Start with the reference age for your birth year
Switzerland’s OASI 21 reform gradually raises women’s reference age. The Federal Social Insurance Office lists 64 years and 3 months for women born in 1961, 64 years and 6 months for 1962, 64 years and 9 months for 1963, and 65 years from 1964 onwards. To find the earliest point for an old-age payment from pillar 3a, count back five years from your own reference age. Using age 60 as a rule of thumb misses part of this transition and can put the date in the wrong year.
Two birthdays one year apart
Take two fictional birth dates: April 15, 1963 and April 15, 1964. Adding 64 years and 9 months to the first takes you to January 2028; on that calculation the 3a window begins in January 2023. For the second person, reference age falls in April 2029 and the window begins in April 2024. Ask the provider to confirm the first date it can accept the payment instruction and when it can actually make the payment. Allow time for paperwork rather than treating the first eligible day as a cash receipt.
OASI and pillar 3a run on separate timelines
You may be able to take a pillar 3a old-age benefit before reaching reference age, within the permitted window. The start of an OASI pension, drawing that pension early and taking a 3a payout follow different rules. Check the start of each income stream separately before putting them in the same month of a budget. If you hold several arrangements or a policy with a scheduled maturity date, get a written timeline for each one.
Work out what the money would need to fund
Suppose you reduce your work six months before the pension you have planned is due to start. If that leaves a shortfall of CHF 1,200 each month, you need CHF 7,200 over six months. That is your cash requirement; it does not mean you can request that exact amount from a single account. Compare cash already on hand, amounts actually payable and any tax on the lump sum before settling on a date.
Get the dates confirmed before changing your investments
Have your date of birth, latest statements and intended work reduction or retirement dates ready. Ask each provider to confirm the earliest eligible date, its processing times and any terms specific to your arrangement. If it needs to sell investments, ask when the proceeds would be available. Use those confirmed dates for your cash plan, particularly if you are planning to pay a large bill soon after reducing your hours.