Dear EF,

Firstly, I've read the numerous QS vs Tax declaration threads on here, and I am also aware of the new changes coming in for 2021 for QS payers. I've scoured the info on here, and various other sites and would just like to confirm that I am on the right track, as with all things involving taxes, nothing is straight forward....

A bit of background, I am currently residing in Bern, single with no kids and I have a B Permit. For all of 2020 I was paying QS as my income was below 120k. The first 3 months of 2020, I was doing an internship on a low salary, then was unemployed for 3 months and then for the last 6 months of 2020 was earning around 7k pm. I have also payed the maximum into Pillar 3a and would have other deductibles such as an adult GA for commuting etc. I am now deciding whether it is beneficial to submit a tax declaration or not and have the following points I would like to clarify:

1) As stated I was not earning for all of 2020 at my current salary, therefore my total gross salary for 2020 is actually around half what it would be based on my currently monthly salary. One would think this would make applying for a tax form a simple decision, but I have read on other threads that the gross income is not accounted for in this way? i.e the total gross 2020 income is not spread out over the year but is rather like the QS and based on the income months, could someone confirm if this is the case? As when you plug your gross annual income in the FTA tax calculator the differences are quite significant and maybe if it is not based on this I can define a more realistic figure.

2) I have read from 2021 onwards, there are changes to claiming back pillar 3a etc from QS. If you are to submit a tax form from this point forward you will be required to do so for all future tax years. Just to confirm that if I was to submit a form for 2020 tax year, these rules do not yet apply? i.e having to always submit a tax form?

3) I have been provided with an application form to apply for the annual tax form for 2020. I assume here once signed up I can fill in all information and add all deductibles? Also if anyone from Bern knows if this is the correct form this would be great, I have my doubts as I think it should be the 2020 one but this is what I was provided via email (https://www.sv.fin.be.ch/dam/documen...rag-nov_de.pdf). I have seen on the forum lists of things that can be deducted but are there any online calculators you can plug this into so I can get a rough idea if it is worth the effort? I've used the FTA tax calculator but doesn't seem to account for these deductibles.

https://www.sv.fin.be.ch/sv_fin/de/i...lensteuer.html

I am sure I may have other Q's but I feel I am semi-on the right track at least....

Thanks from one confused resident!

The big changes are for tax year 2021. (Tax year starts at January 1st and ends on December 31st). Your questions are related to tax year 2020.

For normal taxation the income is spread over the time you have been a Swiss resident and then extrapolated to the whole year. If you had no income while you were a Swiss resident this will lower your applicable tax rate.

For tax year 2020 the correct form is this (Canton Bern only):
https://www.sv.fin.be.ch/sv_fin/de/i...ov_2020_de.pdf

for tax year 2021 and later it is this (Canton Bern only):
https://www.sv.fin.be.ch/sv_fin/de/i...rag-nov_de.pdf

As you can see it is only mentioned on the 2021 form that normal taxation will apply to all further years. One could assume that for tax year 2020 it is a one-off deal and in the further years you will not requested to fill a full tax declaration. For a trustable answer, ask the canton Bern tax office: https://www.sv.fin.be.ch/sv_fin/de/i...lensteuer.html

Canton Bern seems to be a special case as they never had a simplified reassessment and you always has to do the full deal. You can find out how much you owe in the end using the TaxMe-Online Demo version:
https://www.belogin.directories.be.c...login/demo.jsf

How to fill it in is explained in the Wegleitung:
https://www.fin.be.ch/dam/documents/...ersonen_de.pdf

__________________
What?

Thank you so much for clarifying these points it really helps me a lot!

It was actually the Bern Tax office that provided me with the 2021 form which actually lead to my questions... so I am glad I could confirm this was incorrect and I will submit the 2020 form!

Also thanks once more for enlightening me to the Tax-me demo, this is great as I can see if I would be better off in future years QS vs tax dec as I can put in all the relevant deductibles!

Thanks