How your AVS/AHV pension (1st pillar) is calculated

AVS/AHV pension amounts in 2026

For a complete contribution history, the monthly AVS pension of a single person falls between the minimum and the maximum pension. Both bounds are set by law and adjusted periodically to price and wage developments. On 1 January 2026 the minimum pension was raised by 2.9%.

For a married couple where both spouses draw a pension, the sum of the two pensions is capped at 150% of the maximum individual pension.

The two conditions for the maximum pension

The maximum pension of CHF 2,520 is not automatic: it requires two conditions at once. First, a complete contribution period of 44 uninterrupted years, from 1 January following your 20th birthday until the reference age. Second, a determining average annual income of at least CHF 90,720.

In other words, a high income is not enough if years are missing, and a full career is not enough if the average income stays modest. Your actual pension sits between the two bounds depending on both parameters.

Because the AVS is a solidarity-based scheme, the spread is deliberately compressed: the maximum pension is only twice the minimum, while contributory incomes can vary far more.

What one missing contribution year costs

Every missing year (time spent abroad, study years without contributions, failing to contribute while not gainfully employed) reduces the pension by roughly 1/44th, or about 2.3% per year.

The orders of magnitude below apply to someone who would otherwise qualify for the maximum pension. They are indicative: the AVS actually applies a stepped pension scale (scales 1 to 44) published by the Federal Social Insurance Office.

The 13th AVS pension from December 2026

From 2026, everyone drawing an old-age pension receives one additional monthly pension each year, paid in December. The first payment is made in early December 2026.

The amount equals one twelfth of the old-age pension received during the year, i.e. roughly 8.33% of extra annual income. Payment is automatic: nothing needs to be claimed.

In practice, a maximum pension of CHF 2,520 per month is CHF 30,240 over the year, plus a 13th pension of about CHF 2,520, for close to CHF 32,760 in total. Supplementary pensions, children's pensions and special supplements are not counted in the calculation. People receiving supplementary benefits (PC/EL) get the full 13th pension without any reduction of those benefits.

The determining average annual income

The average income is not a plain average of your salaries: past income is revalued to reflect wage growth since it was earned. Added to it are educational credits (years spent raising children under 16) and care credits, which raise the determining income even though they were never actual earnings.

For married couples, income earned during the years of marriage is split in half between the two spouses at retirement: this is splitting. It can bring the two pensions of a couple with unequal incomes noticeably closer together.

How to estimate your pension

The most reliable route is to request a free statement of your individual account (IK/CI) from your compensation office: it lists every income you contributed on and lets you spot gaps while they can still be closed (missing contributions can only be made up within five years).

For the full picture, RetirePlan combines your AVS pension with your 2nd and 3rd pillars and projects your total retirement income. It is that sum of the three pillars, compared against your budget, that actually answers the question: will you be able to retire when you want to?

Frequently asked questions

What is the maximum AVS/AHV pension in 2026?

CHF 2,520 per month for a single person, and a cap of CHF 3,780 for a married couple. The minimum pension for a full contribution history is CHF 1,260 per month. The 13th pension, paid in December, comes on top of these amounts.

How many years do you need to contribute for a full AVS pension?

44 uninterrupted years, from 1 January following your 20th birthday until the reference age. Each missing year reduces the pension by roughly 1/44th, about 2.3%.

What income do you need for the maximum AVS pension?

A determining average annual income of at least CHF 90,720, on top of a complete 44-year contribution period. Both conditions must be met at the same time.

What is the 13th AVS pension and when is it paid?

It is one additional monthly pension paid once a year, in December, to everyone drawing an old-age pension. The first payment is in December 2026. It equals one twelfth of the pension received during the year and is paid automatically.

How do I check my contribution years?

Request a free individual account statement from your AVS compensation office. It lists your contributory income year by year and makes any gaps visible.