Find your suitable 3a investment strategy

If you open a pillar 3a with neon, it's a bit like starting a hike. Depending on how confident and sure-footed you are, you choose your route: from defensive to offensive, you have 5 investment strategies to choose from with neon. To make your hike even more personal, you can also choose a Swiss or sustainable focus. Hiking boots laced, summit risk in sight, off you go!

Do you enjoy the thrill and sometimes walk along a narrow ridge? Or do you prefer to stay on well-developed hiking trails and plan every step in advance? How much risk you want to take shows not only in the mountains but also in investing. And it is precisely this personal risk profile that also plays a central role in pillar 3a.

Why? Paying into pillar 3a is more than just saving. Your money is invested and moves with the financial markets – sometimes going up, sometimes down. That's exactly why you can choose from five different investment strategies with neon. Depending on the strategy, the fluctuations are more or less calm. These so-called volatilities can be well compared to elevation meters when hiking: more of them means more effort, but they often also come a better view.

Five investment strategies – from leisurely stroll to alpine challenge

Defensive 25: The leisurely stroll

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T1 hikes follow broad, well-developed paths. Hardly any height meters, hardly any risk. A classic example would be the walk along Lake Zurich.

This is how Defensive 25 feels. With a stock ratio of 25 percent, capital preservation is at the forefront. The fluctuations are low, the growth correspondingly moderate. This strategy is suitable if stability is more important to you than returns or if you prefer to start cautiously.

Balanced 45: The easy hike

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T2 hikes are slightly more varied. The path is still well-marked, slightly going up and down, as the hike from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg in the Bernese Oberland.

Balanced 45 brings exactly this mixture. About 45 percent stocks ensure more movement without becoming uncomfortable. Your portfolio fluctuates noticeably but controllably. Ideal if you want to invest long-term and can live well with smaller ups and downs.

Dynamic 65: The classic mountain hike

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With T3 it becomes more alpine. Narrow paths, more elevation – sure-footedness is required here. A typical T3 tour would be the 5-lake hike on Pizol in the canton of St. Gallen.

With Dynamic 65 you also move closer to the action. A stock ratio of 65 percent brings significantly more growth potential but also stronger fluctuations. This strategy is suitable if you think long-term and can withstand short-term declines.

Ambitious 80: The demanding mountain tour

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T4 requires concentration. The path is partially exposed, the view spectacular, mistakes should preferably not be made. An example would be the demanding ascent to the «Hundstein» summit in Appenzell.

Ambitious 80 works similarly. With 80 percent stocks, your pillar 3a assets are strongly exposed to the markets. The fluctuations are clearly noticeable, but in the long term higher return opportunities beckon. This strategy fits particularly well if you still have many years until retirement.

Offensive 100: The alpine challenge

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T5 is not for beginners. Steep sections, a lot of responsibility, full attention. Comparable to a high alpine route like the Matterhorn trek in Valais.

Offensive 100 takes the same path in investing. Your portfolio consists almost entirely of stocks. The fluctuations are strong, short-term setbacks are part of it. Those who decide on this bring perseverance and remain calm even when the path becomes rocky.

In all strategies except for Offensive 100, real estate and commodity bonds are also included. They act like stable hiking boots: They provide support but also slow down the pace. To see how the individual strategies are composed in detail, head this way.

Swiss focus or sustainability focus – your route, your values

In addition to the level of difficulty, you can further customise your pillar 3a. With the Swiss focus, you increase the proportion of Swiss stocks in your portfolio. If you choose the sustainability focus, more is invested in ESG-compliant companies. Your risk profile remains the same – but the route gets a personal touch.

Thinking long-term pays off – especially with pillar 3a

Regardless of which pillar 3a investment strategy you choose, one simple rule applies when investing: time is your strongest ally. A study by Morgan Stanley, which analysed more than 50 years of market data, shows: With an investment horizon of one year, about 23% of the months are negative. Viewed over ten years, this value drops to only 3%.

Pillar 3a is a long-distance project. Those who remain patient and continue their path consistently usually reach their goal more relaxed – whether on the hiking trail or in investing.