Initiatives submitted: Now the center wants the next AHV expansion

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The two popular initiatives ‘Yes to fair taxes’ and ‘Yes to fair AHV pensions’ aim to right the injustice. They were submitted in Bern on Wednesday with 102,355 and 105,931 certified signatures respectively, as the Center Party wrote.

“With the submission of our two fairness initiatives, we come a big step closer to the goal of finally creating fairness for married couples,” party chairman Gerhard Pfister said on Wednesday.

When it comes to federal taxes, married and registered couples have to pay more than cohabiting couples. According to the federal government, approximately 454,000 dual-income couples and 250,000 retired couples were affected by this so-called marriage penalty in 2019.

Marriage penalties must disappear

The Federal Court ruled as early as 1984 that tax discrimination against married and registered couples compared to cohabiting couples was unconstitutional. The abolition of the ‘marriage penalty’ has been a political issue for years.

The middle initiative now requires filing an alternative tax bill for married people in addition to the joint federal tax, based on the rate and deductions for unmarried people. The couple would have to pay the lower amount. The center wants to stick to the principle of joint taxation.

The ‘marriage penalty’ must also disappear in the AHV: married people currently do not receive an AHV pension per person, but together receive a maximum of one and a half times the maximum pension. However, for couples without a marriage certificate, there are two pensions. With the second initiative, the center wants to no longer allow a reduction in pensions for married people.

Center against individual taxation in parliament

At the top of the agenda of the Federal Council and Parliament is controversial individual taxation. Under the proposal adopted by the Federal Council in February, the income and assets of married couples should be divided based on civil law circumstances, as is already the case for unmarried people.

Individual taxes are regulated at all levels of government. When it comes to direct federal taxes, the Federal Council assumes an estimated revenue shortfall of about one billion francs per year based on 2024. Of this, the federal government contributes about 800 million francs and the cantons about 200 million Frank. Parliament must decide next.

However, individual taxation was rejected by the majority of parties. The radical restructuring of the system created new injustices, was the tenor of the consultation. Only the FDP, GLP and the business community supported the proposal. It is hoped that individual taxation will encourage more married people to enter paid work or increase their workload. (SDA/you)

Source:Blick