Zug,16.10.2018
Tax evaders: The number of voluntary disclosures has risen
The grace period for Swiss with untaxed assets abroad is over: Since the beginning of this month, they may be convicted with data from the automatic exchange of information. As such, also in Zug, many people took this last opportunity.
The number of voluntary disclosures to the tax administration of the canton of Zug has risen steadily over the last few years. While there were 104 voluntary disclosures in 2010, there had been 190 in 2017. For the current year, the cantonal tax office now even expects a total of 250 to 300 reports. The definitive number however will only be revealed in January. "Given the day-to-day operations, our employees however do have the impression that the number of voluntary disclosures has increased once more in recent months," says the head of the cantonal tax administration, Guido Jud.
The main reason for this is presumably the automatic exchange of information (AIA), Jud explains. As of 2019, around 80 countries will be exchanging tax data with Switzerland - this in an attempt to combat international tax evasion.
First data to arrive in a few weeks
A few weeks ago, the Swiss federal tax administration announced that "knowledge subject to the automatic exchange of information is presumed at the latest from 30 September 2018". The grace period hence comes to an end, and the first data is expected to arrive shortly in the canton of Zug.
Its evaluation however will not occur in one fell swoop: "So far, the tax administration in Zug has not yet received any data," says Jud. "But the Swiss federal tax administration has received the first data from abroad, which it will now process on an ongoing basis and then make available to the individual cantons." He expects the cantonal tax office to gain access to the first "Zuger" data in the coming weeks.
The evaluation will be tackled pragmatically. "We hired one of our assessment specialists to look at inbound data and make initial spot check comparisons with tax dossiers," Jud says.
It may be that any differences detected are then pursued immediately, or that one waits until the next tax return is received, for instance, in spring 2019. This then makes possible a deepened examination of the overall situation of the person concerned.