Taxes & Documents
Tax return with household help in Switzerland: how to get every deduction (2026)
No deduction without the paperwork. With Clino, the payslips and the salary certificate make themselves.
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Without proper documents 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 AHV confirmation and, in the ordinary procedure, the salary certificate - childcare is deductible up to CHF 25,800 per child (federal).
- No official registration means no proof - and no tax deduction.
- Filing deadline by canton: between March 15 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. Only in the ordinary procedure do you fill it in yourself: in the simplified procedure you do not issue one, your employee instead receives a confirmation of the withholding tax deduction from the compensation office. 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, the office's statements prove the wage; in Zurich there is then no salary certificate, and you also attach a copy of the employment contract.
Employment Contract
Not always required, but recommended as proof: workload, salary, scope of duties. Especially important for childcare to prove the care component: record it in the nanny's employment contract, ideally as a percentage.
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, only the childcare share counts.
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 Proof
Without official registration, there is neither a salary certificate nor statements from the compensation office. Without proper documents, the tax office does not accept a single franc as a deduction.
Back Payments + Late Fees
If social security contributions are demanded retroactively, as a rule up to 5 years of arrears (7 after a criminal offence) plus 5% late interest apply.
Penalty up to 180 daily units
Undeclared work is a criminal offence (Art. 87 AHVG): a monetary penalty of up to 180 daily units - depending on culpability and income.
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). Which insurance your household help legally needs is covered in a separate overview.
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.
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 cantons (ZH, LU, AG, SG, GE, FR, etc.; BE and VD: March 15). Extension usually possible, sometimes for a fee.
June 30, 2026
Extended to this date without a request, e.g. in VD and AG. 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 in the ordinary procedure
In the ordinary procedure the salary certificate is a must. In the simplified procedure you do not issue one: your employee receives a confirmation of the withholding tax deduction from the compensation office, and you prove your deduction with the office's statement and the employment contract.
Declaring cleaning as childcare
Only the care component is deductible, not cleaning. Record the share in the contract, ideally as a percentage; the tax office decides which part counts.
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 compensation office's certificate belongs with your household help's tax return.
Not keeping records
The tax office can usually request documents for 5 years, and in back-tax proceedings for up to 10 years. 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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