Swiss Wealth Tax Calculator (English)
Calculate your Swiss cantonal wealth tax (Vermögenssteuer) on total net assets. Covers all 26 cantons. Ideal for expats, international employees, and newcomers to Switzerland.
What Is Swiss Wealth Tax?
Switzerland's wealth tax (Vermögenssteuer in German, impôt sur la fortune in French) is an annual tax levied on an individual's total net assets — the only significant wealth tax still operating in a developed economy. Unlike income tax, which taxes earnings, wealth tax is charged on what you own: savings, investments, real estate, business stakes, and other assets, minus debts. Each canton sets its own rates and thresholds, making Switzerland one of the most complex — but also most transparent — wealth tax systems in the world.
The wealth tax was last updated at the cantonal level in 2024. Rates range from as low as 0.01% per year in Zug and Nidwalden to over 0.7% in some high-tax cantons. For most residents, the annual bill is modest — but for high-net-worth individuals with CHF 1M+ in assets, it can represent a significant ongoing cost of Swiss residency.
How Wealth Tax Is Calculated in Switzerland
The process has three steps. First, calculate your gross taxable assets: all bank accounts, securities (at market value), property (at tax value — typically 70% of market value), life insurance cash values, vehicles, and other personal property above a threshold. Second, deduct liabilities: mortgages, personal loans, and qualifying debts. The result is your net taxable wealth.
Third, apply a deduction for the social deduction (Sozialabzug) — a canton-specific allowance for singles, couples, and children that reduces taxable wealth before applying the rate table. Pillar 3a retirement assets are taxable but receive a small additional discount in some cantons. The progressive rate table is then applied to the remaining net wealth.
Note: property is assessed at cantonal tax value (Steuerwert), which is typically 60–80% of market value. This calculator uses market value for simplicity — your actual tax may be lower for real estate.
Canton Comparison: Low vs High Wealth Tax
Choosing your canton of residence has a major impact on wealth tax. Zug charges approximately 0.015% on CHF 1M of net wealth; Bern charges approximately 0.25%; Geneva approximately 0.45%. A family with CHF 2M in net assets would pay roughly CHF 300 in Zug versus CHF 9,000 in Geneva per year. This is one reason why high earners and wealth managers cluster in Zug, Schwyz, and Nidwalden. Based on 2024 cantonal tax laws published by the Swiss Federal Tax Administration (ESTV/AFC).