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Wappen Kanton ObwaldenHave your tax return for the Canton of Obwalden completed

We know the cantonal deductions, deadlines and special features in the Canton of Obwalden – from the flat rate tax to the absence of inheritance tax – and review your tax return in full, at a fixed price from CHF 35.–.

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  • All cantonal deductions checked
  • Deadline extension included free of charge
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The short answer

In the Canton of Obwalden, the tax return for the 2025 tax year must be submitted by 30 April 2026; online deadline extensions are free of charge until the end of the year. We prepare your tax return at a fixed price per tax year: CHF 35.– for apprentices and students, CHF 99.– for individuals, CHF 149.– for married couples and families.

Cantonal knowledge

Tax return in the Canton of Obwalden – what you should know

The Obwalden tax law applies equally throughout the canton – how much you ultimately pay depends on your commune and on the deductions you claim.

Updated on 5 September 2026 · Tax year 2025

Professionally reviewed by FINWIWO AG on 5 September 2026.

Specialist discussing tax documents with a client

7 communes and the flat rate tax

The Canton of Obwalden has 7 communes and has taxed proportionally since 2008: the simple tax is 1.8 per cent of taxable income and 0.2 per mille of wealth. This is multiplied by the total tax multiplier in units – canton (3.15 plus 0.10 special-purpose tax for flood protection), commune and parish.

In 2025, the communal tax multipliers range from 3.76 units (Sarnen) to 5.25 (Lungern); including the canton and Catholic church tax, this gives totals between 7.65 (Sarnen) and 9.20 (Lungern). Your commune of residence at the end of the year is decisive.

eTax Web and the eSteuerportal

Obwalden relies on the web channel: with eTax Web, the tax return can be completed in the browser without any installation – your personal access code comes with the notification from the tax administration. Receipts can be captured with the Snap.Share app, and the eSteuerportal bundles the digital exchange with the administration.

eTax Web is an option for anyone who wishes to complete the return themselves. If you want to be sure that every item is recorded correctly and completely, we take care of it for you: we enter your details, discuss the draft with you and prepare the submission.

Typical mistakes that cost Obwalden taxpayers money

In practice, we see the same points time and again: the generous commuter deduction of up to CHF 10'000 is not fully used. The additional deduction of CHF 5'100 for children in education away from home goes unused. Written extension requests cost CHF 30, even though the online route would be free of charge until the end of the year.

With the flat rate in particular, every forgotten deduction has a direct effect. A specialist checks every item individually and points out missing documents to you before the return is submitted.

Get more out of it

Tax deductions in the Canton of Obwalden – make use of every option

Anyone who knows all the permissible deductions and claims them correctly reduces their tax burden noticeably – with the flat rate, even on a linear basis. The following maximum amounts apply to the 2025 tax year; the official guidelines are authoritative.

  1. 01

    Professional expenses & commuter deduction

    Travel expenses between home and workplace are deductible in the Canton of Obwalden up to CHF 10'000 per year (Confederation: CHF 3'300), plus meals away from home at CHF 15 per working day or a maximum of CHF 3'200 per year. For cars, 70 centimes per kilometre applies up to 10'000 kilometres.

    Official source(opens in a new tab on ow.ch)
  2. 02

    Child deductions & third-party childcare

    Child deduction of CHF 6'200 per child; for education away from home, an additional CHF 5'100. In addition, substantiated third-party childcare costs of up to CHF 10'000 per child under 14 (2025 tax year).

  3. 03

    Pillar 3a & pension provision

    Payments into tied pension provision are deductible up to CHF 7'258 (2025 tax year, employees with a pension fund); buy-ins into the pension fund are added to this. We assign the certificates to the correct item and check whether the permissible amount has been fully used.

  4. 04

    Insurance premiums & savings interest

    With contributions to a pension fund or pillar 3a, up to CHF 3'300 (married couples) or CHF 1'700 (others) is deductible; without such contributions, 50 per cent more – plus CHF 700 per child (2025 tax year).

  5. 05

    Further education costs

    Job-related education and further training: up to CHF 12'000 in the Canton of Obwalden, up to CHF 13'000 at federal level, per person and year (2025 tax year). This includes course fees, teaching materials, examination fees and travel costs to the course venue.

  6. 06

    Donations & charitable contributions

    Voluntary contributions to tax-exempt charitable institutions domiciled in Switzerland as well as contributions to political parties, each within the applicable limits.

There are also further items such as debt interest, maintenance payments, property costs or the percentage-based deduction for married persons. Which deductions can be substantiated in your situation is something we clarify before we start – free of charge and without obligation.

Guidelines and forms of the canton(opens in a new tab on ow.ch)

Keeping track of dates

Deadlines and submission in the Canton of Obwalden

The date on your personal tax documents is always authoritative. The following overview refers to the 2025 tax year.

Deadlines at a glance

Ordinary filing deadline
30 April 2026 for the 2025 tax year
Deadline extension
Online until 31 December 2026 free of charge; written requests or beyond that date: CHF 30
Electronic tax return
eTax Web with access code; receipts via Snap.Share
In case of late filing
After a reminder, a disciplinary fine and a discretionary assessment are possible

Missed the deadline? No need to panic.

Obwalden is generous online: extensions until the end of the year are free of charge via the portal. Only written requests and extensions beyond 31 December cost CHF 30.

If the deadline has already passed, a reminder usually follows first. In this case, contact us early – we will clarify with you what is still possible and take care of the application.

With us, the deadline extension is included in the package price free of charge.

Secure the deadlines – request now

Withholding tax

Withholding tax in the Canton of Obwalden

If your salary is taxed directly at source, an ordinary tax return is not automatically required – but in certain cases it is mandatory or possible on a voluntary basis.

01

Who is subject to withholding tax?

In principle, foreign employees without a C settlement permit who are resident or staying in the canton – for example with a B or L permit. The Obwalden tax administration in Sarnen is responsible.

02

NOV – subsequent ordinary assessment

From a gross annual income from employment of CHF 120'000, the subsequent ordinary assessment (NOV) is mandatory. Below this threshold, it can be requested voluntarily – by 31 March of the following year.

03

How we support you

We check the tariff code, marital status, other income and possible deductions and assess whether a NOV is worthwhile in your case. We then file the application on time and prepare the complete tax return.

This information is for guidance only and does not replace an individual assessment. We review your specific situation before we start.

Have your withholding tax checked

From the Canton of Obwalden

Typical situations in the Canton of Obwalden

Flat rate tax since 2008

Obwalden taxes income proportionally at 1.8 per cent (simple tax) – the first canton in Switzerland to do so, since 1 January 2008. This is multiplied by the total tax multiplier of the canton, commune and church. Every deduction therefore has a linear effect – all the more reason to make full use of them all.

Inheriting and gifting without tax

Alongside Schwyz, Obwalden is the only canton with neither inheritance tax nor gift tax – regardless of the degree of kinship. What this means for estate planning and your tax return is something we clarify on a case-by-case basis.

Commuters

Whether to Lucerne, Stans or into the Sarneraatal: at a maximum of CHF 10'000 per year, the travel expenses deduction in the Canton of Obwalden is considerably more generous than at federal level (2025 tax year). Anyone wishing to deduct a private vehicle needs proof that public transport is not reasonable.

Engelberg and tourism

In 2025, the tourist commune of Engelberg granted a temporary tax rebate of 0.10 units. For second homes in the monastery village: if you are resident elsewhere, you have limited tax liability with a tax allocation – we record all properties in full.

Property and imputed rental value in the Canton of Obwalden

Anyone who owns residential property in the Canton of Obwalden pays tax on the imputed rental value as income and can in return deduct mortgage interest, maintenance and administration costs. The key is a clean separation: repairs and replacements preserve the value and are deductible; an extension increases it and is not.

The proportional wealth tax of 0.2 per mille (simple tax) keeps the ongoing burden for owners low – and anyone who one day bequeaths or gifts the property does so tax-free in Obwalden.

If your property is located in another canton or you own a second home, for example in Engelberg, a tax allocation is made between the public authorities involved. We record all properties in full.

  • Imputed rental value and property details recorded correctly
  • Mortgage interest and list of debts checked
  • Maintenance: value-preserving separated from value-enhancing
  • Lump-sum or actual deduction compared
  • Properties outside the canton and second homes taken into account

Additional service: CHF 65.– per property.

Communal comparison

Tax multipliers of the communes in the Canton of Obwalden

The tax is calculated from the simple tax (flat rate: 1.8 % of income), multiplied by the total tax multiplier in units – canton (3.15 plus 0.10 special-purpose tax), commune and parish. The following overview shows the communal tax multipliers of all 7 communes.

Including the canton and Catholic church tax, the 2025 total ranges from 7.65 units (Sarnen) to 9.20 (Lungern); in 2025, Engelberg also granted a temporary rebate of 0.10 units. With the flat rate, one thing counts above all: making full use of all permissible deductions.

Tax multipliers (Canton of Obwalden)(opens in a new tab on ow.ch)

Your preparation

Documents you should have ready

Depending on your situation, further documents may be needed. After your request we tell you exactly what is still missing.

Simple process

Your finished tax return in 4 clear steps

Request, discuss, approve – we take care of the rest for you.

  1. 01

    approx. 60 seconds

    Submit a request

    Fill in a short form with your contact details and canton of residence – free of charge and without obligation.

  2. 02

    within 24 hours

    Meet your advisor

    Your personal tax specialist gets in touch – at your home, in the office or by video call.

  3. 03

    upload or post

    Go through your documents

    Together you go through the checklist; anything missing can easily be sent later.

  4. 04

    after your approval

    Finished tax return

    We prepare the tax return, you approve it – then we file it for you.

Request now, free of charge

Transparent prices

Fair fixed prices – also in the Canton of Obwalden

Fixed price per tax year. Payment is made after completion, within 14 days.*

  • Apprentices & students

    CHF 35.–

    Up to CHF 30'000 gross salary

    Per tax return

    • Tax return included
    • Securities included
    • Deadline extension included
    • Advice and processing
    • Filing with the tax office
    • Available in all cantons
    Request now
  • Most popular

    Individuals

    CHF 99.–

    For employees & self-employed

    Per tax return

    • Tax return included
    • Securities included
    • Deadline extension included
    • Additional income included
    • Further education costs included
    • Filing with the tax office
    • Personal tax specialist
    • Advice by phone
    Request now

  • Married couples

    CHF 149.–

    Joint assessment

    Per tax return

    • Tax return included
    • Securities included
    • Deadline extension included
    • Joint assessment
    • Child deductions optimised
    • Third-party childcare costs
    • Filing with the tax office
    • Personal tax specialist
    Request now
  • Real estateCHF 65.– per property
  • InheritanceCHF 65.–
  • Express 72hCHF 100.–

See all prices and additional services

* Regular clients can pay online in advance.

Further reading

Related guide articles

In-depth articles on the topics addressed on this page.

Filing deadlines of all cantonsWhen each tax return is due – an overview of all cantons.Understanding inheritance taxWho pays, who is exempt – the basics explained simply.Professional expenses and commuter deductionClaiming travel expenses, meals and other professional expenses correctly.Making the most of pillar 3aMaximum amounts, deadlines and tax effect of tied pension provision.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions – Canton of Obwalden

The key answers about your tax return in this canton.

Transparency

Official information

The information provided by the Canton of Obwalden is always authoritative. Reviewed/updated: September 2026.

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