National Council committee wants to abolish old-age child pensions
Published: Friday, Jan 19th 2024, 17:20
Updated At: Friday, Jan 19th 2024, 17:20
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AHV and pension fund recipients should no longer receive a pension for their children. This is the opinion of the responsible National Council committee. It has passed a motion to this effect. The change should only apply to new pensions.
The decision was made in the National Council's Social Security and Health Committee (SGK-N) by 16 votes to 9, as reported by the parliamentary services on Friday. A left-wing minority is against the motion. The large chamber will decide on the motion next.
According to the text of the motion, the abolition of old-age children's pensions in the OASI and occupational pension schemes should be accompanied by a simultaneous increase in supplementary benefits for parents with maintenance obligations. In addition, survivors' pensions - also known as orphans' pensions - and children's pensions in the event of disability and their continued payment at AHV age are not to be affected.
In the opinion of the National Council Committee, old-age children's pensions that are already in payment should also continue to be paid until the end of the entitlement period. However, the transparency of payments and the prevention of possible abuse should be improved.
Not a new concern
With the requested changes, the SGK-N wants to specifically eliminate discrimination, according to the press release. For example, it is primarily pensioners who currently receive child pensions - regardless of their financial situation. This puts them in a better position than pensioners and working-age families. Changes are needed "with a view to economic sustainability and social justice for all generations".
The cost of child pensions has risen sharply over the past twenty years and amounts to more than CHF 230 million a year in the AHV alone, as can be seen from the written justification for the motion. Well over ninety percent of pensions today go to men, as only a few women become mothers at the age of fifty.
The abolition of the child pension is not a new issue. The National Council had already called for this during the debate on the 12th AHV revision around seven years ago.
Supplement to the old-age pension
The child's pension is a supplement to the old-age pension for insured persons who have children up to the age of 18 or - if they are in education - 25. The child pension amounts to a maximum of 40 percent of your own old-age pension.
If both parents receive an old-age pension, they are now entitled to two children's pensions. Together, these may not exceed sixty percent of the maximum retirement pension.
Working parents receive 200 to 300 francs per month per child. Pensioners receive a monthly child pension of 478 to 956 francs.
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