Church Tax in Switzerland: Who Pays and How to Leave
How church tax works, what it finances and the steps to leave a church.
4 min read · Salary & Tax
Life situations: Moving to Switzerland
In most cantons, members of recognised churches pay a church tax together with their income tax.
How it works
The tax is a percentage of your income tax, set by the canton or parish, and it pays for church services, education and social work. Companies may also pay it in some cantons.
- Net annual incomeCHF 70'893 · 75 %
- AHV/IV/EO contributionCHF 5'035 · 5 %
- ALV contributionCHF 1'045 · 1 %
- Pension fund + NBU + KTGCHF 8'360 · 9 %
- Estimated income taxCHF 9'667 · 10 %
Example with default values. Open the calculator →
Leaving a church
- You declare your leaving to your municipality or church, depending on the canton.
- The tax stops for the following period; check the rules of your canton.
- You can still donate to charities and deduct the gifts.
Estimate the effect on your pay with the gross-to-net calculator.
Try it yourself: Gross-to-Net Salary Calculator
Change any input and the result updates instantly. Nothing you enter is sent to a server.
Net monthly income (12 payments)CHF 5'908
- Net annual income
- CHF 70'893
- AHV/IV/EO contribution
- CHF 5'035
- ALV contribution
- CHF 1'045
- Pension fund + NBU + KTG
- CHF 8'360
- Estimated income tax
- CHF 9'667
- Total deductions
- CHF 24'107
- Deduction rate
- 25.38 %
- Net annual incomeCHF 70'893 · 75 %
- AHV/IV/EO contributionCHF 5'035 · 5 %
- ALV contributionCHF 1'045 · 1 %
- Pension fund + NBU + KTGCHF 8'360 · 9 %
- Estimated income taxCHF 9'667 · 10 %