On an interesting note to this, I was on homegate looking at new flats, then I used their tax calculator.

I noticed that they had another calculator for those of us foreigners that pay Quellensteuer.

It turned out that the Quellensteuer lot pay a lot LESS than normal taxed people.

This makes me worry a little bit, as I've just got a new job that is over the 120 threshold. I'm somewhat concerned that I'm going to get another bill at the end of the year for tax.....

Thanks for the responses.

In BS, the difference is somewhere around 4% for 130k (QS:14,26%, NT:18,06%). This means a ~400 CHF difference pro monat.
I don't know what can I deduct though, it could be less.

http://www.steuer.bs.ch/steuerrechner-np-2010-2011.htm

http://www.comparis.ch/steuern/quell...vergleich.aspx

Wait, we have to divide the annual salary by 13? How come?

For AZT33
People who pay taxes once a year (not at source) usually get a 13th salary in december (divide by 13). If you pay tax at source this is spread out in the whole year and therefore you will have to divide by 12
For the others.
We live in BS and we pay tax at source. Last year were asked to fill in the tax declaration (husband is >120K). At the end the accounting was quite similar and we got a tax rebate for the payments to the 3rd pillars and the creche for our daughter. This rebate which was in line with what we were expecting if filling in the form for the quellensteuer. I would not say that taxes at source differ a lot from the "normal" taxes, therefore they have developed such complicated tables for its calculations. You don't pay taxes on your patrimony when on quellensteuer, and I would say this is the biggest difference

So, to sum it all up:

You pay Bundessteuer at a rate of between 0.7% - 13% (rates 2010) depending on your income level

(generally the kanton pays this from the QSt (if applicable) they receive, sometimes the Qst is not enough to cover both Bundes + Staats-Gemeinde Steuer and you will have to pay the balance to the kanton)

and

Staats- Gemeinde Steuer at rates that vary per Kanton/Municipality. The actual rate is determined on the Cantonal rate * tax multiplier (steuerfuss) of your gemeinde. Example: Cantonal rate 6%;gemeinde multiplier 98. Rate = 1.98*6 = 11.9%

B permit < 120KCHF per year; Quellensteuer (QSt) at average cantonal rate, no obligation to file a tax return. If you have (personal) tax deductions (like 3d pillar) and you think it will lead to a taxable income lower than subject to QSt, you can file a tax return and get the refund (always do a simulation before you ask for the tax form!).

B permit >120 KCHF a year; QSt at average cantonal rate; obligation to file a tax return. You will be taxed on your income reported in the tax return in which you take into account your personal deductions. If you live in a gemeinde with a lower tax multiplier (steuerfuss <100), filing will get you most probably a refund. If you live in a gemeinde with a higher one, you will have to pay the additional tax due.

C Permit / The Little Red Book; no QSt; obligation to file a tax return and pay the amounts due.

(disclaimer, always check yourself, this is a post from an anonymus member on an internetforum, remember)

Azt...many (most?) companies pay 13 monthly salaries per year, with the extra one coming in november or december. So if you are offered a job with monthly salary 5000...it usually means 65000 per year.

Someone else posted that the 13th month is spread out r the usual 12 months if you are a taxed at source person. A my company, that does not happen. Payment is done the same for everyone = an extra salary in November, pro rated if you are new in the year.

Hmm ok, I was not offered a monthly, but yearly salary. So I should keep in mind that my salary should be divided by 13 instead of 12, which leaves me with less to spend during the month (albeit the difference is not very significant). I'll start working for one of the banks BTW, so I am assuming that they will adhere to the 13 monthly payments...

This is per individual. I have just called the Quellensteurer office in Zurich, and they have confirmed that it is on the individual annual gross income, and not on the sum of the married cuople incomes.

It is as well specified on their website (also in english)

http://www.steueramt.zh.ch/internet/...eitnehmer.html

I was told that in some Kantons when you own property and you are on B you no longer pay Qst. Has anyone heard of this and can quote source?

I thought so too as well but was pleasantly surprised when i had to start paying tax on my own. The Gemeinde sent me a form to fill out to estimate my income so they could send me a tax bill. (this was mid year) Being a total n00b, I went to the tax office to ask some questions. They actually went and filled out the form for me....toof off pro rated deductions that I wasnt aware i had. This was all based on my 2010 salary. The Net Salary calculated by the Gemeinde was about 10K francs less than the nett salary that the QS is based on....so the lesson is, don't base your net salary on your QS net salary...you have a lot of deductions that you can use that you cant report on Quellensteuer.

So in the end my normal taxes are slightly less then my QS. I also live in a Gemeinde that has a lower base than the average of all the quellensteuer. Living in Zurich city is the opposite, when you come off of QS, you should end up paying more taxes