For many people, filling out Swiss tax declarations is complicated and confusing. This moneyland.ch guide helps you find your way around your Swiss tax declaration forms.
While there are differences between cantons, in all cantons you get just one tax declaration form for federal, cantonal, and municipal taxes. Typically, the section for tax deductions has two columns – one for cantonal and municipal tax deductions, and the other for federal tax deductions.
Many cantons give their residents the option of filling out tax declarations online. Your signature is no longer required for online tax declarations. One advantage of filling out your tax declarations online is that a lot of information is saved and filled in automatically in subsequent tax declarations. Another advantage is that many calculations are automated.
Although online tax declarations often come with a simplified, assisted process, it is still helpful to understand the different parts of a tax declaration form. You generally also have the option of filling out online tax declarations using a complete, unassisted mode.
Which tax deductions can I claim?
Before you fill out a tax declaration, it is important to understand which tax deductions you are entitled to claim.
You can learn about possible tax deductions in the moneyland.ch guides listed below:
The main tax declaration form
Your Swiss tax declaration is made up of a primary tax declaration form, plus a number of complementary forms. You must first fill out detailed information on the complementary forms. After that, you must copy certain key figures into your main tax declaration form.
Although there are small differences between the tax declaration forms from different cantons, the general layout is always similar. Typically, the main tax declaration form is made up of these components:
Typically, the first page of the form is reserved for general personal information like your name, address, children, and employer, and whether or not you contribute to an occupational pension fund.
The second page of the main form is where you declare your income. In addition to salaries, income also includes pensions, interest and dividends earned from bank accounts and investments (but not capital gains and tax-free distributions), rent earned from renting out property, alimony, child support, profits, and monetary compensation.
The third page is where you list all of the income tax deductions that you are eligible for. There are normally two different columns for tax deductions – one for cantonal and municipal income taxes, and the other for federal income tax.
The fourth page of the main form is where you declare your assets, such as bank account balances, and the value of your investments, cars, and properties. You can also claim wealth tax deductions for debt. In cantons that have flat wealth tax deductions and wealth tax exemptions, these are also dealt with on page four.
Complementary forms
There are numerous complementary forms. Some forms, like the one for insurance premiums and interest earned on savings, must always be filled out and submitted along with the main form. Other complementary forms only apply in certain situations. Examples include forms for employees, self-employed people, or farmers. As a general rule, you only have to fill out complementary tax forms if the information included on it would affect the information required on the main tax form. The complementary forms have different titles in different cantons. Certain complementary forms may exist in some cantons, but not in others.
Here is a list of important complementary tax declaration forms:
There are many other complementary tax forms in addition to those listed above. Examples include complementary forms for the costs of continuing education, healthcare expenses, and agriculture.
Do I need to provide proof?
Salary statements and/or statements from the unemployment insurance office or the OASI are generally required as proof of income. If you made contributions to the pillar 3a in the corresponding tax year, you must submit statements from the retirement foundations proving these contributions. Tax statements (or e-tax statements) from your banks must also be submitted with your tax declaration.
If you are filling out your tax declaration online, you have to attach digital versions or scans of the required documents.
While it is not necessary to submit proof of all declared expenses with your declaration, you should keep these documents handy in case the tax office requests them later on.
More on this topic:
Important Swiss tax deductions explained
Tax deductions for bank accounts explained
Tax deductions for investors explained
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