DON’T MISS
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingIamExpat Webinars
Newsletters
EXPAT INFO
CAREER
HOUSING
EDUCATION
LIFESTYLE
EXPAT SERVICES
NEWS & ARTICLES
Home
Career
Swiss news & articles
Nearly half of Swiss cantons cut taxes on the super-rich in 2021
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy

Nearly half of Swiss cantons cut taxes on the super-rich in 2021

Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy
or
follow us for regular updates:



Related Stories

Switzerland falls into deflation: What it means for youSwitzerland falls into deflation: What it means for you
Super-rich threaten to leave Switzerland over inheritance tax proposalSuper-rich threaten to leave Switzerland over inheritance tax proposal
10 richest people in Switzerland for 2024 revealed10 richest people in Switzerland for 2024 revealed
Inflation in Switzerland falls to its lowest level since April 2021Inflation in Switzerland falls to its lowest level since April 2021
How much wealth do you need to be part of Switzerland's 1 percent?How much wealth do you need to be part of Switzerland's 1 percent?
Inflation rate in Switzerland falls to zero: What it means for youInflation rate in Switzerland falls to zero: What it means for you
New hope for real wage rises as inflation in Switzerland falls to 3-year lowNew hope for real wage rises as inflation in Switzerland falls to 3-year low
How much do you need to earn to be considered wealthy in Switzerland?How much do you need to earn to be considered wealthy in Switzerland?
For expats of all colours, shapes and sizes

Explore
Expat infoCareerHousingEducationLifestyleExpat servicesNews & articles
About us
IamExpat MediaAdvertisePost a jobContact usSitemapRSS feeds
More IamExpat
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingWebinarsNewsletters
Privacy
Terms of usePrivacy policyCookiesAvoiding scams

Never miss a thing!Sign up for expat events, news & offers, delivered once a week.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy


© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
May 10, 2022
Jan de Boer

Editor at IamExpat Media

Jan studied History at the University of York and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Though born in York, Jan has lived most of his life in Zurich and has worked as a journalist, writer and editor since 2016. While he has plunged head-first back into life in Switzerland since returning to the country in 2020, he still enjoys a taste of home at pub quizzes and karaoke nights.Read more

2021 saw radical changes to the tax system in Switzerland, according to a new report by KPMG. Over the last year, business taxes and tax rates for high-income earners have declined, as the country prepares to join the OECD's minimum corporate tax scheme.

Three Swiss cantons cut business taxes for the richest

The study found that three Swiss cantons - Valais, Aargau and Jura - cut corporate taxes for the highest earners in 2021. The cuts ranged from 1 to 1,6 percent over the last year, which equates to thousands of francs in savings for each canton's richest residents.

According to the KPMG analysis, 18 of the 26 cantons have a corporate tax rate lower than the 15 percent minimum global rate agreed by the OECD. The rate, due to be implemented in January 2023, is an attempt to standardise corporate tax rates globally to stop the rise of tax havens.

Low corporate tax in Switzerland could be thing of the past

If these cantons don’t raise their corporate tax rates to the 15 percent threshold, and if the federal government also fails to act, the difference could be taxed by another OECD member. This would lead to a 1 to 2,5 billion franc tax loss for international companies and the Swiss state, according to KPMG.

Switzerland is due to follow the OECD recommendation and raise corporate tax rates to a minimum of 15 percent by the end of 2022. This poses a serious issue for cantons like Zug and Nidwalden, who have some of the lowest business tax rates in the world and will likely lose some of their investor appeal if taxes are raised.

Personal tax cuts used to compensate for higher business rates

To remain attractive to wealthy residents, many cantons have started to cut personal tax rates to compensate for the OECD plan. According to KPMG, 12 cantons have cut taxes for the highest earners in the last year, with Schwyz (-1,5 percent), Schaffhausen (-1 percent), Thurgau and Lucerne (-0,6 percent) cutting the most.

In concluding their report, KPMG said that it was up to Switzerland, and other low-tax nations like Ireland and offshore states, to make themselves more attractive to investors. Without the historically low taxes that Switzerland is famous, or infamous for, the government and the cantons need to find new ways to attract investors to the alpine nation.

By Jan de Boer