Pay bills, make dentist appointment, take cat to vet, help kids with homework, cook dinner, do washing, sort out finances……the list of daily tasks for any parent can be never-ending so add the pressure of work into the mix and it’s not surprising that sorting out those finances is all too often at the bottom of the list, waiting for a day when you’ll have more time.

But……will you ever have more time and when you do will it be a bit too late – a bit late to plan for your children’s education, a bit late to plan for meeting your aspirations in retirement? In reality there’s always something you can do but the earlier you think about putting a plan in place the more options will be available to you.

If you speak to a financial adviser, they’ll take you through the essentials of financial planning for people living and/or working in Switzerland. Your adviser will consider your personal circumstances – family situation, employment history and future plans before providing recommendations to suit your individual needs.

Parents have many of the same questions as everyone else but there are obviously areas of particular interest such as saving for children’s education, how to make the most of tax advantages related to childcare and how to deal with inheritance issues. Key questions parents often ask include:

• How much should I be saving for my children’s higher education?
• Will I have saved enough for when I reach retirement?
• How can I maximize the tax advantages available to me in Switzerland?
• Should I consolidate the pension plans I’ve accumulated abroad?
• How can I pass wealth on to my children in a tax-efficient manner?

Depending on your individual situation the adviser will answer your questions and propose savings and investment solutions to suit your requirements. What action you decide to take based on this advice is up to you but whatever happens it’s one more thing you can cross off your list!

Setting aside love and feelings (we are a financial advisory firm after all), our consultants usually get the same question from our clients, “I have heard I will pay more taxes if I get married, is it true?”.

There are 5 parts to that questions: Administration, 1st pillar, 2nd pillar, your global income tax rate & Inheritance tax. As expected, the answer is both yes and no, depending on how restrictive you are with your answer and the structure of your earnings. Let’s look at why.

1. Administration: Married = 1 point
   Being married simplifies a lot of the day to day life. Consider just filing your taxes. Married couples file one tax return, unmarried couples have to file separate returns. This advantage, in case of divorce can also become a real Pandora’s box.
2. 1st Pillar: Unmarried couples = 1 point
   A full annuity for a couple after 43/44 years of contribution will never exceed 150% of a standard annuity for one person. Therefore, there is certainly a disadvantage for married couples in this regard.
3. 2nd Pillar: Married = 1 point
   Many pension foundations require at least 5 years of proven common living to offer the same benefits unmarried couples have than married ones. Often, too many foundations offer no benefits at all to unmarried couples, resulting in a significant loss should the worst happen to one of the members of the couple.
4. Global Income tax rate: We have a tie
   Depending on your canton of residence, the splitting of your income (50-50 or 70-30) and your total common revenue, you might pay more taxes should you get married. In general, the more you earn, the less beneficial it is to be married. For a combined income above CHF300’000, it is often better to not be married.
5. Inheritance Tax: Married = 1 point
   Forced heirship exist in Switzerland, it is therefore more difficult to protect a partner than a wife. Also, whilst there is virtually no taxes between spouses (up to 6% in Geneva above CHF500’000), taxes amount to 26% above CHF100’000 for partners.

All in all, if you are ready to pop the question, don’t let taxes prevent you from doing so as it is not a good enough excuse!