Thanks. Spent a lot of time on this last night but with XSWX it does not work. For example, how would you write VWRL on the swiss exchange? I cannot get SWX:VWRD or XSWX:VWRL to work.
If u look up a stock on google finance, next to the graph is the full “name”/abbreviation, like SWX:NOVN etc.
That way u can find the exact abbreviation u need, esp. for tricky ones like an index.
Sometimes they change indice abbreviations for (to me) unknown reasons (randomly, once a year or less), like S&P 500 a few weeks ago, then the link doesn’t work any more. On google finance u can find the “new” correct abbreviation easily tho.
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It’s SWX:VWRL.
U were close 
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thanks. i mistyped the D above but was actually using L. So VWRL now works but it does not seem to work for all Swiss ones such as SWX:HEAL or SWX:EQQQ. Would you happen to know why? thanks!
all figured out now - thanks again!
Well, when you spin it this way, you’re right, time spent/learning ratio for me has been pretty low from this forum. There’s only so much personal finance topics to discuss before you start repeating same old sh*t and they aren’t doing anything for me in my quest for a 7 fig quant job. Gonna find a more information-dense place from now on.
As for some insults, well, that’s finance for you, you either develop a healthy protective coat of skepticism and cynicism or get f*cked by this industry like you did with that kiddy fund idea of yours.
That would be a huge loss for this forum. But in any case, if you do find some place like that, please let me know. Where did you get your information from until now, anyway?
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Read your posts and thanks. Have been saving for our son regularly and now have CHF 9700 which yields nothing. Are there options available with SQ rather than True Wealth?
Thank you for your posts. I am not at all from the world of finance and have to admit I don’t always understand what is said in the forums…. but nevertheless, I would like to share an info I found out a year or so ago. For those of us living in the cantons of “Geneva” or “Fribourg”, we have the possibility of opening a 3rd Pilar (3B) account for each of our children which is tax deductable.
This 3rd pilar needs to be 3B (with an insurance) - I picked Pax insurance and decided to open 3 accounts (I have 3 children) and pay CHF 83.-/child/month. The contract ends when they are 23 years old (but this is flexible).
Whilst paying for their 3rd pilar (their saving), you can deduct this from your taxes. In Geneva, you can deduct up to CHF 3’294.-/year (for a 3B). By opening a 3rd pilar for your kid(s), you can increase the deductable amount by CHF 898.-/child/year. In my case, that makes 3’294 + (3x898)= CHF 5’988.-.
This means approx an extra CHF 600.- in tax savings per year… which makes CHF 12’000.- over 20 years.
The other thing (and final) point I would like to make is that this can only be in the name of the dad or mum. In my case, it’s in my name (as a dad). If I were to pass away, the insurance would continue paying the monthly amounts until the end date…… but if my wife were to pass away, I would continue having to pay.
Hope this helps !
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What’s this covering? Seems kind of high. You can have a simple lump sum life insurance for way less than that, about 500 Fr/y/1M coverage. And don’t you have enough coverage already through your pillar 2?
And minus 83*3*12*20=60k in fees, lol
I think it is worth to have disability insurance for a child that pays a lifelong rent. Someone who suffers a disability before entering the workforce will not have coverage of the second pillar and disability payments will be just the of minimal the disability insurance.
However I wouldn’t combine it with a saving plan as they are usually not optimally invested and have below market returns.
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unlike 3a, 3b is not tax deductible (am i wrong here???). 3b is a marketing gag by swiss finance industry to justify sky-high fees for “swiss 3b certified” branding.
apart from that, it’s great that you think so far in advance for your kids!
It is actually deductable in some cantons. In Vaud I remember reading long ago it is the same deduction as the health insurance, but health insurance alone was higher than the maximum deduction so de facto you couldn’t deduct anything from 3b. The deduction jumps from 2200 to 3400 in 2020 so now maybe you can if I am not mixing things up.
Geneva and Fribourg : https://www.troisiemepilier.ch/quelle-deduction-fiscale-pour-le-3eme-pilier-3b/
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Hi All,
My goddaughter is turning 1, and I am thinking of gifting her an investment account…nothing big (like a few hundred francs), but something I can contribute to on each birthday so when she turns 18 she will have a nice nest egg 
I’ve done some research andthe only genuine “gift investment account” options are from UBS and CS, which have crappy and expensive funds.
As a result, I’ve come to the interim conclusion that it would probably make sense to just open an account in my own name and give her a gift when she turns 18 (either in cash or in assets, whatever will be more tax-efficient at the time).
My questions are:
Does this make sense?
What would be the best platform to set up such a small and “static” account, considering that I’d rather have a separate one from the one I currently use (IB)? I looked into VIAC, which looks quite straightforward and with relatively fair fees, but is it only for Pillar 3a? Do I have other “simple” options?
Thank you all for your help,
RD
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I know it is not exactly what you want to do, but I’ll would just open a savings account for her which has a high interest (currently a local bank offers 1.5% up to 25 yo). I would then contribute more later after my investments made money(maybe when she turns 18 so she can get her driving licence).
I’ve researched options for such a topic not so long ago.
My conclusion:
All separate accounts just for the child are a relatively big & unnecessary expense & no real advantage. Also it will still officially be in your name (due to tax reasons), so if u should pass away, it’ll be your heirs’ decision to pass on correctly even if it is labelled “godchild X”.
My solution was to buy VT at IB (my account). I have my own positions at IB also of course, but I don’t own VT for myself as I prefer VXUS+VTI. All VT is the child’s. I add to the position and also reinvest the dividends. I document it and also pass on a copy of all this every year or two (a printout of my own spreadsheet). I expect my heirs will honour this “commitment” should I not be around.
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With an 18 year investment horizon, one should try for higher returns than in a savings account IMO.
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A testament would solve this problem.
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I don’t totally disagree with you, most of the money should be invested during those 18 years. What I meant is that is doesn’t make sense to create a separate investment account. And for me it doesn’t make sense to give her X ammount of an ETF now.
Keep the money invested indistinctly on your account, but open a savings account so she can learn what interest means when she will be 12 yo or so. I heard about teens putting most of their christmas and birthday gift on their savings account and then be happy with it. The problem with giving her investments is what would a 18 yo do with 95% of her asset in ETF? Will she sell some of it to pay for a driving licence / first car or whatever ? The best gift you can give her is financial education / responsability. And then you can give her a certain amount of money when she turns 18.
I probably think like that because cash is part of my asset allocation and it allows me to sleep while most of my assets are “risky”. I see it as the base of the pyramide (not in volume but it is necessary to build higher).
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