How are dividends taxed in Switzerland?

The company first withholds 35% Verrechnungssteuer (anticipatory tax). Swiss residents reclaim this in full when they declare the dividend, then pay ordinary income tax at their combined federal, cantonal and communal marginal rate. The withholding is a credit, not an extra tax.

What is the Verrechnungssteuer?

It is the Swiss anticipatory or withholding tax of 35% deducted at source on dividends and interest. Its purpose is to encourage honest declaration: residents who declare the income get it refunded, while undeclared income effectively loses the 35%.

Can foreign investors reclaim the 35%?

Partly. Non-residents can usually reclaim the portion of the 35% above the rate allowed under their country's double-tax treaty with Switzerland, often leaving a 15% residual. The exact recovery depends on the treaty and a valid reclaim application.

Are qualified shareholdings taxed less?

Yes. For substantial holdings (typically 10% or more), Switzerland applies partial taxation so only a portion of the dividend — often around 70% at federal level — is taxed, reducing economic double taxation. This calculator models the standard private-investor case.

Does this calculator store my data?

No. Everything is computed locally in your browser and nothing is sent to a server, so your figures stay private.

Switzerland Dividend Tax Calculator

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This Switzerland dividend tax calculator shows what you actually keep from a dividend after the 35% Verrechnungssteuer (anticipatory tax) and ordinary income tax. The key Swiss quirk: the 35% is refundable if you are a resident who declares the income — it is a credit against your final tax bill, not an extra charge.

How it works

When a Swiss company pays a dividend it withholds 35% and forwards it to the federal tax administration. You receive only 65% in cash. Then:

If you are a declaring Swiss resident, you reclaim the full 35%, and the gross dividend is taxed at your combined marginal rate (federal + cantonal + communal). Your net is gross - income tax.
If you do not declare it (or cannot reclaim), the 35% is lost on top of any tax, so the withholding becomes a real cost.

Gross dividend            100
Withheld at source (35%)  -35   → cash received 65
Refund on declaration     +35   → back to 100 gross taxed
Income tax @ marginal rate -X
Net kept                  100 - X

Example

You receive a CHF 10,000 gross dividend and your combined marginal rate is 25%. The company pays you CHF 6,500 in cash. As a declaring resident you reclaim the CHF 3,500 withholding, and pay CHF 2,500 income tax on the CHF 10,000. You keep CHF 7,500 overall.

Notes

This models a standard private investor. Substantial (qualified) holdings of 10%+ get partial taxation, and non-residents reclaim only the treaty excess above their residual rate. Combined marginal rates vary widely by canton and commune. Confirm with your cantonal tax office or adviser.