Is It Worth Doing Your Own Tax Return or Having It Completed by a Professional?

Every year, many people in Switzerland face the same question: Should I complete my tax return myself – or is it worth hiring professional support?

The answer largely depends on your personal situation. While simple tax returns can be done easily on your own, many taxpayers benefit from time savings, error prevention, and tax optimization through experts.

Completing Your Tax Return Yourself

Advantages

• Cost savings: No additional expenses for fiduciary or tax advisors.
• Understanding: You know the details of your finances and retain full control.
• Digital tools: Programs like EasyTax or online portals make entry easier than ever.

Disadvantages

• Time-consuming: Depending on complexity, it can take several hours or even days.
• Prone to errors: Incorrect or incomplete information can lead to additional charges or fines.
• Missed deductions: Without expert knowledge, valuable tax optimizations are often overlooked.

Having Your Tax Return Completed by a Professional

Advantages

• Time savings: Experts handle all work – including deadline extensions.
• Error prevention: Professionals know cantonal differences and legal requirements.
• Tax optimization: Experienced specialists know which deductions are possible and how to reduce tax liability.
• Representation: The service provider communicates with the tax office in case of queries.

Disadvantages

• Cost: Depending on provider and complexity, fees range between CHF 100 and CHF 600 for individuals, and higher for companies.
• Dependence: You give up some control and rely on the expert.

When Is Professional Support Especially Worthwhile?

• Property ownership: Imputed rental value, mortgage interest, and maintenance costs complicate the tax return.
• Securities & assets: Capital gains, dividends, and international investments require detailed reporting.
• Self-employment: Deductions for professional expenses, depreciation, and business costs are prone to errors.
• International income: Foreign income, double taxation agreements, or withholding taxes require specialist knowledge.
• Time pressure: Those with limited time or near deadlines benefit from express services.

Cost-Benefit Comparison

A professional tax return costs money but often results in tax savings that exceed the cost. Additionally, you save time and gain security that documents are correctly filed.

Example: Paying CHF 300 for a tax return often saves several hundred francs through optimized deductions – sometimes significantly more.

Taxea.ch: Fair Prices & Clear Packages

To give you clarity upfront, Taxea.ch offers transparent flat-rate packages for individuals and companies.

Individuals: from CHF 99 (Basic), CHF 299 (Bestseller), CHF 499 (Prime)
Companies: from CHF 499 (Basic), CHF 779 (Bestseller), CHF 1,499 (Prime)

All packages include the preparation of the tax return, careful review, and – depending on the package – additional services such as representation before tax authorities, optimization checks, or express processing.

Conclusion

Whether you should complete your tax return yourself or have it done professionally depends on your personal situation. For simple cases, self-completion may make sense. However, once property, securities, international aspects, or self-employment are involved, professional help is almost always worthwhile.

With Taxea.ch’s clear flat-rate packages, you know in advance what costs to expect – and can be confident that your tax return is submitted correctly, on time, and optimized for taxes.