Tax Returns and Household Help in Switzerland: Maximize Your Deductions (2026)
Without a salary certificate the tax office accepts zero deductions - with the right documents you often save several thousand francs. In a few minutes you'll know exactly which documents you need and what your canton allows.
For any tax deduction around household help you need the salary certificate and AHV confirmation - childcare is deductible up to CHF 25,800 per child (federal).
- No official registration means no salary certificate - and no tax deduction.
- Filing deadline by canton: between March 31 and September 30, 2026.
- Clino generates salary certificate, AHV confirmation and annual statement automatically.
Know how much you can deduct? Tax deduction calculator & tips →
Which Documents Do You Need for Your Tax Return?
Without these documents the tax office accepts no deduction - get these five ready:
Salary Certificate (Form 11)
The official Swiss salary form - shows gross salary, deductions (AHV, ALV, UVG), and net salary. Must be attached to the tax return. Clino generates this automatically in January.
AHV Confirmation from the Compensation Office
The annual statement from the compensation office proves that social security contributions were paid. In the simplified billing procedure, it also serves as a tax certificate.
Employment Contract
Not always required, but recommended as proof: workload, salary, scope of duties. Especially important for childcare to prove the care component.
Payment Receipts
Bank statements or receipts proving actual payments. Cash payments without receipts are not accepted by the tax office.
Medical Certificate (if applicable)
Only for disability-related care needs: a medical certificate confirms that the household help is medically necessary. Allows full deduction without upper limit.
Clino automatically generates the salary certificate, annual statement, and employment contract. All documents are available as PDFs in your dashboard - ready to download and submit.
What Tax Deductions Are Possible?
Four categories are deductible - check which one applies to you:
Third-Party Childcare
Nanny, au pair, or day mother for children under 14: up to CHF 25,800/child (federal). For a nanny who also cleans: approx. 50% counts as childcare.
Max. CHF 25,800/childDisability-Related Costs
If you or a dependent person needs household help due to disability: full amount, no deductible, no maximum.
No maximumIllness/Accident Costs
Home nursing care (Spitex services) - minus 5% deductible on net income. Pure housework does not count here.
Minus 5% deductibleProperty Maintenance
Stairwell cleaning, rental property cleaning, Airbnb cleaning - deductible as property maintenance costs. Private apartment cleaning does not count.
Actual costsNot deductible:
For the third-party childcare deduction, the nanny tax deduction calculator works out in a minute how much you can deduct with an employed nanny in your canton.
Cantonal Differences in Tax Deductions
The federal deduction is the same everywhere - the cantonal maximum varies widely. Find your canton:
How much can you deduct in your canton?
Cantonal/municipal tax
CHF 25’300
Federal tax
CHF 25’800
per child per year (third-party childcare, 2026). Each tax has its own maximum - the cantonal and federal amounts can differ.
Sources: Cantonal tax offices, as of 2025/2026. Check current values with your tax office.
Tip: In cantons with low limits (from CHF 8,000), the cantonal deduction is quickly exhausted. Check if your canton offers separate deductions for disability costs - there is often no maximum.
Undeclared Work = No Tax Deduction
No registration means no deduction - and these four consequences:
No Salary Certificate
Without official registration, there is no salary certificate. Without a salary certificate, the tax office does not accept a single franc as a deduction.
Back Payments + Late Fees
If social security contributions are demanded retroactively, up to 5 years of arrears plus 5% late interest apply.
Fines up to CHF 10,000
Undeclared work is a criminal offense. Fines range from a few hundred to CHF 10,000 - depending on severity and canton.
Liability for Accidents
Without UVG insurance, the Ersatzkasse UVG covers the accident - and then charges you the substitute premiums up to 5 years back (Art. 95 UVG).
The math: CHF 19.90/month for legal registration with Clino - in return, tax deductions often worth several thousand francs. Paying under the table means zero deduction plus the risk of fines.
Without Registration (undeclared)
- •No salary certificate possible
- •No tax deduction - zero francs
- •Fines up to CHF 10,000
- •Substitute premiums after an accident
With Clino (legal)
- •Salary certificate automatic in January
- •Tax deduction up to CHF 25,800/child
- •Employed by the book
- •UVG application prepared
How Clino Automatically Creates All Tax Documents
Clino is not a tax advisor - but every tax document is generated automatically. Here's how it works:
Registration in 5 Minutes
Register your household help, set the salary, done. Clino prepares the AHV registration and UVG insurance.
Monthly Payroll
Every month, Clino calculates net salary, social contributions, and creates the pay slip - all saved in the dashboard.
Year-End in January
In January, Clino automatically generates: salary certificate (Form 11), annual social security statement, AHV confirmation.
Download and Submit
Download all documents as PDFs, attach to your tax return - done. No manual calculations, no missing documents.
CHF 19.90/month - all tax documents included. No hidden surcharge for the salary certificate.
Tax Calendar 2026: Key Deadlines
Each canton has its own deadlines. Here are the key dates for the 2025 tax return (filing in 2026):
January 2026
Clino automatically generates the 2025 salary certificate. Employer confirmation of social security becomes available.
March 31, 2026
Filing deadline in many German-speaking cantons (ZH, BE, LU, AG, SG, etc.). Extension usually possible but may cost a fee.
June 30, 2026
Deadline for most French-speaking cantons (GE, VD, FR, NE). If you have not filed yet: act now.
September 30, 2026
Last extension deadline in most cantons. After that, reminder fees and estimated assessments apply.
7 Common Mistakes on Tax Returns with Household Help
No salary certificate created
Without a salary certificate, no deduction is accepted. Even in the simplified procedure, you need the tax certificate from the compensation office.
Declaring cleaning as childcare
Only the care component is deductible. For a nanny who also cleans: claim max. 50% of salary as childcare.
Exceeding cantonal maximum
Federal deduction is CHF 25,800 - cantonal between CHF 8,000 (SZ) and CHF 27,300 (GR). Check the lower value.
Cash without receipt
Cash payments are allowed but only verifiable with receipts. No receipt = no proof = no deduction.
Forgetting to declare simplified procedure
In the simplified procedure, taxes are settled at a flat rate. Nevertheless, the salary must appear in your own tax return.
Not keeping records
The tax office can request documents up to 5 years later. Keep all pay slips, receipts, and contracts.
Missing the deadline
Missing the filing deadline without an extension request risks reminder fees and an estimated assessment (usually higher).
Papers to collect
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Checklist: Tax Return with Household Help
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Tax Documents at the Push of a Button - with Clino
Register your household help, and in January the salary certificate, AHV confirmation and all statements are ready automatically. CHF 19.90/month - less than one hour with an accountant.
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