taxlawblog.ch Your blog on Swiss tax law

On 21 December 2017, the Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA) published various adjustments to the share price lists (ICTax) regarding direct federal tax.

At its meeting on 12 December 2017, the Council of States will approve a motion by the Commission for Transport and Telecommunications to instruct the Federal Council to propose the necessary legislative changes to ensure that, at the administrative level, a portion of the income from the use of a company car for commuting is also compensated and that the deduction of travel costs for these taxpayers is excluded. The flat rate of currently 9.6 percent of the vehicle purchase price can be increased moderately for this purpose.

In its session of 7 December 2017, the National Council adopted a postulate concerning the taxation of real estate held as business assets with different ownership.

At its meeting on December 8, 2017, the Federal Council took note of the report "Valuation of start-ups" by the Start-ups Working Group. In order to improve the attractiveness of Switzerland as a location for start-ups, the working group recommends amending the circular of the Swiss Tax Conference on the valuation of assets of unlisted companies.

According to a Federal Council report dated 1 December 2017, a formal harmonization of the collection and payment of direct taxes is only possible with the agreement of the cantons.

On November 27, 2017, the Government Council of the Canton of Zurich announced its consultation response and its strategy for the subsequent cantonal implementation of Tax Proposal 17 (TP17) in a press release.

On November 23, 2017, the Federal Department of Finance (FDF) published the evaluation of the 2018 Tax Utilization Index calculated by the Federal Finance Administration (FFA)

On 16 November 2017, the Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA) published various adjustments to the share price lists (ICTax) regarding direct federal tax.

At its meeting on 18 October 2017, the Federal Council decided to bring the Federal Act on the International Automatic Exchange of Country-Based Reports by Multinational Corporations (ALBAAG) into force on 1 December 2017 (see also our contribution of 1 October 2017 regarding ALBAV). The entry into force of the multilateral agreement of the competent authorities on the exchange of country-specific reports of 27 January 2016 (ALBA agreement) is also scheduled for December.

The Federal Tax Administration (FTA) has published the lists of changes to laws and ordinances from 2017 onwards in the areas of direct federal tax, value added tax, withholding tax and stamp duties.

On October 10, 2017, the Federal Tax Administration (FTA) published various adjustments to the exchange rate lists (ICTax) relating to direct federal tax.

On 5 October 2017, at the invitation of the Directorates of Finance and Economics and the Directorate of Justice and Home Affairs of the Canton of Zurich, a roundtable discussion was held with representatives of large companies and various municipalities on Tax Bill 17. The draft for federal tax bill 17 is still in the consultation process until 6 December 2017.

The Federal Department of Finance (FDF) has decided that for the calendar year 2018 it will continue not to pay any refund interest on amounts of direct federal tax paid early. The default and refund interest rate remains unchanged.

The Council of States, as the second-tier council, is not following the Basel-Landschaft initiative "Simplification of the tax system in direct taxation".

The Council of States, as the first Council to deal with the matter, has adopted a motion to delete the obligation to sign the tax return.

At its meeting on September 19, 2017, the Council of States discussed the interpellation "Corporate Tax Reform Zero".

The Conference of Cantonal Finance Directors (FDK) welcomes the Federal Council's rapid adoption of the consultation draft on tax proposal 17 (SV17) and supports the thrust of the proposal in principle. However, she is surprised that the Federal Council is sticking to a cantonal share of direct federal tax of only 20.5% instead of 21.2%.

According to a report by the Federal Council, the real progression in direct federal tax over the last 20 years has been balanced or even overcompensated for the majority of the population as a result of tax reforms. Single people and single-earner couples without children in particular experienced an additional burden.

At its meeting on 6 September 2017, the Federal Council opened the consultation process on tax proposal 17 (SV17).

On 11 August 2017, the Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA) published various adjustments to the share price lists (ICTax) regarding direct federal tax.

On 29 June 2017, the Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA) published various adjustments to the share price lists (ICTax) regarding the Federal Direct Tax 2016.

The Board of the Conference of Cantonal Finance Directors (FDK) has noted with incomprehension and astonishment the Federal Council's decision to increase the cantonal share of direct federal tax only to 20.5% instead of 21.2% in the context of tax proposal 17.

On 15 June 2017, the Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA) published various adjustments to the share price lists (ICTax) regarding the Federal Direct Tax 2016.

The Federal Tax Administration (FTA) has calculated and published the tax burden in the cantons and municipalities for the year 2016.

On 14 June 2017, the National Council adopted a motion to ensure competitive tax treatment of start-ups (including their employee shareholdings).