Why do pension assets get forgotten?
When you leave a job without starting a new one in Switzerland straight away, your pension savings are paid into a vested benefits account or policy. After several job changes, a move or leaving the country, it is easy to lose track.
The money is still yours — you just need to know where it is.
How does the search work?
1. Your application
By phone or email: identity, AHV number and power of attorney.
2. The search with the Central Office 2nd Pillar
It identifies the pension and vested benefits institutions holding assets in your name.
3. Statements from each institution
We ask for the amount of each asset and keep you informed of progress.
4. Advice, if you wish
An adviser explains your options, including consolidation with Liberty Vested Benefits Foundation. The choice is yours.
Documents to prepare
An ID document
Passport or identity card.
Your AHV number
Your Swiss social security number, on your salary certificate or AHV card.
A power of attorney
We send it to you to sign.
How much does it cost?
The search for your assets is free and without obligation.
How we are paid. Prévancia is a business partner of Liberty Vested Benefits Foundation. If you decide to consolidate your assets there, Liberty pays Prévancia a referral fee of around 3% of each amount transferred. Prévancia is therefore not independent of this partner: you remain free to compare other solutions.
Searching for your Swiss pension assets is an important step for anyone who has worked in Switzerland and left their job, temporarily or for good. Each time your working situation changes, your 2nd pillar savings are transferred to a vested benefits account. Yet many people are unaware of these assets or lose track of them. At Prévancia, we help you locate these funds and take back control of them.
What are vested benefits?
When you leave a job without immediately joining a new employer with a pension fund, your occupational pension savings (2nd pillar) are transferred to a vested benefits account. These assets still belong to you, but they are often held by banks or foundations without you being fully aware of it.
A search for your pension assets is therefore particularly useful if:
- You have changed jobs several times.
- You are moving abroad.
- You no longer receive account statements.
- You were never told that your 2nd pillar had been transferred.
Why search for your pension assets?
1. Recover forgotten money
Some vested benefits lose contact with their owner, for example after a change of job or a move abroad. This money can be a valuable addition to your retirement income or be used for personal projects (buying a home, pension buy-ins, etc.).
2. Manage your assets better
Once your assets have been located, they can, if you wish, be transferred to a vested benefits account with an investment strategy that suits your risk profile.
3. Plan your retirement with peace of mind
Every franc in your 2nd pillar counts for your future. Searching for your pension assets lays the foundations for a better-prepared retirement, with full knowledge of your rights.
How does a search with Prévancia work?
At Prévancia, we make the whole process simple. Here is how we proceed:
- Your application: identity, AHV number, ID document and a signed power of attorney.
- Search with the Central Office 2nd Pillar: it identifies the institutions holding assets in your name.
- Statements: we ask each institution for the amount of your assets.
- Advice, if you wish: an adviser explains your options, including consolidation with Liberty Vested Benefits Foundation.
Where are my vested benefits?
Several institutions in Switzerland hold vested benefits accounts: bank foundations, insurance companies, etc. The Substitute Occupational Benefit Institution also plays a central role for unclaimed funds.
A search for your pension assets allows us to contact:
- the Central Office 2nd Pillar, which identifies the institutions where assets are registered in your name
- your former pension funds
- vested benefits foundations
- the Substitute Occupational Benefit Institution
Real-life cases: when should you search for your pension assets?
🔹 You left Switzerland several years ago
Even if you live abroad, your assets remain available. A search will help you find them.
🔹 You are thinking of buying back contribution years
Recovering pension assets can make a buy-in easier, which can be tax-efficient.
🔹 You are preparing for retirement
Now is the time to review your accrued rights. Talk to a Prévancia adviser.
🔹 You are a cross-border commuter and have changed employer
Your pension contributions may have been transferred without your knowledge. Find out more about our support for cross-border commuters.
Why trust Prévancia with your search?
- Specialists in tracing 2nd pillar assets
- Support for cross-border commuters and residents
- A free search, with no obligation
- Transparent remuneration, explained before you sign anything
Our mission: to help you take back control of your retirement savings.
Start your search today
Do not leave your assets behind. One simple step can help you recover money that matters for your future.
Prévancia is a business partner of Liberty Vested Benefits Foundation. If you decide to consolidate your assets there, Liberty pays Prévancia a referral fee of around 3% of each amount transferred. Prévancia is therefore not independent of this partner: you remain free to compare other solutions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Central Office 2nd Pillar?
It is the official office to which pension and vested benefits assets in Switzerland are reported. It shows where a person’s assets are held.
What if no assets are found?
We let you know. The search remains free.
Do I then have to transfer my assets to Liberty?
No. You are free to leave your assets where they are or to choose another solution.