Verrechnungssteuer und Stempelabgaben

Die schweizerische Verrechnungssteuer von 35 Prozent auf Dividenden und bestimmten Zinszahlungen ist einer der wichtigsten Faktoren bei der Strukturierung von Investitionen in die und über die Schweiz. Die hier versammelten Beiträge erläutern, wann die Steuer geschuldet ist, wie sie schweizerischen und ausländischen Empfängern zurückerstattet wird, wie das Meldeverfahren die Zahlung innerhalb von Konzernen vermeidet, wie Doppelbesteuerungsabkommen sie reduzieren und wie die Emissions- und die Umsatzabgabe auf Kapitaleinlagen und Wertschriftengeschäfte anwendbar sind. Sie richten sich an Konzerne und Investoren, die ihre Ausschüttungen und Kapitalflüsse von Anfang an korrekt planen wollen.

The 35 per cent tax on distributions

The Swiss withholding tax of 35 per cent on dividends and certain interest payments is one of the first questions in any structure that involves a Swiss company. Swiss recipients recover it in full, foreign recipients depend on a double taxation treaty, and within groups the notification procedure avoids payment altogether.

For foreign investors the tax is less a final burden than a matter of cash flow and administration. A shareholder resident in a treaty state can reclaim the part of the tax that exceeds the treaty rate, but only if the claim is filed correctly, on the prescribed form and within the applicable deadline. Missed deadlines turn a temporary charge into a permanent cost.

Refunds, reductions and stamp duties

Within international groups the notification procedure allows a Swiss subsidiary to pay dividends to a qualifying foreign parent at the reduced treaty rate without first paying the full tax. The procedure requires prior authorisation from the Federal Tax Administration, and the authority examines whether the parent company has sufficient substance and is entitled to the treaty benefits.

Stamp duties are a second, often overlooked cost. The issuance stamp duty of 1 per cent applies to contributions to the capital of a Swiss company, although the first one million francs are exempt. A securities transfer stamp duty is due when Swiss securities dealers are involved in the purchase or sale of shares and bonds. Both should be considered before a transaction is structured.

In this section

The articles explain when the withholding tax is due, how it is refunded or reduced under the treaties with China, Hong Kong and other states, how it applies to tokenised bonds and shares, and how the issuance stamp duty affects capital contributions.