Outsourcing tax returns: Are low-cost providers starting from 35 francs worth it?

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If you want your tax return done by an advisor, you’ll find a wide variety of providers online. There are tons of flyers with questionable offers flying into mailboxes right now. But how do I know if a provider is reputable? So what’s the use of offers starting from just 35 francs? Blick asked the president of the Swiss Association of Certified Tax Professionals. “The market for low-cost providers is hotly contested,” says Olivier Weber (56).

Weber questions the usefulness of the service offered by these fully automated providers: “Many cantons today offer online tools that can do the same thing. If your circumstances are manageable, you can easily fill out tax returns yourself. “I don’t see the added value of these proposals.” In Zurich, the cantonal tax administration uses its own vehicle. So he can see how well it works. “The tool has been greatly improved and is easy to use.”

These seals of approval can help

With purely online providers, it is often difficult to see who is behind them. In Switzerland, anyone can call themselves a tax advisor or trustee. If you want to be as safe as possible when it comes to quality, you can use industry quality seals as a guide. The first priority here is a qualified tax expert whose training is at the same level as the auditor. “If you have complex cases, you are definitely in good hands here,” says Weber. Other quality seals include membership in Expertsuisse or Treuhandsuisse.

When does a tax advisor make sense? “If you have a complicated family situation, are an entrepreneur, have high medical expenses or have property in other cantons or abroad, it is definitely worth it. And of course with high incomes or large assets. There is a lot of tax optimization potential here,” says Weber.

1000 francs and above for extraordinary circumstances

Weber also recommends a tax professional if there are major changes in your personal situation, such as after buying a home or retiring. “If conditions remain constant in future years, you can easily fill out the tax return yourself.” Many people find it more convenient to have a professional handle their taxes. Or they want to minimize the risk of needlessly overpaying. Even if there is a language barrier or old age, an expert can offer the necessary assistance. In financially distressed households, child and adult protection authorities (Kesb) or the tax office sometimes offered assistance.

Weber knows: “Under unusual circumstances, it can easily cost 1,000 francs or more for a professional to prepare a tax return.”

Source :Blick