The Federal Council Will Equalize Widows and Widowers in Pensions
Published: Wednesday, Jun 28th 2023, 14:00
Updated At: Friday, Oct 13th 2023, 14:12
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The Swiss Federal Council has proposed reforms to the AHV survivor's pension system. The reforms aim to equalise the rights of widows and widowers, and to no longer provide a lifelong pension to women. The proposed changes will be open for public consultation in the autumn. Under the new system, widows and widowers will receive a pension until the 25th birthday of their child, regardless of their marital status. This is in response to a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in 2022, which found that the current system discriminated against women. The reforms are intended to restore legal equality between widows and widowers, to adapt the system to modern social realities, and to provide relief. The Federal Council estimates that the reforms will save 810 million Swiss francs in the AHV and 160 million francs for the federal government.
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