Swiss to inherit more than ever in 2025

Study: Swiss will bequeath more than ever before in 2025 Keystone-SDA

According to estimates, around CHF100 billion will be bequeathed or given away in Switzerland this year - a new record.

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According to a study, the median wealth of married couples is around CHF1.4 million.

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This means that half of people bequeath more and the other half less than this amount. The differences are enormous, as the analysis of over 3,000 households published on Friday by the VZ Wealth Centre revealed. A quarter of married couples leave behind less than CHF829,000, while another quarter can pass on more than CHF2.4 million.

Some 84% of the people surveyed own their own home. As a rule, this is the largest part of their assets. In addition to property, assets also include account balances, securities and investments.

Inheritance after 70th birthday

Married couples most frequently choose an inheritance contract (44%), while cohabiting couples usually make a will (91%). Individuals almost invariably make arrangements by will. Many testators only make advance inheritance payments after the age of 70, with the median amount being around CHF140,000.

In traditional family constellations, the money goes almost exclusively to the surviving partner and later to the children. In patchwork families, childless couples and individuals, the circle of beneficiaries is much broader.

Childless individuals and couples also comparatively often include third parties or charitable organisations, particularly in the areas of health, social affairs and research.

Few have digital legacies

The survey revealed that the majority only deal with their estate around the time of retirement. Some 89% appoint an executor to ease the burden on relatives, usually their partner first.

Only 1% also deal with the digital estate. This involves online banking, email accounts, cloud storage, social media profiles, digital photos and credit card payments.

According to the study, disputes are rather rare. The most common causes of disputes in inheritance distribution are a lack of acceptance of the arrangements made and perceived unequal treatment.

Translated from German with DeepL/mga

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