The costs for a private workspace (home office) can be claimed for tax purposes. However, strict requirements apply when deducting expenses for a private home office:

The home office must be used regularly, meaning a significant portion of your professional work is carried out there. The benchmark is 40% or more of a full-time workload. The second condition is that your employer did not provide a suitable workspace for your job. The third requirement is that the home office is used exclusively for professional purposes. Only if all three conditions are met can a proportion of the room's costs be deducted from your income tax.

Home Office 2020 Due to COVID-19

If you worked from home in 2020 due to COVID-19, these costs cannot be deducted as home office expenses (legal requirements are not met). However, the usual commuting and meal expenses can still be deducted.

Disability-related costs can be claimed for tax purposes. Unlike illness and accident costs, disability-related additional expenses can usually be deducted in full from taxes. To qualify for this deduction, the person concerned must be officially recognized as a “disabled person.

Private individuals who only require visual aids, such as glasses or contact lenses, and similar devices, are not considered disabled. Generally, disabled persons include, for example, recipients of disability insurance benefits (IV-Leistungen) or helplessness allowances (Hilflosenentschädigung). Deductible are the disability-related additional costs that had to be paid out of pocket i.e., costs not covered by insurance or aid organizations.

Donations to political parties in Switzerland, as well as membership fees paid, can be claimed for tax purposes. Since 2011, a new regulation has been in effect allowing private individuals from all cantons to deduct their paid membership fees and donations to political parties from their taxes.

For the Swiss federal direct tax, a maximum deductible amount of 10,000 Swiss francs has been set. However, individual cantons are allowed to set different maximum limits.

Donations to charitable institutions and organizations can be claimed for tax purposes. Donations made to public and other exclusively charitable organizations may be deducted from taxes, provided certain requirements are met.

It should always be checked whether the respective organization is recognized as charitable, what the minimum and maximum donation amounts allowed are, and whether flat-rate deductions can be used. You can find out the current minimum and maximum donation limits for charitable organizations in the Canton of Zurich from our tax advisor or your responsible tax authority for Aeugst am Albis.

Withholding taxes paid on bank account interest can be claimed for tax purposes. When interest is credited to a savings account, the amount usually corresponds to only 65% of the actual interest earned. The remaining 35% is paid by the bank to the tax authorities.

If the relevant accounts are declared in the tax return, the withholding tax can be refunded. There are additional details to consider for the correct accounting of withholding taxes, as they can also arise from other transactions and there are specified limits for the respective amounts.

Incurred costs for alimony and maintenance payments can be claimed for tax purposes. Both payments made for child support and spousal support to the ex-spouse can be deducted from taxes.

Tip: If all payments are documented with bank statements, your tax return may be processed faster depending on the circumstances, as the tax office will not need to cross-check with your ex-partner.

Parents of minor children can claim a social deduction. For the Swiss federal direct tax, the deduction amount is CHF 6,700* per child, and for the cantonal tax in Zurich, it is CHF 9,300* per child.

*Tax year 2024

Incurred costs for external childcare can be claimed for tax purposes. Typically, costs for daycare centers and childminders can be deducted from taxes. Specified maximum amounts must not be exceeded.

As of 2024:
Canton Zurich: 25'000
Federal: 25'500

If both spouses are employed, special deductions can be claimed for tax purposes. Thus, if both spouses work, you are entitled to the dual-income deduction. For federal income tax, the maximum deduction is CHF 13,900*, and for cantonal tax in Zurich, the maximum deduction is CHF 6,100*.

As of 2024:

Loan interest can be claimed as a tax deduction. Individuals who have taken out loans from a bank can deduct the accrued loan interest from their taxable income. Deductible loan interest may arise from mortgages, bank loans, or private loans. It's important to note that only the accrued interest can be deducted, not the repayment of the loan principal itself.

If a car was financed through a loan, the accrued loan interest can be deducted. However, if it is financed through a leasing agreement, this deduction is not permitted.

Out-of-pocket medical expenses can be claimed as tax deductions. In the canton of Zurich, expenses exceeding 5% of net income are deductible. Such privately paid medical costs may arise, for example, from dental visits or increased expenditures due to health issues.

Work-related meal expenses can be claimed for tax purposes. In many cases, meal costs incurred due to employment are tax-deductible. However, if it is reasonable to expect the individual to eat at home instead, expenses for meals away from home are generally not deductible. The decisive factor here is the distance between the place of residence and the workplace.

For main meals, flat rates of CHF 15 or CHF 7.50 apply, depending on whether employees had to pay the full price for a meal or if the meal was subsidized by the employer. There are also additional details to consider regarding meal expenses. Under certain conditions, the deduction of meal costs may also be denied.

Costs for education and further training can be deducted from taxes. The maximum deductible amount for education and further training is CHF 12,700 (federal tax 2024). However, there are specific details to consider. Not all educational expenses incurred are eligible for a tax deduction. Typical educational costs that generally cannot be claimed include expenses for an apprenticeship or a first degree program.

Paid contributions for health insurance, life insurance policies, and accident insurance can be deducted from taxes. Health insurance premiums can often only be deducted indirectly through a lump-sum deduction. The maximum amount varies depending on the tax regulations, marital status, and canton.

Contributions to close gaps in the pension fund can be deducted from taxes. Those who reduce or completely close gaps in the second pillar through voluntary contributions can apply these payments to save taxes. Payments made to close such gaps can only be deducted up to a certain maximum amount. The approved maximum amount is stated on the pension fund statement.

Contributions to Pillar 3a can be deducted from taxes. Employees can deduct amounts paid into Pillar 3a up to a maximum of CHF 7,056 (2024) from their taxable income. For self-employed individuals not affiliated with a pension fund, the maximum deductible amount is CHF 35,280 (2024).

Recommendation: It is definitely worthwhile to contribute the maximum amount to Pillar 3a each year whenever possible. The money paid into this retirement savings multiplies its benefits. Not only do you have more money for retirement, but the deductions also significantly reduce your current tax burden. Additionally, if you make an early withdrawal of the capital, you benefit from a reduced tax rate (one-fifth of the normal tax rate).

Professional expenses can be deducted from taxes. These may include costs for work clothing, work tools, and work-related service expenses. For professional expenses subject to a flat-rate deduction, taxes can be claimed without separate receipts. For federal and cantonal taxes, amounts up to 3% of the net salary can be claimed as a flat-rate deduction. However, a maximum total amount of CHF 4,000 must not be exceeded.

If the incurred work-related additional costs exceed the flat-rate amounts, it is possible to claim the excess costs for tax purposes-provided the appropriate receipts are submitted.

Commuting expenses to work can be deducted from taxes. These costs may be incurred using a private car, bicycle, or public transportation. There are some details to consider when claiming commuting expenses. The costs are not always deductible and must meet certain conditions. Additionally, there is a maximum deductible amount of CHF 3,000 for federal income tax and CHF 5,000 for cantonal tax in the canton of Zurich.

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Unfortunately not, as Steuer-Dienst.ch refrains from having office space to keep prices low, and everything is handled either online or by mail. This is the only way we can offer you these attractive prices.

No. The quality will definitely not suffer because of the low prices. We want to win you as a regular client for our tax consulting services, which is only possible with satisfied customers and accurately completed tax returns. We also have the opportunity to exchange expertise within our network, ensuring you benefit from top-quality tax services.

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Steuer-Dienst.ch offers very good value for money with fair and transparent fixed prices. Tax return for only CHF 99.00.

Tax return prepared by tax experts

Your order is handled directly by professionally qualified tax experts. It is important to us to always stay up to date with the latest legislation, which includes ongoing training. Our goal is to support our clients long-term in all tax-related matters. Tax optimization already begins with tax planning and is reflected in the tax return or your tax bill. So, we don’t just fill out the tax return for you. You can expect that we carefully analyze your situation and provide recommendations when necessary.