Epargne 3 Savings Account

With our Epargne 3 savings account, you can save up for retirement, a new house, or to become self-employed – all while reducing your tax bill.

Meet with a BCV advisor

Highlights

Put aside what you want, when you want
Save on your taxes
Withdraw your money when you retire early, buy a house, or start your own business

Estimate your tax savings

Maximize your Pillar 3 retirement savings

Learn more about our investment strategies for Pillar 3 savings

Details

Tax-free interest at an attractive rate

The variable interest rate on our Epargne 3 account is higher than that on our standard savings account. And the interest you receive is not subject to income tax.

Paying down your mortgage indirectly

You can put money intended to pay off your mortgage into an Epargne 3 account. At the end of the agreed term, you can use the money in the account to pay down your mortgage. The money you withdraw is taxed at a reduced rate.

This method offers significant tax advantages: money paid into an Epargne 3 account can be deducted from your taxable income, and your mortgage debt remains constant during this time and can therefore be deducted in full from your total wealth on your tax return.

Open several accounts to maximize the tax benefits

You can get additional tax benefits when you take money out of your Epargne 3 account by spreading the withdrawals over several years, to minimize the effects of progressive taxation. You can take the money out starting five years before the legal retirement age or, if you continue working, until age 69 for women and age 70 for men. However, when you take money out of an Epargne 3 account, you must take it all out at once. Therefore you would need to have several accounts to spread the withdrawals out over time.

Fees and conditions

	Conditions
Interest rate	0.05%
Withdrawal conditions	Starting no more than five years before the legal retirement age. If you continue working after the legal retirement age and keep paying into a third-pillar account, you can get the corresponding third-pillar tax benefits for up to five years after the legal retirement age. If you want to buy a house or pay down a mortgage If you leave Switzerland permanently If you want to become self-employed If you use the money you withdraw to purchase past years in an occupational pension fund If you become eligible for full Swiss disability benefits
Other conditions	Your income must be subject to Swiss social security contributions Maximum tax-deductible amount (for 2015): CHF 6,883 if you pay into an occupational pension fund; otherwise, 20% of your income (up to a limit of CHF 34,416)