Hi friends, we need your generous advice!

I am Swiss and my wife is Asian, we are young couples and we just got our first tax bill in Switzerland and here is the problem, we got married at X’mas 2009 in Asia and my wife arrived in Switzerland on 15th Jan 2010. We have been living in Winterthur since then.

I filled in the tax form as a married couple for 2010, now the official tax bill arrived and they tax us individually, so I called the tax depts. in Winterthur and asked why, an officer said that it is because my wife arrived on the 15th Jan not 1st Jan 2010, so we have to pay tax separately, he also said this is the LAW! This doesn’t make any sense to us and despite the fact that we were married already and they tax me and my wife as we were single??

Could anyone please help if it is true that we have to pay tax separately even though I have been supporting my wife for eleven and a half months in 2010! She doesn’t work by the way, she is a student. And I am a part time student too and only work part time.

I have to pay 2000chf more if we pay our tax separately as they tax me as a single person!!! The extra 2000chf is really a lot to us since I earn so little!!!

Is there anyone out there have encountered similar tax issue? Is there anything that we could do about it such as asking for deduction for that extra 2000chf we have to pay which should not be paid by us, however, it is an error from the law? Thanks a lot.

Appreciate for your advice!

Welcome to the Forum.

The place where you are living in Switzerland on 31st December, receives your tax for that year, ie 2011.

I think (or believe) that on 31st December 2012 the tax system will recognise your wife, and your tax will be corrected.

Most married people pay more tax, and some even divorce for tax reasons, so maybe you need to find out a bit more about your personal allowances.

Try and read this book, only buy the latest edition as the laws change every year,

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Living-Worki...7442629&sr=1-1