Hi All, i am turning to the forum for some advice from fellow expats on this one as my company can not really give good answers on the topic. Last year, my wife (then fiancee) and I got married in Switzerland (Vaud). As expected/predicted my taxes decreased, as, at the time, she was not working.
Earlier this year, she found a very nice job, though our taxes on our salaries have been completely off. For starters, she now pays close to 35% over her salary, whilst my tax rate is close to 15%. I understand that Swiss tax discourages a working partner, though never though the 'punishment' is this bad. Is there any advice to be hat on this?

Hi

Well, me and my husband got the same shock last week. I was ranting at the tax consultant but it seems that there is absolutely nothing someone can do (except to get divorced ). However, if someone gives you a good advice please let me know.

Cheers

Your two salaries are added together. One of the salaries gets the first band of tax, the other the second. Hence the disparity. The question is - when you add both together, are you paying overall more tax than if you were both living entirely seperate, single lives?

OP you don't actually ask what advice you want.

If your wife is earning more, then make sure she pays the lower tax and you the greater.

This taxation model is why many Swiss don't get married until children are planned. (Or so I've been told.)

I think it also depend if you are taxed at source or not: for us it was the opposite, when we got married we started being taxed less but we haven't done a tax declaration yet (first one will be next year)

Just a word of warning - this could happen to you. We got married last year, both taxed at source, so assumed we are ok and might get maybe a little bit back. So sent in the declaration and got a tax bill for 6000 fr

After some investigation, the tax board admitted that oops, they had forgotten to take into account some of the taxes I had paid last year before the marriage, as a single person. Sent us a new letter and yes, we are getting some money back instead.

So if you get a surprising tax bill, double-check.

Ok, this is interesting. We have a son but are not yet married and we both work. So what is the best formula to pay the less taxes as possible?

Firstly neither the OP or you have stated whether you are completing and annual tax form, or are taxed at source. Knowing this would assist.

Depending on what each earn and what you can claim (tax form or tax at source) being married could mean more tax as you would be taxed together one total income .

My question would be would your son prefer his parents married or paying lower taxes??

A glass of cold water

(Me and my wife are exactly the same btw)

I am finding the marriage/tax situation very confusing.

I'm taxed at source. My partner and I married earlier this year. I 'registered' the marriage with the canton and was told to inform my employer as my taxes would change (I am the sole earner in the marriage). I showed them the marriage certificate..etc..and yet I continue to be taxed exactly the same as a single person. They even confirmed that he's a student/not working and I'm the only one working. Recent emails to them go unanswered.

Is being taxed at source not affected by marriage, as I was under the impression it was?

Here you get to keep 65%, in the UK the top rate of tax is 50%, and everything there is not always "Up to Swiss standard"

Maybe you should consider looking for a job in another lower tax country? Bulgaria and Belarus might be attractive for you? Singapore is very low! http://www.worldwide-tax.com/

Yes, it is affected.
Check again with your employer. As a single-earner, married with no kids, you should be on a "B tarif" instead of an "A tarif". Tell them that. The difference between the two rates is substantial, upwards of CHF100/month in most cases.

get paid in cash...

Thanks for your input. I finally got a reply and was told it's up to the tax office to inform them of a change in tax band. Why it is they asked for a copy of my marriage certificate and if my husband was working, I don't know. I registered the marriage with the local cantonal office but should I have done something additional to that?

Dubai even better ZERO tax

Yes, you also have to go and register your marriage with the local tax office yourself. Just telling the Kreisbüro/Einwohnerkontrolle is not good enough, these departments don't share information automatically.

Do a search for "Steuerverwaltung" or "Steueramt" to find out where the tax office is.

I believe that the reason your wifes pays this much taxes is because you and your wife are treated "in terms of income" as one entity.

If your annual income (both together) exceeds 120,000 CHF per year, then the tax curve increases dramatically.