What is the current value of the Raiffeisen and ZHAW barometer?

The barometer created by Raiffeisen together with ZHAW, a professional university school of applied sciences in Zurich, reached seven hundred and twenty-five points out of a maximum of one thousand, registering an increase of twenty-eight points compared to the previous year. In the first survey of two thousand and eighteen, the value was five hundred and eighty-seven points, thus marking the highest level since the beginning of the research conducted by the promoting bodies.

What are the main concerns of the population regarding social security?

The survey of over a thousand people between the ages of eighteen and sixty-five shows that the greatest concern concerns the long-term financing of the first pillar. Thirty-nine percent of respondents fear that the AVS will no longer be able to cover its expenses in the future, highlighting a widespread climate of apprehension for the stability of basic public pension benefits.

How does the population move around pillar 3a and disbursements?

The share of respondents who own or power a 3a pillar has reached the new high of seventy-nine percent. Although sixty-three percent are aware of the new rule introduced at the beginning of two thousand and twenty-six that makes it possible to fill the contribution gaps in the third pillar segment retrospectively, only five percent of the sample actually made a supplementary payment to cover the uncovered periods.

Pension Switzerland: Record 725-point Raiffeisen Barometer (cross-border guide)

Di Laura Bianchi · Published on 18 September 2026

Raiffeisen and ZHAW pension barometer in Ticino and Switzerland

The Raiffeisen and ZHAW barometer reaches the record of 725 points. Pillar 3a grows to 79%, but uncertainty remains over the financing of the AVS.

Context

In brief

Raiffeisen and ZHAW barometer at 725 points
First pillar financing and Old Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) among concerns
39% fear that OASI will not cover expenses
Pillar 3a reaches a new high of 79%

Key facts

Organization: Raiffeisen and ZHAW
Barometer value: 725 points out of 1000
Increase: plus 28 points compared to the previous year
Initial value 2018: 587 points
Survey sample: over 1000 people aged between 18 and 65
OASI concern: 39% of respondents
Pillar 3a share: 79% of the population
Awareness of the new Pillar 3a rule: 63% of the sample
Supplementary contribution: 5% of the sample

…

Operational details

Alongside fears regarding the financial sustainability of the first pillar and the relevant public institution, data collected by the survey show a growing trend toward voluntary individual pension savings. Increasingly more people are setting aside sums in anticipation of old age, and the share of respondents who own or contribute to a pillar 3a has reached a new high of seventy-nine percent. Further impetus to this form of private savings may have come from the possibility, introduced at the beginning of twenty-twenty-six, to retroactively fill contribution gaps in the third pillar segment. The potential in this regard nevertheless remains broad within the active population. Sixty-three percent are aware of the new rule introduced, but only five percent have actually made a supplementary payment to cover uncovered periods. This discrepancy between the theoretical knowledge of the rule and its concrete application highlights how individual financial planning requires resources and accurate assessments by individual taxpayers. Another aspiration frequently mentioned but particularly difficult to achieve for many workers is early retirement, which often remains a wish rather than a concrete reality. More than half of people aged between fifty-one and sixty-five would like to leave the workforce before the ordinary retirement age, but at the same time almost a third believe they cannot realize this dream due to economic conditions and the requirements necessary to sustain the annuity over time. Financing early retirement will be even more challenging for future generations due to falling conversion rates, higher life expectancy, and increasingly non-linear working careers, as warned by the research institute's experts. Consequently, a potential longer stay in the Swiss professional world also gains greater importance. For about two-thirds of the interviewed sample, working longer would in principle be conceivable, but for most people this option is only viable on a targeted basis or part-time, balancing income needs with the sustainability of work commitment at an advanced age.

Key points

The complexity of the social security system requires a careful analysis of the options available to those who work or intend to work in Switzerland, taking into account the deadlines and rules governing mandatory and optional contributions. The dynamics highlighted by the Raiffeisen barometer offer concrete insights for those who must manage their social security position between the first, second and third pillars, carefully evaluating the savings prospects and supplementary payment options introduced by recent legislation. To effectively plan your provisions and check the impact of contributions on your future pension, it is advisable to use the calculation and simulation tools available online. Those who wish to deepen their situation related to voluntary payments in pillar 3a or calculate the impact of social security contributions on their paycheck can use special information tools. For a complete assessment of your economic position and to accurately estimate the return on social security savings, it is recommended to use the calcolatore fiscale to analyze the net and taxes.

Source: swissinfo.ch

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current value of the Raiffeisen and ZHAW barometer?: The barometer created by Raiffeisen together with ZHAW, a professional university school of applied sciences in Zurich, reached seven hundred and twenty-five points out of a maximum of one thousand, registering an increase of twenty-eight points compared to the previous year. In the first survey of two thousand and eighteen, the value was five hundred and eighty-seven points, thus marking the highest level since the beginning of the research conducted by the promoting bodies.
What are the main concerns of the population regarding social security?: The survey of over a thousand people between the ages of eighteen and sixty-five shows that the greatest concern concerns the long-term financing of the first pillar. Thirty-nine percent of respondents fear that the AVS will no longer be able to cover its expenses in the future, highlighting a widespread climate of apprehension for the stability of basic public pension benefits.
How does the population move around pillar 3a and disbursements?: The share of respondents who own or power a 3a pillar has reached the new high of seventy-nine percent. Although sixty-three percent are aware of the new rule introduced at the beginning of two thousand and twenty-six that makes it possible to fill the contribution gaps in the third pillar segment retrospectively, only five percent of the sample actually made a supplementary payment to cover the uncovered periods.