My girlfriend and I are both EU citizens, I am living and working in CH with a B permit whereas she is about to move here and give birth and then stay here and look for jobs in the future - hence, we would be a single income family for a while. We have been thinking about getting married for a while and as it seems you get good tax benefits if you do, we may just go ahead. If anyone knows more about the below or have personal experience that would be much appreciated.

1. Can you actually get married in Switzerland if both are EU citizens?

2. Looking at it from a tax, legal and practical perspective - what makes most sense, getting married in CH or in EU?

3. I understand if you are married with children on a single income you get quite a tax reduction compared to being taxed as single. Is it possible to get the same tax reduction if you are not married but live together and have a child together? If not, how would you get taxed - as a single with child?

4. Stupid question perhaps, but if you are married with children and your wife and child spends like 50 % of their time with their grandparents in another EU country, would I still get taxed as married with children, i.e have the big tax reduction compared to being taxed as single?

Thanks

Tax benefit is always a good reasion to get married . Don`t forget having kids lowers the taxes to,more is better,lets say 2 dozen

Hahahah after reading some posts about divorce seems more profitable in the long term to have a bunch of kinds than to get married.

Also, many health insurances companies give you insurances for free from the third kid or so hahahahah

Prenup...?

Perhaps this link is useful for you to compare taxes depending on your status (married/unmarried etc) and your place of residence in CH.

Maybe you can play around with some fictional numbers and that would answer your questions?

Yes, not married with living with mother and child, you still get the tax deduction. If you are not married, each of you (both working?) must submit a tax declaration*. You decide between the two of you where (on which tax declaration) your dependents go.

* or for Quellensteuer, tell the employer that there are dependents that you are reponsible for (did that at beginning of first full calendar year) and they should alter your tax bracket accordingly (happened to me).

It's more a question of residency I'd have thought, and thinking back to various papers I had to fill out, this was indeed it. If you child is resident here, then you will the lower tax bracket. If your wife and child are resident outside CH, you can get tax relief for any maintenance you give, but the tax rate would be for a single person IMO (IMO, i.e. this is more my conclusion).

N.b. note that kinderkarten (in Zurich at least) is compulsory from c. 4 years onwards (dates are 'strict' and are changing this year I believe).

N.b.2 Something to keep in mind if in Zurich regarding applying for tax correction by March 31st of following year: Quellensteuer correction: documents