taxlawblog.ch Your blog on Swiss tax law

The Federal Tax Administration (FTA) has published the capital contributions, repayments and other changes in connection with the capital contribution principle.

The State Secretariat for International Financial Matters (SIF) has updated the overviews on the contractual limitations of foreign taxes, on the tax relief for Swiss dividends and interest and on the countries whose agreements contain abuse provisions.

On 11 January 2019, the Federal Tax Administration (FTA) published a revised version of the overview of selected parliamentary business in the tax area at federal level.

The Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA) has updated the list of changes to laws and ordinances in tax and duty law with effect from 2019.

The FTA has published a revised version of the overview of selected parliamentary business in the tax area at federal level.

In the final vote, Parliament adopted a bill to amend the Withholding Tax Act, under which the right to a refund of withholding tax in the event of failure to declare a service subject to withholding tax in the tax return is no longer forfeited if a subsequent declaration is made or the tax authority offsets the service.

According to the message on an amendment to the Withholding Tax Act of 28 March 2018, the claim for a refund of withholding tax in the event of failure to declare a benefit subject to withholding tax in the tax return will no longer be forfeited if a subsequent declaration is made or the tax authorities offset the benefit.

In its session of 10 September 2019, the Council of States rejected a motion instructing the Federal Council to amend the Withholding Tax Act so that individuals resident in Switzerland do not forfeit the refund of withholding tax due to inadvertent or negligent failure to declare or false declaration, as long as it is guaranteed that the investment income subject to withholding tax will be taxed. The concerns of the motion have already been met with the revision of the Withholding Tax Act (VStG).

At its meeting on 20 August 2018, the Committee for Economic Affairs and Taxes of the Council of States (WAK-S) decided how the system change in imputed rental value should be implemented and commented on the system change in withholding tax.

In its communication of 10 July 2018, the Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA) explains the withholding tax requirements for the simultaneous posting of dividends in group relationships. In particular, it defines the conditions for the proper accounting of the dividend received for the purposes of the refund of the withholding tax and for the implementation of the reporting procedure.

The Advisory Council on the Future of the Swiss Financial Centre informed the Federal Council at its meeting on 8 June 2018 of its recommendations for a reform of the withholding tax.

In its session of 29 May 2018, the National Council approved an amendment to the VStG proposed by the Federal Council concerning the conditions for the refund of withholding taxes.

On 30 April 2018, the Federal Tax Administration (FTA) updated the lists of amendments to the ordinances on direct federal tax, value added tax, withholding tax and stamp duties.

On 28 March 2018, the Federal Council adopted a dispatch as well as a draft law according to which the withholding tax is to be refunded even if the income was negligently not declared in the tax return.

In its session of 6 March 2018, the National Council adopted the motion to "abolish the obligation to sign the tax return".

At its meeting on 6 March 2018, the National Council adopted the motion "Parallelism between the limitation rule for value added tax and that for withholding tax and stamp duties".

In its session of 28 February 2018, the National Council adopted the motion "No forfeiture of withholding tax".

On 19/20 February 2018, the Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA) published the tax-recognised interest rates for advances or loans in Swiss francs and foreign currencies for 2018.

In the autumn session 2016, the Federal Assembly adapted the provisions of the Swiss Withholding Tax Act (VStG) concerning the reporting procedure. The period for submitting the application for reimbursement of default interest expires on 15 February 2018

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.

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.

On 18 August 2017, the Federal Supreme Court published a total of seven rulings dated 24 July 2017, in which it dealt for the first time with the provisions of the Swiss Withholding Tax Act (VStG) concerning the new rules on interest on arrears in the notification procedure, which came into force on 15 February 2017 (see our article of 7 February 2017).

In its session of 28 June 2017, the Federal Council decided that a negligently omitted declaration of withholding tax in the tax return can be made up for by the end of the objection period and has approved a corresponding consultation draft. This applies to natural persons with residence in Germany.

The Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA) has published a circular on printed matters (order forms) concerning the direct federal tax, the flat-rate tax credit (pStA) and the additional tax retention USA (zStR USA) for the 2017 tax period for the attention of the cantonal administrations for the direct federal tax and the central withholding tax authorities of the cantons.

The Federal Tax Administration (FTA) has published an updated list of amendments to laws and ordinances relating to direct federal tax, value added tax, withholding tax and stamp duties.