>
Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 10:59:55 -0500
X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Pro Version 4.2.0.58.J
Hello Thomas,
I have lived and worked in Japan several times for several years.
With regards to taxes, it was straightforward, I was employed in
Japan, I got paid in Japan, I paid taxes in Japan. Of course
I didn't pay taxes in Switzerland.
As far as I understand (but I'm not an expert at all), both
Switzerland and Japan (and many if not most other countries)
tax purely based on where you live and earn your money. The
US is the only country I know where citizens have to pay US
tax even if they don't live here. For Switzerland, the only
exception I know is the 'Milita"rpflichtersatz', which you
pay for three years after leaving Switzerland.
I also know that there is (or at least has been, but these
things usually don't go away) a tax treaty between Japan
and Switzerland. Years ago, when living in Japan, I tried
to get deductions on interest (Verrechnungssteuer) in
Switzerland reimboursed. After a lot of paperwork, they
told me that it was only possible if you were a permanent
resident in Japan.
Also, as far as I understand, tax treaties are usually designed
to eliminate double taxation. Sometimes, they are some chances
to eliminate taxation at all, but that's really the lucky cases.
Also, as far as I understand, tax treaties don't necessarily
apply to citizenship. For example, if you stayed in the US
for a long time and paid taxes here, and are now in Japan,
the US-Japan treaty may apply.
Regards, Martin.
At 14:42 03/01/14 -0500, Thomas Schibli wrote:
>Dear fellows,
>
>I was asked, whether a swiss citizen living abroad (not resident in
>switzerland) would be eligible to the relief from Japanese income tax. I
>know, that this list is rather intended for people having questions
>concerning the life in the United States, but as far as I know, swiss
>citizens have to pay taxes in the USA as soon as they work for more than
>6Months in a row in the States, eventhough, there is a comparable tax
>treaty between the States and Switzerland. Is this true?
>
>Can anyone also clarify what the 'relief from the income tax' really
>means? Does one then have to pay taxes in Switzerland? Does this acutally
>apply to people without residence in their homecountry at all?
>
>Thank you so much for your reply.
>
>Best Regards,
>Thomas
>
>p.S. If you can not answer this question, you're not alone: I allready
>contacted the swiss embassies in New York and Tokyo, and they could not
>answer this question so far...
>
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Received on Wed Jan 15 2003 - 16:34:38 PST
