I need help with my Swiss taxes - I'm really starting to stress out

My husband is Swiss, I'm Canadian and we married mid-2006.

I've gotten a few names from people and the going rate is 400 CHF per return (have been told we need to file seperately) and we just can't afford it.

Supposably they are simple to file because we don't own anything so it's just a matter of organizing the paperwork to reflect our salary and credit cards. The problem is my husband doesn't speak high German so he can't figure out the tax forms.

Where is H&R Block when you need it?

Can anyone offer me some advice or help me?

Thanks!

I can't see why you'd need to file separately. I'm from the US, my husband is Swiss, and we file jointly. In fact, I'm not even sure they allow you to file separately if you're married and living in the marriage.

Regardless, this thread provides some names of cheaper accountants. Good luck, I feel your pain!

Unless you have anything out of the ordinary, then going online is a fairly easy process, they walk you through it, and there are pop ups explaining what the various boxes are for. As for the language, not sure if you can select you will have to have a look, worth a try maybe.
As for accountants, I thought the going rate was CHF 100 and if it is for two seperate returns then CHF120-150 , I've even seen ads in the newspaper for CHF 70.

Nick.

Those ads tend to appear in the free newspapers of your city. Also check supermarket notice boards...

Thanks to everyone who is offering advice

I've had a couple of good leads and will follow up on them.

If the going rate is 100 CHF I'm certainly not finding it. One woman I spoke with told me she wouldn't even do them for 400 CHF because her time is worth more than that.

Oh well, if anything great comes out of the loads I have I will post some follow up information.

As for the computer program we did download it and it's not available in English only German.

If you search treuhand on this site you'll get some hits for cheaper ones.

Firstly don't stress you have plenty of time - until June including extension and then it can go till September but i would not recommend that...
Lets start with a check -

1. You are married (correct?) then only one return is possible. Sorry but your husband must fill in the form although you are (allowed!) required to sign...
2. You need to have the following documents:
Tax return from employer(s)
Bank end of year statement for all bank accounts
Details of all loans including mortgages again from the bank
Details of 3rd pillar documents.
3. Then you need to know what you can deduct... But that will probably need to be a new thread called How to fill in a tax return - any volunteers or is it down to me again?!

From my experience I would agree that you have to file separate returns as you married last year. Your next tax return (2007) will be a single one.

I got married in mid 2005 and our tax returns were done individually for that year. This year we got just the one for me

I want a fun picture that moves like that!!

Yes I am married, we were married in June 2006 and I was told my a tax attorney (one who charges a lot of money to file a return) said that we had to file seperately for 2006 and then would file together in 2007.

I have the statements as well as statements from Canada (student loan) and we have no mortgage because we rent.

What's a 3rd pillar document?

The problem is we have no idea what we can deduct. I know you can deduct transport costs to work but that's about it. This is what I need help with.

Thanks!

If you want, you can start by deducting the cost of the Treuhand who will figure out all your other deductions on top of doing your return... . Serious!

Like I said, I've contacted people who's names have been offered on this site and while I don't want to publicize which person has told me their rate - I'm not having much luck with the rates charged by people who do taxes within the forum.

I used to do my own taxes in Canada and I hate that it's so different AND in another language that I can't understand it. We get tax bills all the time and pay them and we have no idea what we are paying.

I also have been told that if you are entitled to a refund you have to actually ASK for it or it won't be given. Does anyone have experience with this?

As I understand, if you earn less than a certain cap (approx 100 to 120k per year), and pay Quellensteuer (ie tax is withheld from your pay check), you do not have to file a tax return, but may have a refund due you. So, to answer your question, if you do not file your return, you do not get a refund because the government has no idea what you should have paid, but expects you paid a fair amount.

Check with your local gemeinde, you may be able to obtain a simple English translation of the Swiss tax formula.

Be careful, as Richard says you can end up getting a bill instead if you normally pay quellensteuer and are not obliged to file a return. I am not sure how that works in detail, only that the risk of getting a bill is much higher if you do it yourself, because when a Treuhand (tax person) does it, the government is more likely to assume it is correct.