How to Find Out How Much You Have in Your Second Pillar? The Complete Guide to Recovering Your LPP Assets

Many Swiss people ask themselves the same question at some point: “How much do I have in my second pillar?”

Between job changes, relocations, career breaks or stays abroad, it is common to lose track of part of your pension savings. Yet, these 2nd Pillar assets often represent significant amounts — sometimes tens of thousands of francs — accumulated over the course of a career. They are an essential part of your retirement – and, above all, money that belongs to you.

The 2nd Pillar, or occupational pension plan (LPP), complements the 1st Pillar (AVS) to ensure you have a sufficient income after your working life. But over time and through professional transitions, some assets may become scattered across different pension funds or left in vested benefits accounts whose existence you may even have forgotten. According to official estimates, more than CHF 13 billion currently lie unclaimed in forgotten accounts in Switzerland.

At Kala, our mission is simple: to help you find and recover your 2nd Pillar assets easily, free of charge, and without complex administrative procedures. Thanks to our 100% digital solution, you can find out in just a few minutes whether there are any lost assets in your name and get support to repatriate them safely.

In this article, we explain how to find out how much you have in your 2nd Pillar, the different ways to do so, and why it is essential to check your assets regularly. Whether you are employed, retired or living abroad, this guide will give you all the keys to find, understand and optimize your LPP savings — an essential step in preparing for your financial future.

Quick Answer: How to Find Out How Much You Have in Your Second Pillar

To know the amount of your 2nd Pillar, you can consult the annual certificate sent by your pension fund. However, if you have changed jobs, left Switzerland or lost contact with a former institution, part of your assets may be held in a forgotten vested benefits account.

At Kala, we simplify the entire process. In less than three minutes, you fill out an online form or use our app. We then automatically submit the request to the 2nd Pillar Central Office, which queries more than 1,500 pension funds across Switzerland.

As soon as assets are identified in your name, you are immediately informed and guided through the repatriation process. Everything is done online, free of charge and without obligation. With Kala, you finally know where your money is and can make it grow again.

What Is the Second Pillar and Why Is It Essential

In Switzerland, the second pillar, or occupational pension plan (LPP), represents the savings that each employee accumulates throughout their career. It complements the 1st Pillar (AVS) to ensure sufficient income in retirement. Each month, a portion of your salary is paid into your pension fund, supplemented by your employer’s contribution. These contributions form your LPP assets, a capital that grows year after year.

Knowing the amount of this capital is essential for planning your financial future. It allows you to assess your future standard of living, plan potential buy-ins and avoid losing funds during job changes. Indeed, with each professional transition, your assets must be transferred to your new pension fund or placed in a vested benefits account. If this is not done properly, they can end up forgotten — sometimes for years.

The 2nd Pillar is not limited to retirement: it can also be used to finance housing, an independent project, or be passed on to your loved ones in case of death. In short, it is a valuable personal capital, often amounting to several tens or even hundreds of thousands of francs. Monitoring it regularly is therefore essential to protect what you have built throughout your working life.

Why People Lose Track of Their Second Pillar Assets

Despite its importance, many people do not know exactly how much they have accumulated in their 2nd Pillar. Over the years, job changes, relocations or changes in personal circumstances can easily disperse part of these savings.

Each time you change employer, your pension fund transfers your assets to the new institution. But if the transfer is not completed properly, the funds are placed in a vested benefits account, often with the Substitute Occupational Benefit Institution (Fondation institution supplétive LPP), which acts as a safety net for unclaimed assets. These accounts can remain inactive for years without their holders realizing it.

Departures abroad are another common cause. When someone leaves Switzerland, only part of their LPP assets can be withdrawn, with the remainder left in a vested benefits account in Switzerland. Many expatriates then forget about these funds, even though they still belong to them.

Periods of unemployment, extended leave, or even changes in name or address can also lead to loss of traceability. If the pension fund can no longer reach the insured person, the account simply becomes “dormant.” Sometimes even administrative errors during partial transfers can leave a portion of assets forgotten in an old pension fund.

Today, it is estimated that more than CHF 13 billion in pension assets remain unclaimed in Switzerland, spread across over one million forgotten accounts. In other words, losing track of a 2nd Pillar asset is very common — but fortunately, there are now simple and fast ways to find them.

How to Check the Amount of Your 2nd Pillar

Knowing how much you have in your 2nd Pillar is an essential — yet often neglected — step. Fortunately, there are now several simple ways to get a clear picture of your pension savings, whether active, scattered, or forgotten.

Consult Your Current Pension Fund

If you are currently employed, the most direct way is to consult your annual pension statement. This document, sent by your pension fund, details your retirement savings, contributions paid, and interest credited. If you lose it, you can request a duplicate from your employer or directly from the fund.

However, this statement only reflects your current situation. If you have worked for several employers, some assets may remain in old vested benefits accounts or other institutions. Therefore, it is necessary to broaden your search to get a complete overview of your 2nd Pillar.

Recover Old Accounts or Pension Funds

When you change jobs, your former pension fund normally transfers your assets to the new one. But if the process is not finalized, the money is paid into a vested benefits account. You can try to locate these accounts by contacting your former employers or their pension institutions. By providing your employment dates and personal details, they can check whether a balance still exists in your name.

This method works well when you have had few employers, but it becomes complicated for longer careers. That’s why Switzerland has set up a centralized solution.

Kala: The Simplest and Fastest Way to Know Your Assets

At Kala, we wanted to make the search for your 2nd Pillar assets simple, fast, and fully digital. In less than three minutes, you fill out a form online or via our mobile app. We then automatically submit your request to the 2nd Pillar Central Office, the official body that centralizes data from more than 1,500 pension funds and foundations across Switzerland.

As soon as an asset matching your profile is identified, you receive an immediate notification. You are then guided step by step to repatriate your funds to a single, secure account. Everything is done online, with no travel or complex procedures. This approach saves valuable time, avoids administrative errors, and ensures that every franc you contributed is found and properly managed.

The Alternative: A Manual Request to the 2nd Pillar Central Office

For those who prefer to handle the process themselves, it is also possible to submit a request directly to the 2nd Pillar Central Office, managed by the LPP Guarantee Fund in Bern. Since 2017, all pension funds and vested benefits foundations have been required to report the accounts they manage, making it the most comprehensive database in the country.

The procedure involves completing an official form with your personal information (name, date of birth, AVS number, previous employers, addresses, etc.) and sending it by post or email. The service is free, but processing times can take up to one or two months. If assets are found, the Central Office will provide you with the contact details of the relevant institutions — but not the exact amounts, which must then be requested separately.

This method works, but it requires time and administrative diligence. It is precisely to simplify this step that Kala stands out today as the most efficient and accessible solution to recover all your LPP assets in just a few clicks.

Repatriate and Grow Your Assets: The Kala Advantage

Finding your forgotten assets is only the first step. The next challenge is to make them grow again. Many 2nd Pillar funds today lie dormant in low-yield accounts, particularly at the Substitute Occupational Benefit Institution, where interest rates often hover around 0%. Leaving this money inactive for years means missing out on significant growth potential.

At Kala, we don’t just find your assets: we also help you repatriate and enhance them. Thanks to our partnership with Zugerberg Finanz AG, a Swiss wealth management specialist, you can transfer your funds to a high-performance vested benefits account designed to offer better returns than traditional solutions.

This approach allows your savings to continue growing while benefiting from professional and secure management. Your accounts are centralized, your pension becomes more transparent, and your money starts working for you again.

Our model is transparent: no fixed fees, only a 3% commission on the amount repatriated, charged once, and only when funds are actually found and transferred. This cost is quickly offset by the higher returns generated over time.

At Kala, our priorities remain security, transparency, and freedom. You always decide where to transfer your assets, and we simply help ensure that every franc of your 2nd Pillar finds its rightful place and purpose.

Conclusion

Many Swiss people still ignore that part of their 2nd Pillar savings has been sitting idle somewhere, sometimes for years. Yet, these funds represent valuable capital, the result of years of work, and can make a real difference in your financial future.

Thanks to modern tools, recovering these assets has never been easier. Kala allows you to find, repatriate, and enhance your 2nd Pillar assets without complex procedures, from the comfort of your home. In just a few minutes, you gain a clear overview of your pension savings and can once again make your money work for you.

Don’t let your assets lie dormant. Take control of your occupational pension with Kala — and give your savings the return it deserves.