Deductions

Deductions include in particular professional expenses, expenses for education and further training, childcare costs, debt interest, donations and medical and insurance costs you bear yourself. The current guidelines of your canton and federal law are always decisive. Collect all receipts during the year so that you can fully substantiate the information in your tax return.

• Professional expenses and commuting: what you can deductProfessional expenses include in particular travel costs between home and place of work, additional costs for meals and other expenses necessary for carrying out your profession. You can claim either the lump-sum deduction or the actual, documented costs. For the commute, the cheapest reasonable means of transport generally serves as the benchmark. Anyone with several places of work or a varying workload should document the details particularly carefully so that the tax administration can follow the facts.Read article
• Deducting education and further training costs from taxYou can claim costs for job-related education and further training as a deduction up to a maximum amount set annually. As a rule, the requirement is a connection to your professional activity or a recognised retraining. Initial education up to a certain qualification may be regarded as already covered and is not additionally deductible. Careful documentation of the course content and the professional connection makes recognition by the tax administration easier.Read article
• Childcare costs and family deductionsParents can deduct costs for the care of children by third parties up to a maximum amount per child set annually, provided the care is related to employment, education or incapacity to work. In addition, there are general child deductions that are granted regardless of the actual childcare costs. The exact requirements and amounts can be found in the guidelines of your canton. Complete documentation of the childcare arrangements makes the assessment easier and prevents queries.Read article
• Deducting donations, debts and debt interest correctlyDonations to organisations recognised as charitable by the Confederation or canton can be deducted up to a percentage of net income. Interest on private debts, such as mortgages or consumer loans, is also deductible within certain limits. Proof of the actual flow of payments and the recognised charitable status of the recipient organisation are always decisive. A complete list of debts is also important for the declaration of assets.Read article
• Deducting medical costs and insurance premiumsHealth insurance premiums and other insurance premiums can be claimed within the scope of the insurance deduction set annually. Medical and accident costs you bear yourself are additionally deductible, provided they exceed a certain share of net income. It is important that only costs actually paid by you and not covered by insurance are taken into account. Keeping the receipts in an orderly manner throughout the year makes calculating the deductible portion considerably easier.Read article