I hope you’re all doing well! I would really appreciate some advice on how best to manage my taxes proactively. I’m a B-permit holder married to a Swiss citizen, so I’m not subject to withholding tax. Each year, I submit all my documents to a tax advisor who completes the tax return, and we pay the taxes in one go after that.
I’ve recently become aware that there’s an interest system in place for tax payments, and I’d like to be more proactive in managing this throughout the year. Ideally, I’d prefer to make payments as I go—even if it means overpaying initially—so that I’m not hit with a large amount at the end of the year.
Could anyone guide me on:
The best way to approach making these regular payments?
How I can calculate the amounts I should be paying, based on my salary, personal circumstances, and location?
Any tips for staying ahead and minimizing the interest or penalties that might arise?
I’d be really grateful for any tips or experiences you could share. Many thanks in advance for your help and support!
I live in canton Zurich and I feel I get endless amount of payment slips every year for all kinds on paying systems. Not sure there are monthly ones as well.
I’d also say you can pay any way you want (drive them crazy in the book keeping department ) all you have to make sure of is that you don’t pay too late. Once you know the amount you could for example set a monthly “Dauerauftrag” (standing order) with your bank and forget it for the rest of the year. Make sure you put an end date to it though!!
I think this should be the most accurate tax calculator, it also offers different level of detail depending on how deep you want to go.
I also lived in Zürich, there anything paid before 30.09. generates a pretty low interest in your favour and anything paid afterwards, a small interest to pay. In January or February you get a letter with an estimate based on the previous year, and loads of payment slips for you to pay in one go, monthly or quarterly, and a blank one to pay whatever you want. I used to to my own estimate and pay slightly above. In other cantons things work differently, but you can contact your tax office and tell them that you want to make make advance payments if you did not receive any payment slips.
Well, that goes for cantonal and communal tax, for federal tax simply pay the bills when they arrive.
Actually you made me doubt, so I checked the letter from this year. There there is one option to pay it all in one payment, another one to pay in three instalments and also one empty payslip, plus the statement “Monthly payments: for individual advance payments for the tax period 2024, you can order additional empty payslips under www.stadt-zuerich.ch/ez-steuern”
I suppose that other cantons will offer similar options.
Ah yeah, I knew they always send a lot but now it sounds more like it. Thanks for checking.
Anyway, if I wanted to do monthly payments I’d just use the empty one and base a standing order on it.
) all you have to make sure of is that you don’t pay too late. Once you know the amount you could for example set a monthly “Dauerauftrag” (standing order) with your bank and forget it for the rest of the year. Make sure you put an end date to it though!!