Hello everyone.

I have a question concerning the old age insurance one has to have.
Since I have worked for almost 1 year in an office in Zurich, I have obtained my AHV insurance card and number. Ever since I have been unemployed, apart from some months I worked as a freelancer for another office.

My permit is B.

Should I really pay for the months I worked freelance? How can I show how much I earned?
This was all between May and December 2008...

Thanx!!!

Good question... all I know I got mine today half an hour ago and it came like a surprise in a big envelope and that would seal well the first year spent in CH, but not ready to retire yet

If you earn money in CH you have to pay AHV. It is the mandatory state pension scheme.

bill

Ok, I will pay it. But what exactly shall I do?
What kind of documents will I need? Do I have to have done something special, given that we 're talking about income of the past year?

Hi Olgi,

something is lost in translation here! (c;

please correct the following then we can try again!

*///////////////
you have been in CH for about 2 years? B permit

first year you were employed. taxes deducted at source.

2nd year you were unemployed but worked as a freelancer for some months.
*///////////////

did you receive unemployment benefit for the months you did not work?

as a freelancer did you have a contract? did your employer deduct tax? If they did then they would have taken the AHV as well.

A lot of this is irrelevant if you earn less than 120KCHF and / or do not make a tax return. most of these type of deductions are dealt with by the employer.

HTH, bill

Ok, so:
1st year: employment. All AHV etc taken care of by my employer.
2nd year: unemployed, didn't receive any unemployment benefits. During that year I worked as a freelancer for another employer, who didn't pay for any AHV, so it's all up to me.
I have the B permit, earned around 4000chf per month, during the almost 4 months I worked there.

Sorry for the misunderstanding!!

LOL no worries!

so for your freelance work you paid no contributions to the state at all? tax or anything? if this is the case then you will have to contact your local tax office and tell them what you have been up to and that you will need to make a tax return.

Please take this the right way but it sounds as if you have been working 'on the black' Did you have a proper contract for your freelance work? Like i said earlier usually the employer takes care of all these deductions.

bill

Exactly, no contributions, nothing...

Well he should have taken care of them, but after a misunderstanding, I realized the contract he had prepared relieved him from any responsibility concerning my insurance etc.
I know I have been working on the black and this is why I'm so stressed!!! :-/

So tax office? Will they guide me? Argh...

Sounds a bit dodgy! I didn't know an employer could do that unless you were properly set up as a GmBH or the one-person equivalent (is it as an independent?)

Someone may be along in a moment with more experience than I to clear some of this. But I would suggest you see a tax accountant first _before_ going to the tax office. the accountant can then advise on the proper way to proceed to minimise the liability to you. but it looks like you will have to make a full tax return. that's not as bad as it sounds, you just need to clear up the status of how you were employed first.

try here for some more info:

How to freelance in Switzerland?

Self-employed/independent



bill

Thank you very much. I will try and contact someone... In the meantime, if somebody has any idea how I should proceed, you're more than welcome...!

However, being a B-permit holder with an income smaller than 120 000 .-, I shouldn't have to pay any taxes. Right?

Source

I added some links to the previous post. check the first of those. i don't know if can become a 'sole-trader' retrospectively or not if you can then you are fine and no worries. otherwise someone get the advice and someone will be along here soon to clear up the details.

bill

I called SVA Zürich and they said I should fill this form.
I don't understand all of it, but it seemed as if it's no problem to pay the AHV...

Argh. Has anyone else done that?

Ok first of all every one has to pay AHV and tax for income in Switzerland.

As a freelance there are two opportunities.

1. You are self employed (Einzelunternehmung)
2. The law do not accept your self employed and the company who has given you the work has to look for the AHV to be paid and send you an income statement or take the tax amount direct from your salary (depends on permit you have)

In your case I think that for AHV the company who has given you the work has to pay for you.

More detail about "working black in Switzerland" can be found at http://www.keine-schwarzarbeit.ch

The form you received is to give the details about your work to see if you count as self employed or as a normal worker. So fill it out and send it in and everything is ok.

Consider that for self employment (Einzelunternehmung) you will also have to pay MwSt. if you have a turnover higher then 75K. And below 100K a year turnover no entry into the HR (Handelsregister) has to be made

Thank you.
As long as I can pay everything, although I'm late, I don't mind.
Do you think I can get infos about the MwSt at SVA or what should I do??