Taxation

The communes, cantons and the confederation raise taxes in Switzerland. The cantons and communes are autonomous in tax matters. As a result the amount of tax can vary widely depending on where a person lives. But the federal tax is uniform for the whole country. The lion’s share of direct taxes goes to the cantons and communes. The confederation is content with a rather lenient direct tax. It pulls in its revenue from indirect taxes, for example Value Added Tax and customs duties.