What exactly is a cantonal clearing house?

A compensation fund is a public body under federal law that locally administers Old-Age and Survivors' Insurance (AVS) in its canton. It collects contributions from residents and employers (5.3% per side), verifies the contributory career, calculates the retirement pension and manages contacts with citizens. In the Canton of Zurich, the fund applies the federal AVS rules but administers them at the local level. It doesn't set rates or rules, which are federal.

How do I calculate my AVS annuity in the Canton of Zurich?

The AVS pension is calculated on the basis of three elements: the number of years of contribution (between the age of 21 and retirement age), the amounts paid each year (calculated from the insured salary), and career continuity. The Zurich Compensation Fund checks the career and communicates the estimated pension 2-3 months before the retirement date. The minimum and maximum annuities are established by the federal AVS law. Each year of contribution gap reduces the annuity proportionally.

What is a contribution gap and how do you fill it?

A contribution gap is a year of work in Switzerland in which no AVS contributions have been paid (for unemployment, leave, studies, inactivity, etc.). Reduces the final rent. In the Canton of Zurich, it is possible to fill the gaps by making voluntary contributions directly to the cantonal compensation fund. The cash register calculates the amount due, applies any interest, and communicates the total. The payment increases the future annuity proportionally. It is advisable to assess the cost with the cashier before deciding whether to pay.

Who is entitled to supplementary benefits?

Anyone who receives an AVS annuity lower than the annual living minimum (amount updated each year for inflation) is entitled to supplementary benefits. Complementary benefits are cantonal public subsidies that cover the difference between the AVS income and the living minimum. It is a right, not an extraordinary assistance. In the Canton of Zurich, the application must be submitted by the end of the retirement year with documents proving income, assets and essential expenses.

How do I apply for supplementary services in the Canton of Zurich?

The request for supplementary benefits must be submitted to the competent cantonal body (not to the compensation fund). It is necessary to fill in an official form provided by the cantonal administration, indicating personal data, amount of AVS income, assets, supplementary income, rent, medical expenses and other necessities. Attachments must be attached: AVS income certificate, account statements, lease agreement, proof of assets. The investigation lasts a few weeks. Once approved, the service is paid monthly to the current account.

AVS and complementary services in the Canton of Zurich (cross-border guide)

Di Laura Bianchi · Published on 21 August 2026

Zurich cantonal compensation office processing AVS pension applications and supplementary benefits

How the first AVS pillar works in the Canton of Zurich: compensation fund, annuity calculation, gaps and supplementary benefits for the living minimum.

Context

In a nutshell

The AVS is the first pillar of Swiss social security, administered locally by cantonal coffers
In the canton of Zurich, the compensation fund manages the contributions and the calculation of the annuity
Supplementary benefits cover the minimum life for those with insufficient income
Contribution gaps can be filled with voluntary payments

Key facts

What: Administration of the first pillar of social security (AVS) at cantonal level
Who: Zurich Canton Compensation Fund (public body under UFAS/BSV supervision)
Where: Canton Zurich
When: Permanent system, updated annually for inflation
Amount: Contributions 5.3% employee, 10.6% total with employer

L'AVS and the Zurich Compensation Fund

Old-age and survivors' insurance (AVS) is the first pillar of Swiss social security. It is not run by a single federal office, but by decentralised compensation funds at cantonal level: each canton, including Zurich, has its own fund that administers residents' contributions and calculates old-age and survivors' annuities.

The cantonal compensation fund is a public body under federal law that operates under the supervision of the Federal Office of Social Insurance (UFAS/BSV). In the Canton of Zurich, the local treasury collects contributions paid by employees (5.3% of gross salary) and employers (5.3% of gross salary), for a total of 10.6%. These payments are

Operational details

Contribution gaps and how to fill them

A contribution gap is a year in which no AVS contributions have been paid. They can occur for various reasons: unemployment, parental leave, prolonged illness without allowance, studies, or simply periods of inactivity not covered by social benefits. Each gap year reduces the final AVS annuity.

In the Canton of Zurich, as in the rest of Switzerland, it is possible to fill the contribution gaps by making voluntary contributions. The procedure is simple: you go to the cantonal compensation fund, which calculates the amount due for the missing years, applies default interest (if the payment is delayed), and communicates the total. The payment can be made in a single payment or in installments, according to agreements with the cashier.

The advantage of filling the gaps is obvious: each year added increases the future income. If a person has worked 40 years out of 44 possible career years (21-65 years), they have a 4-year gap. Paying voluntary contributions for those 4 years brings back the complete career, proportionally increasing the income.

The Canton of Zurich Compensation Fund provides online tools and consultants to calculate the cost of voluntary payment and simulate the impact on future income. It is advisable to make this calculation before choosing whether or not to pay, because the cost can be significant (it depends on the salary insured and the number of years).

Performance

Useful planning tools

To estimate your pension strategy, use the pension planner and the pillar 3 simulator.

Key points

How to apply for the AVS pension and supplementary benefits

The procedure to obtain the AVS pension begins a few months before the retirement age. In the Canton of Zurich, approximately 2-3 months before reaching the reference age (65 for men, 64 for women during this period), the compensation fund sends an official notification to the resident with an extract of their contribution history calculated up to that point. This document contains the estimated monthly pension based on the available data.

Those who receive the notification must verify it: check that all contribution years are recorded, that the insured salaries correspond to those declared, and that there are no unexplained gaps. If everything is correct, the fund automatically activates the pension from the retirement date and begins monthly payments to the indicated bank account. If there are errors or gaps, the contributor must contact the fund to make corrections.

In the Canton of Zurich, communication with the compensation fund takes place mainly via regular mail, but many funds also offer online portals where you can consult your contribution statement. It is advisable to register on the portal as soon as possible to always have access to your data and verify its accuracy.

Procedure for supplementary benefits

If the calculated AVS pension is insufficient, it is necessary to apply for supplementary benefits within the established deadlines (usually by the end of the year in which the retirement age is reached). The application must be submitted to the competent cantonal authority, not directly to the compensation fund.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is a cantonal clearing house?: A compensation fund is a public body under federal law that locally administers Old-Age and Survivors' Insurance (AVS) in its canton. It collects contributions from residents and employers (5.3% per side), verifies the contributory career, calculates the retirement pension and manages contacts with citizens. In the Canton of Zurich, the fund applies the federal AVS rules but administers them at the local level. It doesn't set rates or rules, which are federal.
How do I calculate my AVS annuity in the Canton of Zurich?: The AVS pension is calculated on the basis of three elements: the number of years of contribution (between the age of 21 and retirement age), the amounts paid each year (calculated from the insured salary), and career continuity. The Zurich Compensation Fund checks the career and communicates the estimated pension 2-3 months before the retirement date. The minimum and maximum annuities are established by the federal AVS law. Each year of contribution gap reduces the annuity proportionally.
What is a contribution gap and how do you fill it?: A contribution gap is a year of work in Switzerland in which no AVS contributions have been paid (for unemployment, leave, studies, inactivity, etc.). Reduces the final rent. In the Canton of Zurich, it is possible to fill the gaps by making voluntary contributions directly to the cantonal compensation fund. The cash register calculates the amount due, applies any interest, and communicates the total. The payment increases the future annuity proportionally. It is advisable to assess the cost wit
Who is entitled to supplementary benefits?: Anyone who receives an AVS annuity lower than the annual living minimum (amount updated each year for inflation) is entitled to supplementary benefits. Complementary benefits are cantonal public subsidies that cover the difference between the AVS income and the living minimum. It is a right, not an extraordinary assistance. In the Canton of Zurich, the application must be submitted by the end of the retirement year with documents proving income, assets and essential expenses.
How do I apply for supplementary services in the Canton of Zurich?: The request for supplementary benefits must be submitted to the competent cantonal body (not to the compensation fund). It is necessary to fill in an official form provided by the cantonal administration, indicating personal data, amount of AVS income, assets, supplementary income, rent, medical expenses and other necessities. Attachments must be attached: AVS income certificate, account statements, lease agreement, proof of assets. The investigation lasts a few weeks. Once approved, the service