{"id":3628,"date":"2025-09-22T08:45:16","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T08:45:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/invexa.ch\/?p=3628"},"modified":"2025-09-22T08:59:33","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T08:59:33","slug":"impot-sur-la-fortune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/invexa.ch\/en\/fiscalite\/impot-sur-la-fortune\/","title":{"rendered":"Wealth Tax in Switzerland"},"content":{"rendered":"
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What is wealth tax in Switzerland?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Wealth tax is a cantonal<\/strong> and communal<\/strong> tax levied annually on the net wealth<\/strong> of individuals, meaning all assets (accounts, securities, real estate, precious metals, etc.) after deducting debts.<\/p>

It complements income tax and accounts for around 10% of tax revenues<\/strong> for cantons and communes. Unlike most European countries, Switzerland has retained this tax, which was abolished at the federal level in 1959.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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How is wealth tax calculated?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Wealth tax is based on the net value<\/strong> of assets, meaning the total assets minus established debts.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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1. Determining taxable assets<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In Switzerland, the basis for calculating wealth tax is net wealth, i.e. the value of all the taxpayer's assets, less established debts.<\/p>

Taxable wealth includes a wide range of elements. It starts with bank assets, whether current accounts, savings, postal deposits, or even cryptocurrencies, which are now explicitly included in taxable assets. Securities such as shares, bonds, interests in limited liability companies, cooperatives, or even options are also part of taxable wealth, as are holdings in Swiss or foreign investment funds<\/a>.<\/p>

The calculation also takes into account real estate (homes, land, business premises), valued at market value or yield depending on the canton, as well as private loans and receivables, capital insurance or annuities subject to redemption, and even more specific assets such as precious metals, vehicles, boats or caravans, or collections, works of art and jewelry.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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2. Determining taxable assets<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Once the assets have been identified, their value must be estimated in order to calculate the tax base. The general principle adopted by Swiss law is that of market value, i.e. the price that could be obtained on the market under normal conditions of sale.<\/p>

For listed securities<\/strong> on the stock exchange (shares, bonds, traded funds), the taxable value corresponds to the last official price published on December 31<\/strong> of the tax year.<\/p>

Unlisted securities<\/strong>, such as shares in private or family-owned companies, which have no official market price, are subject to a specific valuation. Tax authorities generally combine two approaches: the earnings value<\/strong>, which capitalizes the company\u2019s profits, and the intrinsic value<\/strong>, which takes into account equity and net assets. National guidelines (Circular 28 of the Swiss Tax Conference) ensure this valuation is harmonized across cantons.<\/p>

For real estate<\/strong>, the methods vary depending on the location. Some cantons apply the market value directly, close to the sale price. Others prefer the rental value<\/strong>, calculated from actual or theoretical rents, especially for rental and agricultural properties. In many cases, a combination of both methods is used to arrive at a weighted value.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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3. Deductions<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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All debts actually owed are deductible: mortgages, consumer credit, private or bank loans. On the other hand, purely contingent debts or guarantees (e.g. a surety bond) are only deductible if they are actually pledged. Where a taxpayer holds taxable assets in several cantons, his debts are apportioned in proportion to the value of these assets.<\/p>

To take personal and family circumstances into account, each canton provides for social deductions<\/strong>. They vary, but generally concern :<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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