Switzerland: Corporate Tax Return Preparation

Who is subject to submit Swiss corporate tax return?

The Public Limited Company (AG) and the Limited Liability Company (GmbH) are required to file tax returns in Switzerland on an annual basis. The usual tax year in Switzerland runs from 1st January to 31st December, unless the company’s statutes states otherwise. The tax is payable from the date the company is registered in the trade register.

Which taxes are calculated in the tax return? 

The tax return is required to calculate taxes on corporate profit and capital. For tax on profits, Swiss companies are taxed at three different levels in Switzerland - federal, cantonal, and communal. The Federal level has a fixed rate of 8.5% while cantonal and communal tax rates are varies depending on the Canton. The canton with the lowest tax rate is Zug.

Taxation on capital is only levied at the cantonal and the communal levels. The ordinary rates are between 0.001 % and 0.508 %, depending on the Canton in which the company is located. 

What is required for Swiss tax return preparation? 

The tax calculation is based on taxpayers’ declaration. In order to prepare a tax return for a company, an accountant would require account statements of all corporate bank accounts of the company and supporting documents for the transactions, such as receipts, debit/credit advices, agreements, contracts, payment orders, etc. 

When is the deadline for submission of the tax return?

The deadline for the corporate tax return filling is different in each canton. The deadline for companies in Cantons Zurich and Zug, for example, is the end of September, but for companies in Geneva, the deadline is end of May. 

If you are looking for assistance in tax return preparation, please get in touch. We are specialists in accounting and administration for Swiss companies. We complete our client’s on company registration, completion and submission of the tax return to the tax authorities, etc.