Thirteenth AVS payment, for some it will be lower
The 13th AVS payment will be paid for the first time in December, but it will not have the same value for all beneficiaries.
Context
TL;DR
- First 13th AVS pension payment in December
- Pension from 1 July: half the pension
- Almost 2,7 million beneficiaries at the end of 2026
- 830'000 beneficiaries reside abroad
Key facts
| Term | Value |
|---|---|
| First payment | December |
| Retirement | from July 1: half of a monthly pension |
| Beneficiaries at the end of 2026 | almost 2,7 million |
| Residents abroad | 830'000 |
| Estimated average pension | 1'580 francs |
| Married couples | maximum cap when the second spouse retires |
Who can receive a lower amount
The 13th AVS payment will be paid for the first time in December, but it will not have the same value for all beneficiaries. The Federal Social Insurance Office (FSIO) has provided details on the first payments and indicated the situations in which the amount may be lower than a normal monthly payment.
For those who retired from July 1 onward, the 13th payment will be equal to half of a monthly pension. There will therefore not be the same amount for everyone: the sum will depend on the monthly pension, whose average amount is estimated at 1'580 francs.
In the case of married couples, the amount could be lower when the second spouse also retires, since the maximum limit applicable to married people then applies. The source specifies neither the amount of the cap nor that of the reduction.
For cross-border commuters, the cross-border figure is the one concerning beneficiaries residing abroad. The text indicates 830'000 people out of almost 2,7 million beneficiaries at the end of 2026, without distinguishing between countries or categories. It therefore provides an international figure, but no specific detail for Italy or Canton Ticino.
Operational details
The comparison between the average pension and the 13th pension payment
The source does not present a uniform amount for all beneficiaries. The most concrete comparison concerns the ratio between the monthly pension and the additional payment: for those who retired from 1 July onward, the 13th payment is set at half the monthly pension. For married couples, however, the amount may be affected by the maximum cap when the second spouse retires.
Applying only this rule to the estimated average amount of 1'580 francs, the calculation is 1'580 divided by 2, that is, 790 francs. This is an indicative proportion, not the official figure for every beneficiary: the average figure describes all the pensions, and the source does not say that every pensioner receives 1'580 francs. The calculation also does not allow the effect of the maximum cap on married couples to be measured, because its value is not provided.
The size of the beneficiary pool must also be considered without conflating different categories. The 830'000 residents abroad form part of the almost 2,7 million beneficiaries at the end of 2026, but the source does not distinguish cross-border workers from other residents outside Switzerland and does not assign a specific share to Italy. For cross-border workers, therefore, the relevant figure is an aggregate: it shows the presence of beneficiaries abroad, not the number of cross-border workers involved.
Key points
The limits of the available data
The numbers provided by the FSIO describe the overall size of the measure, but leave some information open. The text indicates almost 2.7 million beneficiaries at the end of 2026 and an estimated average pension of 1,580 francs; it does not specify the distribution of the amounts, the number of beneficiaries per individual foreign country or the value of the cap applied to married people.
For the cross-border commuters' audience, the international figure should therefore be read as an aggregate: the source does not identify the professional category of beneficiaries residing abroad. The New Cross-Border Commuters' Agreement also remains outside the perimeter of the news.
The scope of the announcement remains that of the first AHV payments and the aggregated data reported by the FSIO. For the official pension framework, see AHV 2026 overview table. For an indicative pension calculation, please refer to AVS pension calculator.
Source: rsi.ch
Frequently Asked Questions
- When will the 13th AVS be paid for the first time?
- The source indicates that the 13th AVS will be paid for the first time in December. The UFAS details relate to the first payments and show that the amount will not necessarily be equal to a normal monthly payment. The available content does not specify a specific day, an individual date for each beneficiary, or a custom calendar.
- Who will receive a 13th equal to half of the monthly income?
- Those who have retired as of July 1 will receive a 13th equal to half of a monthly income. The source does not indicate a fixed amount valid for everyone: the rule is expressed in relation to the monthly income. Therefore, the average figure of 1'580 francs does not automatically equal the individual sum.
- Why can the amount be lower for married couples?
- According to the details provided by UFAS, when the second spouse also retires, the maximum ceiling for married people comes into play. The source points out that this may make the 13th lower, but does not report the value of the roof or quantify the reduction. It is therefore not possible to derive a single figure for all pairs from these data.
- How many beneficiaries reside abroad?
- By the end of 2026, almost 2.7 million people will benefit from the 13th HSV. Of these, 830,000 reside abroad. The average amount of the annuity is estimated at CHF1,580. The text does not divide the foreign group by country and does not indicate how many beneficiaries are cross-border or reside in Italy.