Legal

Swiss Asset Management Takes a New Turn in 2020

 

From January 1, 2020. The Swiss Financial Institutions Act (FinIA) and the Swiss Financial Services Act (FinSA) entered into force, updating the regulatory regime for trustees working in Switzerland. This means that all independent portfolio managers (PMs) and trustees subject to supervision under FinIA will have to be supervised by a Supervised organisations (SO) authorised by FINMA and get licensed by FINMA before they can be able to carry out their activities as financial intermediaries in Switzerland.

 

Tax deductions in Switzerland

The calculation of the tax rates in Switzerland is based on the net income of the taxpayer. Like in most other European countries, there are several tax deductions that can be made when a tax declaration is filed in Switzerland. These will reduce the taxable income and consequently the value of tax that needs to be paid diminishes significantly.

 

Banking and finance in Switzerland

The Swiss banking sector is key in strengthening the swiss economy. Switzerland is well known for its diversified financial services,  privacy and sophistication. Swiss banks are actively engaged in a range of activities, in relation with both the private and commercial domain. At present, Switzerland is one of the leading countries in private banking.
 

Closing a business in Switzerland

Despite Switzerland having one of the best business environments in the world, some businesses still find themselves having to shut down their Swiss operations for various reasons. Such circumstances are usually a result of mismanagement of the company, bankruptcy, disputes or loss of interest by the investors among many other reasons. The Swiss government has put in place several laws and regulations that apply to companies undergoing insolvency and closure. These rules address issues such as the responsibilities of directors and mechanisms to utilise when declaring bankruptcy.