| Move, and the time it takes | What it is worth |
|---|---|
| 1. Open a 3a, with a standing order Opening an account online | About a quarter of the payment, as less tax |
| 2. Invest that 3a in equities A choice when you open it | More than CHF 100'000 over 20 years |
| 3. Raise your health insurance deductible One click with your insurer | Up to about CHF 1'500 less premium a year |
| 4. Cut your bank fees One hour | Thousands of francs on your investments |
| 5. Claim all your deductions On the day you file your return | Often a few hundred francs a year |
Keep about 3 months of expenses in a savings account you can access straight away. It saves you from selling your investments at the wrong time if something unexpected happens. Once it is in place, everything else can work. Where to keep it: your emergency fund in 2026.
1. Open a 3a, with a standing order
The 3a is optional: you open the account yourself, online, in a few minutes. Every franc paid in is deducted from your taxable income, and the state gives you back about a quarter of it this year. For most employees, it is the simplest tax lever there is. All you need is AHV-liable income in Switzerland, whatever your permit.
Then set up a standing order for the day after payday: the money leaves before you can spend it, and you stop thinking about it. About 600 francs a month reach the annual maximum. Cannot afford that? Even 200 francs a month already give you back about 600 francs of tax a year. To count for this year, the money must be credited before 31 December.
Taxed at source? You only get the deduction with a subsequent ordinary assessment: see the B permit guide. The limit, the deadlines and the saving for your canton are in our article on the 3a limit.
2. Invest that 3a in equities
The same deduction, but a much higher return. A classic 3a account earns almost nothing. A 3a invested in equity funds aims for about 4 to 6% a year over the long term, depending on the share of equities. You choose it when you open the account, or through a simple transfer.
About CHF 118'000 of difference. Historical returns, not guaranteed.
An invested 3a can fall in some years. It is the right choice if you have more than 10 years ahead of you. Within 5 years of withdrawal, a more cautious share makes more sense. Where to open it and at what cost: invested 3a providers compared.
3. Raise your health insurance deductible, if you are healthy
The higher your deductible, the lower your premium. Moving from the lowest deductible to the highest cuts the premium by up to about 1'500 francs a year. If your medical costs stay low, you keep the difference.
Keep enough aside to pay for a bad year: about 3'200 francs, the deductible plus the maximum co-payment. With regular treatment, the low deductible is often better. To lower it, your request must arrive before 30 November.
The threshold of costs that decides the right deductible is in our article on the deductible.
4. Cut your bank fees
Fees go unnoticed, but they add up. Several Swiss offers run a current account with no fees. And as soon as you invest, the gap becomes large: buying once a month for 10 years costs several thousand francs in fees at a traditional bank, against a few hundred francs with an online broker.
The figures are in Swissquote, Interactive Brokers or your bank.
5. Claim all your deductions
Many employees pay too much tax simply by forgetting. Commuting, meals away from home, training, childcare, insurance premiums: every forgotten deduction is money left with the tax office. Take ten minutes to go through the list before you fill in your return.
The 11 deductions and their official amounts are in our article on deductions.
Going further
Open several 3a accounts. On withdrawal, the capital is taxed at a rate that rises with the amount. Three or four accounts, withdrawn in different years, cost less tax than one large account. If you leave Switzerland for good, you can withdraw them all.
If your 3a is invested, pay in January rather than December. The deduction is the same, but the money works almost a year longer. Over 20 years, it makes a visible difference.
Arrived from abroad? Look at a pension fund buy-in. Your years abroad often leave a gap in your pension fund, and buying it back is fully deductible, within limits during your first 5 years: see the pension fund buy-in.
What next?
- You have a 3a and a reserve: open a brokerage account. In Switzerland, your stock market gains are not taxed. Read investing in Switzerland, then your first purchase in 5 steps.
- You want your priorities in one minute: the financial score gives them in 6 questions.
Your exact 3a savingFor your canton, your income and your horizon.
Open the calculatorYour next step
To do, at your own pace:
Path “The basics” · step 1 of 8
Frequently asked questions
Where do I start if I have little time?
In this order: an emergency fund of 3 months of expenses, then a 3a with a standing order. Next, your health insurance deductible (before 30 November to lower it, usually until 31 December to raise it), then your bank fees and your deductions.
I cannot pay in the maximum: is the 3a still worth it?
Yes. Any amount is deductible. CHF 200 a month, or CHF 2'400 a year, gives you back about CHF 600 to 700 in tax depending on the canton.
I am taxed at source: does the 3a still save me tax?
Yes, but only with a subsequent ordinary assessment: you then file a full tax return and claim the deduction. Below CHF 120'000 of gross salary, you request it before 31 March of the following year; it then applies to all following years.
Do I need an emergency fund before investing?
Yes. Keep about 3 months of expenses in a savings account you can access straight away. It saves you from selling your investments at the wrong time, or borrowing, if something unexpected happens.
3a account or invested 3a?
A 3a account often pays 0.2 to 1% a year. A 3a invested in equities aims for about 4 to 6% a year over the long term, depending on the share of equities, with falls in some years. Over 20 years of maximum contributions, the difference can approach or exceed CHF 100'000.
What comes after these 5 moves?
Open a brokerage account with a low-cost broker and invest every month in an index ETF. In Switzerland, a private investor's stock market gains are not taxed.
Sources: FSIO, 2026 and 2027 3a limits ; BVV 3 / OPP 3 art. 7 ; KVV / OAMal art. 95 (maximum discount on optional deductibles) ; KVG / LAMal art. 64 ; FTA tax calculator (2026 tariffs) ; DBG / LIFD art. 89 and 89a (subsequent ordinary assessment) ; broker fee schedules, checked in September 2026 ; ViaVest calculations based on historical returns, not guaranteed.