"I wasn't interested before" Individual taxation decided - but only now does everyone want to know what they pay
As soon as the Yes to individual taxation was decided, many voters wanted to know what it meant for their own wallets.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- After the Yes vote on individual taxation, the blue News editorial team received numerous questions from citizens about the personal tax consequences.
- Single-earner couples in particular now fear higher burdens, while double earners are hoping for relief.
- Many admitted that they had only really considered the issue after the vote.
When the yes result in the individual taxation vote was confirmed yesterday, the blue News editorial team saw their inbox and WhatsApp channel fill up: Many citizens asked what individual taxation meant for them personally.
Many messages read something like this: "We are both retired, no pension fund. My husband has an AHV of around 23,000 francs. I receive an AHV of 22,000 francs. How high will our taxes be?" Others wanted to know what individual taxation would mean for them as divorcees or families with many children.
The flood of inquiries was triggered by an article from blue News with an online calculator that could be used to calculate the approximate changes to federal tax. By Sunday afternoon at the latest, the number of hits on the article had soared.
One of the letters was from a father who lives with his wife and three underage children, is the sole earner and earns around CHF 130,000 a year. He wanted to know how the result of the vote would affect his tax burden. Another man asked whether the fact that the shared house is registered in his wife's name would have any consequences.
blue News spoke to several voters to find out why they did not consider the issue until after the vote on Sunday. A 50-year-old man openly explained that he was not interested in the vote and that his wife took care of the finances. He works a lot and has no desire to get involved in politics, but now wants to reconsider this attitude
One-income households in particular reacted angrily. In future, they will have to expect a higher tax bill, which many see as a continuation of the so-called "marriage penalty". Couples in which one partner is financially dependent on the other - often referred to as "traditional marriages" - are particularly affected.
Plenty of positive feedback too
However, there was also a lot of positive feedback. According to federal data, couples in which both partners work will benefit from lower taxes in future. Karl and Anita S. from Bern-Bümpliz are one of them. The couple share childcare and work part-time. She earns around CHF 100,000, he around CHF 60,000. For years, they have paid higher taxes simply because they are married. Now they are finally expecting relief and see this as more justice.
When asked about the numerous reactions from married single-earner households, Anita S. says angrily: "I'm fed up with having to pay for the fact that such men are given preferential treatment in taxes because they leave their wives at home."
Anita S. shows little understanding for the complaints of classic one-earner families. She is annoyed that such men are given preferential tax treatment, while dual earners have been disadvantaged for years. She has great understanding for the fact that it is now becoming difficult for such families. "But I have never heard any sympathy from such families for the fact that dual-earner households have been ripped off for decades because of the marriage penalty."
