Tag Archives: Editor’s Choice

In Switzerland, it pays not to be married. Married couples pay higher taxes and receive lower state pensions than unmarried couples. Two referenda were launched this week to change this, reported RTS. Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.comAcross much of the world, individuals and couples pay the same tax and receive the same welfare payments regardless of whether they are married or not. However, Switzerland makes a distinction that penalises married people. This has been dubbed the...

On 12 October 2022, Switzerland’s Federal Council announced an increase in state pensions from 1 January 2023 by 2.5%. Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels.com The minimum pension with rise from CHF 1,195 to CHF 1,225 per month, while the maximum amount will rise from CHF 2,390 to CHF 2,450 (US$ 2,450). The amount paid in state pension in Switzerland is related to the level of contribution, which relates to salary level and the number years. Swiss state pensions are...

In 2021, 82% of mothers in Switzerland were economically active, according to data published by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) this week. Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.comThe rate of mothers working in 2021 (82%) was 22 percentage points higher than it was in 1991 (60%). At the same time fathers were not working at a significantly lower rate. In 2021, 97% of fathers with children aged 15 or under were in the workforce, compared to 99% in 1991. Two working parents has become...

After being hit hard by the pandemic, Swiss Rail is looking for ways to encourage greater use of its network. This week it announced a new kind of pass that should be available towards the end of 2023, reported 20 Minutes. © SwissPass AllianceThe “Public transport credit” pass or “Credit TP” pass will allow travellers to buy travel credit at a discount. The SwissPass Alliance, a public transport ticketing platform, has been trialing the idea since November 2021. It has been offering two...

On 12 October 2022, Switzerland’s Federal Council announced an increase in state pensions from 1 January 2023 by 2.5%. Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels.comThe minimum pension with rise from CHF 1,195 to CHF 1,225 per month, while the maximum amount will rise from CHF 2,390 to CHF 2,450 (US$ 2,450). The amount paid in state pension in Switzerland is related to the level of contribution, which relates to salary level and the number years. Swiss state pensions are adjusted every two years...

After a roughly CHF 40 billion blow to Swiss public finances due to the Covid pandemic, Switzerland’s financial outlook is beginning to look positive, according to a recent government press release. © Photo4dreams | Dreamstime.comFigures from the Federal Finance Administration (FFA) forecast a surplus of CHF 1.5 billion in 2022, an amount equivalent to 0.2% of GDP. In 2023, a government surplus of CHF 0.6% of GDP is forecast. Government expenditure in Switzerland is expected to be...

On 7 March 2021, a vote to ban face covering at a federal level was accepted by 51.2% of Swiss voters. Since then the government has been working on implementing the decision. This week it presented the details. © Photographerlondon | Dreamstime.comAfter the latest consultation on the subject the Federal Council decided on Wednesday on a maximum fine of CHF 1,000 instead of the original recommendation of CHF 10,000, which was considered excessive by some politicians. The new proposed...

Ahead of deciding on where best to insure in 2023 numerous websites claim to offer reliable health insurance comparison tools. However, many cannot be trusted, according to a report by RTS. © Tatiana Golmer | Dreamstime.comNine out the 16 websites reviewed by a consumer advocacy association failed the test. The nine failing sites offered no product comparison. Instead they merely collected user data that could be used by agents hoping to up-sell lucrative complementary insurance...

Statistics published this week by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), show that 70.1% of homes in Switzerland are heated by burning either mazout (heating oil), gas or wood. Photo by tony samia on Pexels.comAcross Switzerland 40.7% of homes are heated with mazout or heating oil. A further 17.6% are heated by burning gas and 11.8% by burning wood. These high greenhouse gas producing sources of heat account for 70.1% of the total. Add to this additional undisclosed emissions included in...

In September 2022, Switzerland’s consumer price index (CPI) fell by 0.2% compared with the previous month, according to data from Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO). Photo by Erik Mclean on Pexels.comThe 0.2% month-on-month fall was due to falling prices for fuels, heating oil, hotels and related accommodation. Falls in the prices of these items were offset by higher clothing and footwear prices. Monthly deflation left the year-on-year inflation rate at 3.3% compared to a...