Deducting Healthcare Costs from Taxes: These Cantons Offer the Biggest Savings!

High Medical or Dental Costs This Year? Then you could be missing out on significant tax savings! While many Swiss simply pay their medical bills, few realize: a large portion of these costs can be deducted from taxes – if you know the cantonal differences.

What You Can Deduct from Taxes

In principle, all healthcare costs not covered by insurance are deductible. These include:

• Deductible and co-payments under basic insurance
• Prescription glasses and contact lenses
• Treatments from licensed alternative practitioners
• Dental expenses of all kinds
• All other illness- and accident-related costs paid out of pocket

The Decisive Factor: Cantonal Deductibles

Here’s where it gets interesting – and often frustrating. Most taxpayers cannot benefit from this deduction because of high thresholds. Only when your healthcare costs exceed a certain percentage of your net income does the deduction apply.

The Standard Rule: 5% Deductible

In most cantons and at the federal level, the deductible is 5% of net income. With an annual income of CHF 80,000, your healthcare costs must exceed CHF 4,000 before you benefit from a tax deduction.

The Patient-Friendly Cantons

Glarus, St. Gallen, and Valais are more favorable to patients, with only a 2% deductible. At the same income level, healthcare costs of just CHF 1,600 already qualify for a deduction.

The Absolute Leader: Geneva

In Geneva, the deductible is only 0.5%! With an income of CHF 80,000, you can claim tax relief for healthcare costs starting at just CHF 400.

The Jackpot: Canton Basel-Landschaft

Basel-Landschaft beats them all: there is no deductible at all! Every franc spent on healthcare can be deducted immediately and fully – a huge advantage for all taxpayers.

Strategic Considerations for Maximum Savings

• Tip 1: Timing is everything
  Plan larger treatments strategically to exceed the deductible threshold.
• Tip 2: Keep all receipts
  Document every healthcare expense carefully – even small amounts add up.
• Tip 3: Location strategy
  If you’re planning a move, include the cantonal deductible rules in your decision.

Conclusion: Health Costs Money – But You Can Get Some Back

With the right knowledge, you can reclaim part of your healthcare expenses through taxes. Careful documentation is especially worthwhile in Basel-Landschaft and Geneva, where deductions start at very low thresholds or even apply from the very first franc spent!