Cabinet wants to lower family tax burden

The Swiss government said on Wednesday that it wanted to provide around SFr600 million ($543 million) in direct tax relief to families with children.

“With family tax reforms, the government wants to improve tax equity between people with children and those without,” the government said in a statement.

In its message to parliament, Switzerland’s seven-member executive proposed reforms that would put an additional SFr170 per child back into the hands of parents.

It suggested that parliament introduce a maximum deduction of SFr12,000 for parents supported by third-party childcare, a provision that would only apply to children under 14 years old.

In November 2008 the government said that it wanted to make tax relief for middle class families with children a priority. It also wants to ensure that married couples receive the same benefits as unmarried ones.

The government would absorb around SFr500 million of the cost. Cantons would pick up the remaining SFr100 million.

swissinfo.ch with agencies