Swiss foundation urges wealthy pensioners to donate 13th pension

A newly established foundation is asking well-off Swiss pensioners to donate their first 13th AHV pension payment, due in December, SRF reports. It says the appeal is aimed at people who do not need the extra money.

Fondation Chance 13 will pass donations on to charitable organisations. Its first partners are Pro Senectute, which plans to use the funds to help older people facing acute hardship, and Pro Juventute, which will support projects for children and young people, including in education.

The foundation was established by Lucerne entrepreneur and pension expert Jörg Odermatt and banker Karl Reichmuth. Each has contributed 150,000 francs of personal funds. They expect donations of between one million and two million francs in the first few years.

The founders say the foundation can direct donations more effectively than individual contributions to charities. They stress that many pensioners need the additional payment, and that the appeal is intended only for those who can manage without it. Odermatt estimates that about a quarter of pensioners could forgo the extra pension, but the foundation has only recently been entered in the commercial register, and it is not yet clear how much people will donate.

Voters will decide on November 29 how to finance the 13th AHV pension, which is expected to cost more than four billion francs initially. Parliament has approved a 0.4 percentage-point increase in value-added tax to cover part of the cost. The increase could take effect no earlier than 2028, leaving the 2026 and 2027 payments without additional financing.