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EXPAT GUIDE | PRESENTED BY GREENBACK

TAXES

US tax preparation in Switzerland

If you dread filing your US expat taxes each year, you aren’t alone. But Greenback Expat Tax Services can prepare your taxes efficiently, accurately and at a fair, honest price.

Published: 16 April 2015 11:47 CEST
Updated: 21 April 2015 11:47 CEST
US tax preparation in Switzerland
Photo: Images Money/Flickr

Company name: Greenback Expat Tax Services

Name of Interviewee: David McKeegan, Co-Founder

Who is Greenback?

Greenback specializes in providing expert expat tax preparation and services for Americans living around the world. My wife, Carrie and I, started the company back in 2008. We were expats ourselves and couldn’t find an affordable, experienced expat tax provider so we decided to create the kind of company we were looking for.  We’ve grown exponentially since our inception and now serve clients in over 140 countries—it’s an exciting time for our company!

Where is Greenback located?

Greenback actually operates with a unique business structure. Our entire team works remotely, without a physical office. Like us, many of our team members are expats themselves!

We wanted to remain location independent since we really enjoy the expat lifestyle, but operating virtually also allows us to find the most experienced accountant and management professionals, no matter where the live. 

What are Greenback’s greatest strengths?

We certainly believe the expertise of our accountant team is the core of this company. Providing accurate returns is critical and we are meticulous in our hiring process. Customer service is another strength. Many clients return to us year after year for our tax expertise, but also because we are genuinely nice people to work with.  That is the ultimate compliment.

Why would a US expat choose to work with an expat tax company instead of preparing their taxes on their own?

Expats can absolutely file on their own if they are comfortable doing so! But the US expat tax filing requirements are complex and ever-changing, which makes it really difficult for expats to accurately file their taxes year-to-year. Understanding the deductions and exclusions that are available to offset US taxes can also be a challenge so it’s helpful to work with someone who knows the ins and outs of expat tax filing.

Do you file foreign bank account reports for your clients?

Yes! We prepare and file both FBAR (Foreign Bank Account Report) and FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act) forms. We file the FBAR form (FinCEN 114) electronically with the Department of the Treasury by June 30th each year, while FATCA Form 8938 is filed along with your US Federal Tax Return. (Remember that if you file for an extension on your US return, you get an extension on FATCA, but NOT FBAR—that is always due June 30th.)

How does the tax preparation process work?

We wanted to make it as simple as possible, so everything is done online. Documents are uploaded to a secure online folder and the accountant prepares a draft return in about a week. In most cases, our accountants can even e-file on behalf of their clients.

What if someone hasn’t filed their US taxes since moving abroad?

This situation is really common, as many expats never knew they needed to file. We can help by filing back taxes, as well as prepare the necessary forms and tax returns if someone chooses to file under one of the IRS amnesty programs for delinquent filers, such as the Streamlined Filing Procedures.

Greenback Expat Tax Services

This text was sponsored by Greenback Expat Tax Services.

 

For members

TAXES

Why do companies in Switzerland have to pay church taxes?

Many of us who have moved to Switzerland are familiar with the concept of 'Church Tax'. While individuals can be required to pay it, what are the obligations for companies?

Published: 15 March 2024 12:01 CET
Why do companies in Switzerland have to pay church taxes?

Do companies need to pay Switzerland’s church tax?

Unfortunately, yes, companies are required to pay church tax most of the time and across most of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, as per Article Three of the Swiss Constitution.

There are very few exceptions.

If your company has an explicitly religious focus, it may be exempt from church tax.

Another exemption may apply if your company is a partnership. If the owner has left their church, as per the requirements for individuals, the company may no longer be liable.

Of course, this depends on cantonal tax laws, which can vary widely across Switzerland. That’s why it’s essential to understand your canton’s tax laws before setting up shop.

READ MORE: Do I have to pay ‘church tax’ in Switzerland?

How much is it?

Church tax is a proportion of cantonal taxes, representing approximately 23.5% of net profits. The exact distribution will vary from canton to canton – and year to year.

Are there cantons where companies are not liable for the church tax?

Some cantons don’t levy church tax on companies.

The good news is that companies based in Geneva, Basel-City, Aargau, Schaffhausen, and Appenzell-Ausserrhoden do not have to pay.

In two other cantons, Ticino and Neuchâtel, the payment of church tax is optional for companies.

Do sole traders and freelancers have to pay?

Not unless the owner, as an individual, has indicated membership in one of the recognised churches in their canton during the registration process—the Swiss Catholic Church, the Roman Catholic Church, the Evangelical Reformed Church, or the Jewish community.

If you’ve already done this, you can leave the church by following a simple procedure, depending on your canton of residence.

This involves sending a registered letter to your parish or synagogue expressing a desire to leave the church. You must send a registered letter stating the same to the cantonal tax office.

Of course, this procedure will vary, so you must determine the exact process for your canton, and remember that the Swiss are sticklers for detail.

Having done this, you will be considered as leaving the church on December 31st of that year, and not be liable for church taxes from that point onward. 

READ MORE: OPINION: Why so many Swiss are quitting the church and taking their money with them

How do the Swiss feel about this?

Despite a dramatic drop in the number of Swiss declaring membership in a church over the last five years – some estimates put it at approximately 5 percent – most of Switzerland’s cantons have yet to abolish church taxes on companies, and those referenda that are called on the matter do not succeed.

One reason could be—and so the churches argue—that scrapping the church tax on companies would substantially burden the state and, therefore, the average Swiss taxpayer.

The number of hospitals, aged care facilities, daycares, and schools run by churches—the Catholic church in particular—is cited. Substantive infrastructure costs could be incurred if these facilities were either closed down or taken over by the state.

That’s not to say that abolishing the church tax on companies is not a subject of frequent debate. As recently as this week, a right-of-centre FDP party member, Carlos Reinhard, introduced a motion in Bern’s cantonal parliament to make it voluntary for companies to pay the church tax.

Such a move would place in doubt the local Catholic church’s ability to fund the equivalent of approximately 38 million euros in works. Understandably, the church in the canton has been strenuously campaigning in favour of maintaining the status quo.

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