Vote on financing the 13th AHV pension to be held on November 29

Switzerland will vote on financing the 13th monthly AHV pension on November 29, 2026. The VAT increase could take effect no earlier than the beginning of 2028.

Author: Editorial teamOctober 10, 20261 min read

Editorial content

Szavazóurna és szavazólapok egy teremben, háttérben a svájci szövetségi parlament épülete — Fa szavazóurna és szavazólapok láthatók egy szavazóhelyiség asztalán, a háttérben a svájci szövetségi parlament épületével. A teremben egy ülő személy is megfigyelhető.

On November 29, a federal vote will be held in Switzerland on the proposal concerning the financing of the 13th AHV pension payment. AHV is Switzerland’s state pension insurance scheme; the date of the vote is announced by the Federal Social Insurance Office (BSV).

Possible date of the VAT increase

The VAT increase linked to the financing proposal could take effect at the earliest at the beginning of 2028 according to BSV. The date of the referendum therefore does not coincide with the start of the tax change: the announced timing refers to a planned increase, not one that is already in force.

Average amount of the 13th pension payment

The 13th pension payment amounts to an average of approximately CHF 1,600, according to hzinsurance.ch. This is an average figure: the exact amount paid to an individual beneficiary cannot be determined from it alone.

Sources

What is changing in Switzerland in September 2026?

In Brief

Switzerland will hold a federal vote on November 29 on financing the 13th monthly AHV pension. According to BSV, the VAT increase linked to the proposal could take effect no earlier than the beginning of 2028, meaning the vote and the start of the tax change will not coincide.

Key Takeaways

A federal vote on the proposal to finance the 13th monthly AHV pension will be held on November 29.
According to BSV, the related VAT increase could take effect no earlier than the beginning of 2028.
The average 13th pension payment is approximately CHF 1,600 per person; this does not determine the exact amount of an individual payment.

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