Last update: 17.09.2024 08:36
Where do I enter pillar 3a in my tax return ? Sure, this saves you money. But where do you have to enter the payment into the 3a account? And do you have to declare the 3a assets as assets in the securities register? Find answers to all your questions about the pillar 3a account in your tax return in the article.
What documents do I need for the 3a tax deduction?
In order to claim the tax deduction for your payments, you must provide proof of the payment made. Your provider’s 3a pension foundation will automatically send you a “Certificate of pension contributions” at the beginning of the new year. This confirms how much you paid into your pillar 3a with this provider in the last calendar year. . It is mandatory in order to prove the deduction to the tax office. You should therefore enclose it with your tax return. If you have paid into several 3a accounts with different providers, you will receive a separate certificate from each provider. Simply list each payment individually in your tax return and enclose the corresponding certificate. As simple as that.
Where exactly do I enter my pillar 3a contributions in my tax return?
In your tax return, you will find a section for pension contributions.
This is where you enter the figure from the “Certificate of pension contributions”.
This section is often called “Deductions” or “Insurance and pensions”.
In the tax return of the canton of Zurich, for example, you enter the deduction under the heading “Pillar 3a and other types of pension”.
Important: Only enter the amount that you have actually paid in during the tax year.
For 2024, a maximum amount of CHF 7,056 applies for employees with a pension fund.
Self-employed persons without a pension fund can deduct up to 20% of their net income, up to a maximum of CHF 35,280.
Keep the certificate from your bank or insurance company confirming your 3a payment in a safe place.
You will need it as proof for the tax office.
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Pillar 3a tax deduction – the ultimate guide!
How can I use the maximum tax deduction for my 3a deposits?
To receive the maximum tax deduction for your 3a payments, you must pay the maximum annual amount into pillar 3a. For 2024, the maximum amount for payments made by employees with a pension fund is CHF 7,056. Self-employed persons without a pension fund can deduct up to 20% of their net income, up to a maximum of CHF 35,280. Higher maximum amounts already apply for 2025.
Let’s assume that Anna from Zurich is employed and also pays into a pension fund. She wants to achieve the largest tax deduction and therefore pays the maximum amount into her 3a account. She therefore enters the contribution paid in her tax return under “Contributions to recognized forms of tied pension provision (pillar 3a)”. This reduces her taxable income by this amount, which results in a large tax saving for her.
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What happens if I have paid too much into pillar 3a?
There are various reasons why you may have paid too much into pillar 3a. For example, if you save with several providers or pay into 3a as a self-employed person and it later transpires that your payments have exceeded the limit of 20 % of your net income. But none of this is such a big problem.
If you pay more than the permitted maximum amount into your 3a account, the excess amount is simply not recognized as a deduction for tax purposes in the year in question. This is because only the prescribed maximum amounts may be paid into pillar 3a each year. Only contributions up to the maximum amount applicable in the corresponding tax year are allowed as a deduction. As a taxpayer, you will receive a written request from the tax authorities to have your pension account or pension insurance adjusted. Based on this request, your pension fund is obliged to repay or transfer the excess contributions paid in.
Our tip: pay in at the beginning of the year
Pay the contribution at the beginning of the year and you’re done. This way, you can benefit throughout the year from the increased return on your 3a savings account or 3a securities solution compared to a normal private account. Or set up a standing order for the 25th of the month for 1/12 of the maximum amount for employees, so that regular payments are made into your pillar 3a after your salary is received. Then you won’t make any mistakes.
Where do I enter the 3a account in my tax return?
You do not enter the 3a balance itself in your tax return. You only enter the payments made last year as a deduction. Why? Pension assets (3a and pension fund) are exempt from wealth tax. This applies to pension account 3a as well as 3a pension policies or pension fund 3a. It is therefore not necessary to declare the pillar 3a assets in the securities register in the tax return.
Are there differences between the cantons in the tax treatment of pillar 3a?
There are no differences in the tax treatment of pillar 3a contributions between the cantons in Switzerland. The rules for the deductibility of 3a contributions are laid down at federal level and therefore apply uniformly to all cantons. In all cantons, you can deduct pillar 3a contributions from your taxable income.
There are cantonal differences in the tax return forms in which you declare the amount of your 3a payment. The forms vary from canton to canton, as does the name of the section in which you enter your 3a contributions. The capital tax on the payout of your 3a assets also differs from canton to canton. Regardless of this, pillar 3a remains a very effective instrument for tax optimization and retirement provision. By making regular payments and declaring them in your tax return, you can benefit from the tax advantages in every canton.
Find the best pillar 3a
Unbelievable – most people pay too much for their pillar 3a and get too little return. Are you one of them? Find out which pillar 3a is best suited to you with just a few clicks in our free comparison.
Summary: Pillar 3a account tax return: where to enter?
Declaring your pillar 3a account in your tax return is easy. You will find your actual payments made in the calendar year on the certificate that your provider automatically sends you at the beginning of the new year. Enter the amount paid in the section for pension contributions and enclose the certificates with your tax return. If you have paid in more than the maximum amount permitted for the respective tax year, the excess amount will not be recognized. You do not have to declare the 3a assets as assets in the securities register.
Although the deduction rules are standardized throughout Switzerland, the tax forms differ from canton to canton. However, pillar 3a remains an effective means of tax optimization and retirement provision in Switzerland.
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20 FAQs on the topic of pillar 3a tax returns
How do I declare my pillar 3a contributions in my tax return?
You declare your pillar 3a contributions in your tax return in the section for pension contributions or under “Deductions” or “Insurance and pensions”. Enter the amount actually paid in during the tax year.
How do I declare pillar 3a contributions in my tax return as a self-employed person?
If your pillar 3a contributions are included in the business accounts, you must enter them as a profit adjustment in the self-employment details. This is because contributions to Pillar 3a tied pension provision may not be charged to the business, i.e. they do not constitute profit costs. You must therefore declare the contributions under “Deductions/contributions 2nd pillar / pillar 3a and AHV / IV / EO contributions of non-employed persons” and submit the corresponding certificate from the pension foundation.
How is the maximum amount in pillar 3a calculated for self-employed persons?
The maximum annual amount for persons who do not belong to a 2nd pillar pension fund is 20% of earned income, up to a maximum of CHF 35,280 (as at 2024). The relevant earned income is your income from employment (gross salary less AHV/IV/EO/ALV contributions) plus your income from self-employment (balance of the income statement, less personal contributions to AHV/IV/EO).
Which forms do I need for the 3a tax deduction?
For the 3a tax deduction, you need a certificate from your 3a pension foundation confirming the payments made into your 3a account. You will receive this certificate automatically at the beginning of the new year and must enclose it with your tax return.
Can I declare several 3a accounts in my tax return?
Yes, you can declare several 3a accounts in your tax return. Make sure that you enclose a separate certificate for each account and list the deposits individually.
What is the maximum 3a deduction in the tax return?
For 2024, the maximum 3a deduction in the tax return is CHF 7,056 for employees with a pension fund. Self-employed persons without a pension fund can deduct up to 20% of their net income, up to a maximum of CHF 35,280. You can find all the details in this article.
How does pillar 3a affect my taxes?
Pillar 3a has a positive effect on your taxes by reducing your taxable income. By correctly entering your 3a contributions in your tax return, you reduce your taxable income and thus pay less tax.
When do I have to declare my 3a deposits in my tax return?
You must declare your 3a payments in your tax return for the year in which you made the payments. Example: 3a payments were made in 2024, you claim the pension contributions in your tax return for 2024. Enter the amount in the corresponding section for pension contributions. You can claim the deduction up to 69 (women) or 70 (men), provided you earn an income from employment or income in lieu of employment (military service, daily allowances from unemployment, health, accident and disability insurance).
Are there differences in the 3a declaration between the cantons?
The rules for the deductibility of 3a contributions are standardized at federal level, but the tax return forms and their designations may vary from canton to canton.
What happens if I forget to make the 3a contribution in my tax return?
If you forget to declare the 3a contribution in your tax return, you may still be able to rectify this. As long as the tax return has not been definitively assessed, you can submit changes to the tax authorities retrospectively. To do this, write to the tax office, enclose the certificate of pension contributions and ask for a correction. Alternatively, you can also wait for the final tax assessment and submit an objection free of charge within 30 days. After that, you will no longer be able to claim your 3a contributions for tax purposes.
How can I subsequently claim the 3a contribution in my tax return?
Once your tax return has been definitively assessed, there is no longer any way of claiming the 3a contributions you have paid.
Where can the premium for pillar 3a be deducted?
You can enter the premium for your 3a insurance policy in the section for pension contributions or under “Deductions” or “Insurance and pensions” in your tax return.
How much tax can you deduct for pillar 3a?
As an employee with a pension fund, you can deduct a maximum of CHF 7,056 in contributions paid into pillar 3a in 2024. Self-employed persons without a pension fund can deduct up to 20% of their net income, up to a maximum of CHF 35,280. You must provide proof of the contributions paid with a certificate from the pension fund.
How much tax savings with 3a?
The tax savings from payments into pillar 3a depend on your income and tax rate. The tax savings when paying in the maximum amount for employees can range from several hundred to around CHF 2,500 per year.
Are pillar 3a assets? Is pillar 3a taxed as an asset?
Pillar 3a is considered an asset, but as a tied pension plan it is not taxed as an asset until it is withdrawn. The assets are only taxed separately from other income at a reduced rate when they are paid out. It is therefore not necessary to declare the 3a assets in the securities register.
How is 3a taxed?
Payments into pillar 3a are tax-deductible, while the assets are not taxed until they are paid out.
Can the 3rd pillar be deducted from taxes?
Yes, you can deduct the payments into pillar 3a from your taxes. To do this, enter the amount paid in in the relevant section of your tax return to reduce your taxable income. The amount you can pay into pillar 3a is limited to a maximum amount. Any savings contributions in excess of this amount belong to your private pension provision (pillar 3b). They are not tax-deductible.
Where do 3a accounts have to be listed in the tax return?
3a accounts themselves do not have to be listed in the tax return. You only enter the annual payments in the section for pension contributions or under “Deductions” or “Insurance and pensions”.
How much pillar 3a can I deduct?
As an employee with a pension fund, you can deduct a maximum of CHF 7,056 from pillar 3a for 2024. If you are self-employed and do not have a pension fund, you can deduct up to 20% of your net income, up to a maximum of CHF 35,280.
Where can I deduct the 3rd pillar?
You can deduct pillar 3a contributions from your tax return in all cantons. To do this, you list the payments into pillar 3a in the section for pension contributions or under “Deductions” or “Insurance and pensions” in your tax return.
What advantages does pillar 3a offer over and above the tax deductions?
In addition to the tax deductions, pillar 3a offers advantages such as the promotion of retirement provision, the option of investing capital in various forms of investment and flexibility in payouts, for example in old age or when financing real estate.
Disclaimer
We have taken great care with the content of this article. Nevertheless, we cannot rule out errors and cannot guarantee that it is correct and complete. This article does not replace tax advice. We do not offer tax advice and recommend that tax issues are always clarified with a tax expert and/or the relevant cantonal tax administration. Any liability is rejected.
