per month.
The amount of the pensions paid out varied considerably depending on the recipients’ place of residence. While the average pension in Switzerland was CHF1,969, it stood at CHF702 for people living abroad.
The reason for this is that many recipients living abroad were only insured in Switzerland for part of their working lives and therefore have fewer years of contributions. Around a third of all pensions were paid abroad, although this accounted for only 14% of the total pension amount.
Marital status affects pension amount
Marital status also plays a decisive role in determining the amount of the pension. For married couples where both partners receive a pension, the combined total of their pensions is often capped at 150% of the maximum pension. Consequently, many married couples received a pension of between CHF1,500 and CHF2,000 in 2025.
For single people, the range was wider. Almost a third received a pension of between CHF2,000 and CHF2,500, while for 24%, the single pension was below CHF500 due to incomplete contribution periods.
In a gender comparison, women received slightly higher pensions on average – CHF1,630 – than men, who received CHF1,517. This was partly due to the widow’s or widower’s supplement, which increases the old-age pension for widowed people. A total of 9% of all people received a pension of CHF2,520 or more.
All those receiving an old-age pension in December are entitled to the first 13th old-age pension. The payment corresponds to one-12th of the pension received in the current year. Those who retired for the first time in 2026 will only receive a pro rata share of the amount. No 13th pension is paid for children’s pensions or supplementary pensions.
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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.
