In Switzerland, all individuals working and living in the country are entitled to federally-administered minimum income benefits from their day of birth. These benefits comprise the first pillar of Switzerland’s three-pillared welfare system, and include Old Age and Survivors’ Insurance (AHV), Disability Insurance (IV) and certain additional benefits.
This social security system was implemented in Switzerland following the industrial revolution of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Its aim is to protect individuals and their dependents against financial instability in the event of retirement, death or disability. As a mandatory insurance provision, this structure guarantees a basic standard of living during retirement or in the case of disability. It also serves to support an individual’s living dependants in the event of death.
These basic benefits, as provided by the state’s pension system, are usually not sufficient to sustain the lifestyle enjoyed up until the time of retirement. However, investors who prepare for a comfortable old age, and who set aside sufficient provisions for their loved ones, can look forward to more than a basic retirement. By reaping the rewards of sound investment and financial advice, individuals can enjoy their retirement years for what they truly are: Life’s longest holiday.