B. Premium-aided pension scheme
What is a premium-aided pension scheme and what is the amount?
As a rule, premium-aided retirement schemes have replaced premium-aided pension schemes. If you signed your contract in 2003, at the latest, you may, however, continue to claim the tax credit for the following amounts:
- Supplementary pension insurance coverage with an insurance company
- Employee contributions to a pension fund or an employees' group insurance (section 93 Austrian Insurance Supervision Act (Versicherungsaufsichtsgesetz) 2016)
- Savings with a pension investment fund
- Voluntary additional insurance under the statutory social security scheme
Contributions to supplementary pension schemes and the purchase of shares in investment funds are not regarded as special expenses.
New contracts with pension funds may also be signed after 2003 and continue to be premium-aided.
Like the building society premium, the pension scheme premium depends on the weighted average yield on federal bonds (period averages). In 2026, as in 2025, the premium will amount to 4.25% of the contributions. The maximum contribution basis is € 1,000.
How to claim the premium?
You must apply for payment of the premium with a declaration of payments, to be obtained from the respective contract partner (the deposit-managing credit institution in the case of pension investment funds). If you have several contracts, please remember that you may claim the premium refund only for a maximum tax base of € 1,000.
The premium will be refunded for the year in which the contribution was paid. Advance payments of premiums as of the 15th December are already recognised for the subsequent year. However, back payments will not be accepted.
How are incomes from premium-aided pension schemes taxed?
No tax is due on incomes that are based on premium-aided contributions.
Example
Every year, a taxpayer pays € 1,500 into a pension investment fund. The premium was paid for € 1,000. The entire credit balance is transferred to a supplementary pension insurance scheme as a one-off premium. Pension payments relating to pension contributions of up to € 1,000 are tax-exempt. The pension payments attributable to the remaining € 500 are taxable.