AVS: minimum pension rises to 1,280 francs a month from January

From January, pensions will rise slightly. On Friday, the Federal Council set new amounts that follow the development of prices and wages. The adjustment is 1.59 per cent.

The minimum AVS/AI pension rises from 1,260 to 1,280 francs a month. The maximum pension rises from 2,520 to 2,560 francs. It is paid if the contribution period is complete.

Other amounts also change. The minimum contribution for self-employed persons and people without gainful employment to AVS, AI and IPG rises from 530 to 541 francs a year, an increase of 11 francs. The minimum contribution to voluntary AVS/AI rises from 1,010 to 1,030 francs, an increase of 20 francs.

Overall, the pension adjustment brings about 1,055 million francs in additional spending. Of this sum, 940 million concerns the AVS and 115 million the AI. The Confederation covers 190 million of AVS spending, or 20.2 per cent of the insurance's outlays, and 44 million of AI spending, or 37.7 per cent. In percentage terms, the federal share is higher for the AI than for the AVS.

Supplementary benefits

For supplementary benefits and transitional benefits, the annual amounts intended to cover the general vital needs are set as follows. For single persons, the amount rises from 20,670 to 21,000 francs a year, or 330 francs more. For married couples, it rises from 31,005 to 31,500 francs, or 495 francs more. For children who have already turned 11, the amount is 10,980 francs a year; for younger children, it is 7,710 francs.

The adjustments to supplementary benefits bring additional costs of about 7 million francs for the Confederation and 4 million francs for the cantons. The government note does not specify how the cantonal share is divided, Ticino included.

For a person who receives only the minimum pension, the increase is 20 francs a month. Both pensions rise by the same percentage, while in francs the maximum pension gains 40. How much does this increase weigh on the budget of someone who lives only on the minimum pension?