Pillar 3a plan
Pay less tax today.
Retire wealthier tomorrow.
Your Pillar 3a is the rare investment that pays you back twice — the market grows your money, and the tax office hands you up to CHF 2'400 back every single year. Fully automated, invested in quality companies, from CHF 1.
Opens online in minutes · no app needed · invest from CHF 1
Why a 3a
Switzerland's most powerful
tax break, on autopilot.
Four reasons the Pillar 3a is the single best money move most people in Switzerland never fully use.
Deduct it every year
Every franc you pay in comes straight off your taxable income — up to CHF 2'400 back, year after year.
Grows tax-free
No income or wealth tax on your 3a while it compounds. Capital gains are tax-free in Switzerland.
Locked in, on purpose
Reserved for retirement, so it actually gets there — with early access for a home, going self-employed, or leaving Switzerland.
Fully automated
One standing order and you're done. We invest, rebalance and prepare your tax certificate — from CHF 1.
The 3a difference
Two returns,
not one.
A normal investment earns one return: the market. A Pillar 3a earns two — the market grows your money, and the tax office pays you back every year.
Missed a year? Now you can catch up — and deduct it.
For the first time, you can retroactively top up missed Pillar 3a contributions and claim the tax deduction for them — one of the biggest changes to the Swiss pension system since 1987.
The honest catch: it only applies to gaps from contribution year 2025 onward — so in 2026 you can make up a single year at most, and the full 10-year look-back is only reached in 2035. You also have to pay the regular maximum first.
Real money, every year
What a full 3a hands back
Pay in the 2026 maximum and this is roughly what returns to you — every single year, for the rest of your working life. (Zurich, single, illustrative.)
Risk profiles
Five profiles. One destination.
Your 3a should be invested, not parked at 0.5% in a savings account. Pick the level of risk that fits your horizon — every profile starts from CHF 1.
Swipe or use the arrows to see all five →
The pro move
Why smart savers open five 3a accounts.
You can only ever withdraw a 3a account in full. Drain one big account at retirement and the lump-sum tax rate climbs with the amount.
Spread the same money across five accounts and withdraw them in five different years — you break the tax progression and keep far more of it.
Made for your situation
3a works differently for everyone
The levers change with your life stage. Find the free, CFA-reviewed guide that fits where you stand.
Career starters
Started saving late? From 2026 you can catch up missed years and deduct them retroactively.
Catch-up guide →Part-time & parents
Reduced hours for family? See what career breaks really cost — and how to close the gap.
Read the guide →Self-employed
Without a pension fund you can deduct up to CHF 36'288 a year. The single biggest 3a lever there is.
Self-employed guide →Married couples
Double the deduction (combined CHF 14'516) — but mind the withdrawal trap. Plan it together.
Couples guide →Expats in Switzerland
What happens to your 3a if you leave, withholding-tax optimisation, and the vested-benefits route.
Expats guide →Buying a home
Early withdrawal vs. pledging your 3a for a mortgage — and which one keeps more of your money.
Home-ownership guide →How it works
Up and running in minutes
Three simple steps, all online. No paperwork, no appointments.
Open your 3a account
Open your Pillar 3a online and verify your ID right in your browser — plus your current 3a policy number if you already have one. Your 3a is held at Liberty 3a Vorsorgestiftung, custody at Hypothekarbank Lenzburg.
Determine your risk type
Answer a few questions about your risk appetite and we suggest the right profile — from Strolling to Climbing — built from around 30 quality companies.
Set a standing order — and save tax
Set a monthly standing order from your salary account, from CHF 1. It invests automatically — and the tax deduction takes care of itself.
Effortless by design
You set it in motion.
We take care of the rest.
Once your 3a is funded, Team arvy runs the portfolio. The only thing on your list each year: download your tax certificate from your account. That's it.
- Open your 3a & set a standing order — once. From CHF 1, monthly or one-off.
- Download your tax certificate once a yearReady in your account — just pass it to your tax authority.
- Enjoy the voyage — live your life and do what you love.
- Select & buy your ~30 quality companies
- Rebalance & reinvest — automatically, as markets move
- Every transaction, custody & currency — handled
- Continuous CFA oversight & risk management
- Keep you in the loop with market & portfolio updates
- Prepare your annual tax certificate, ready in your account
Part of the ship, part of the crew. We invest right alongside you — so you learn, you grow, you invest, and still get to enjoy life while we mind the helm. That's the voyage, together.
Your money is safe
A solid 3a, thanks
to strong partners
arvy manages the strategy. Your pension assets sit with regulated Swiss institutions — legally separate from arvy.
Fees
Simple, fair, and transparent
Know exactly what you're paying. No hidden fees, just one straightforward, all-in price.
One simple management fee for your Pillar 3a — no account, transaction or custody fees on top. A little higher than our other products today, and set to come down over time.
What's included in the fee
- Professional management of your 3a portfolio
- All transaction costs and custody fees
- Foreign-currency surcharges included
- The full app — education, updates and support
- Your annual tax certificate, ready to file
Your 3a is held at Liberty 3a Vorsorgestiftung, with custody at Hypothekarbank Lenzburg. Depending on your chosen profile, product costs and stamp duties may apply on top.
FAQ
Still unsure? We've got answers
Everything you need to know before you get started. Still have questions? We're a message away.
What is Pillar 3a, exactly?
It's voluntary, tax-privileged private retirement saving in Switzerland. You pay into a dedicated 3a account, deduct the contributions from your taxable income, the money grows free of income and wealth tax, and on withdrawal it's taxed separately at a reduced rate. With arvy, that money is invested in quality companies rather than sitting in cash.
How much can I pay in for 2026?
Employees with a pension fund can contribute up to CHF 7'258. Self-employed people without a pension fund can pay in 20% of net income, up to CHF 36'288. You can invest from as little as CHF 1.
How much tax do I actually save?
Your saving is your marginal tax rate × your contribution. On a full CHF 7'258 that's roughly CHF 1'600 at CHF 60'000 income, CHF 2'000 at CHF 100'000, and CHF 2'400 at CHF 150'000 (Zurich, illustrative). Self-employed savers can save CHF 10'000–15'000. Use the calculator at the top for your own figure.
When can I access the money?
Your 3a is reserved for retirement — available from five years before the ordinary AHV age. There are exceptions where you can withdraw earlier: buying your own home, becoming self-employed, or leaving Switzerland permanently.
Can I really catch up on missed years now?
Yes — since 1 January 2026 you can retroactively top up missed contributions and deduct them. But only gaps from contribution year 2025 onward count, you must pay the regular maximum first, and the full 10-year look-back is only reached in 2035. Read the full guide.
Why would I open five 3a accounts?
You can only withdraw a 3a account in full, and the lump-sum tax rate rises with the amount. Spreading your savings across five accounts and withdrawing them in five different years breaks that progression — typically saving CHF 6'000 to CHF 20'000 in tax. See the strategy.
Is arvy safe and regulated?
arvy is FINMA-supervised. Your 3a is held at the Liberty 3a Vorsorgestiftung with custody at Hypothekarbank Lenzburg, a Swiss bank — legally separate from arvy.
Learn. Grow. Invest.
Open your 3a today,
and pay less tax this year.
Three simple steps, about nine minutes — then the deduction and compounding do the rest.
Available online today · the arvy app is on the way
Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of capital. The value of investments can go down as well as up, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. All figures, tax savings, projections and example returns shown on this page are illustrative estimates only — investment returns assume 7% p.a. gross for Climbing down to 3% for Strolling, and tax savings depend on your canton, municipality, income and marital status. They are not a promise or forecast, and do not constitute tax, investment or retirement advice. Pillar 3a rules, contribution maxima and the retroactive catch-up regulation may change. Your 3a is held at the Liberty 3a Vorsorgestiftung with custody at Hypothekarbank Lenzburg; arvy is supervised by FINMA. Please consider your own circumstances, the relevant product factsheets, and a tax advisor before investing.
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