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If you’re wealthy, you have any number of options about where to live, all of which have their own particular charm.  Some places have a wonderful location; some have favorable tax laws; some have a welcoming and accommodating culture. But the fact of the matter is this: Switzerland is already what it would be like if wealthy people could design their own country.  It has everything: beautiful countryside, sophisticated cities, any number of sport and recreation activities, political and economic stability, a pleasant and conservative culture, a very low crime rate, excellent public services and a centuries-long tradition of hospitality.  The Swiss tradition of discretion and respectability is particularly important for the wealthy and famous individuals who choose to make Switzerland their home.  And furthermore, Swiss tax and immigration laws allow for foreign-born wealthy people to keep a larger share of their own money while experiencing the many joys of living in Switzerland.

View over Berne - Switzerland's Capital City

Map of Switzerland

Located at the heart of Europe, Switzerland offers living, business, travel and recreation opportunities that are second to none, and boasts a tradition of hospitality towards guests from all over the world.  Travel to and within Switzerland is as easy as possible due to its renowned infrastructure – there’s a good reason why “runs like a Swiss train” is a metaphor for reliability and dependability.   Every public service is top-of-the-line, from the municipal utilities, roads, schools and health care to the garbage collection and city sanitation. To foreigners, this is often the most surprising aspect of life in Switzerland – the amount of care that goes into maintaining the country’s impeccable appearance.  Early each morning, teams of orange-clad workers fan out on city streets and leave them looking completely renewed.    Swiss cities span the entire spectrum, from cosmopolitan, global addresses like Geneva, Berne, Zürich and Lugano to traditional hamlets where winemakers still bring the grapes in by hand.  In fact, a world-wide survey of living quality in cities (Mercer Human Resources 2004) ranks Zürich and Geneva as the best two cities in the world in which to live, and the Swiss capital, Berne, ties for fifth place overall.

If you are a skier, snowboarder, or enjoy any kind of alpine activity, then you already know about Switzerland as the absolute nexus of world-class skiing – other ski resorts are judged by how closely they simulate the Swiss experience.  But the sheer variety of Swiss recreational opportunities often goes overlooked.  Sailing, rowing and other water sports are extremely popular on the many pristine lakes and rivers, and the quality of competition can be quite high.  Switzerland’s Team Alinghi is currently preparing to defend the America’s Cup sailing title they won in 2003.  You would be hard-pressed to find another compact space with the variety of climates and locales that Switzerland has on offer – an hour’s drive will take you from the central lake district to the mountains; an hour in another direction can bring you to hiking trails, rally-driving tracks, horse trails, private airports for gliders or sailplanes, or just about any other resource or activity you can imagine.  About the only thing Switzerland lacks is a tropical beach – but remember, the airport is probably less than an hour away!  One more aspect that cannot really be quantified is the incredible natural beauty of the Swiss landscape – the mountains have their peculiar majesty, the lakes and rivers have a tranquil beauty, but what one really notices when traveling through the country (particularly by train) is the gently rolling farmland that simply has a different feel to it than the broad expanses of other neighboring countries.  Whether you live in a city or a village, Swiss life is an exquisite, finely-wrought gem in a wonderful natural setting..
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But there are more practical matters that recommend Switzerland as well.  Businesses can benefit from a location in one of the world’s true international commerce hubs in Geneva or Zürich, and all the major business hubs of Europe – London, Paris, Milan – are within easy reach due to Switzerland’s central location and excellent transportation links.  The available banking and finance options should go without saying – the Swiss banks have the world’s best reputation for dependability, security and discretion.  Switzerland also represents one of the world’s leading concentrations of highly educated, highly skilled employees and business partners.  Engineering and emerging high-tech industries are particularly well-represented, as are service-oriented and consulting firms.  Language flexibility is a key aspect of Swiss life, and the Swiss pride themselves on being able to communicate with potential partners from anywhere in the world.

More spectacular views

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Swiss commerce law puts a premium on innovation and unique services, and small businesses flourish alongside multinational corporations. But the business climate is not limited to corporations; rather the philosophy behind the attractive business setting also represents a model for how Switzerland treats private individuals.
Switzerland values valuable citizens, and has written a tax code to allow for wealthy people to relocate and enjoy their independence relatively tax-free, without changing citizenship.  Tax regulations vary between the different cantons, and details are dependent on one’s country of origin, but well-off individuals and families will almost always fare better under Swiss tax law than they would be in their home country.  There are even certain Swiss firms that specialize in relocation tax law, and they can advise you about your personal situation, analyze what you would save if you relocated, organize every step of the move, secure the necessary residence permits and even negotiate with the Swiss authorities to find you a favorable tax package.  Since cantons are in a sense competing with each other to attract the most desirable individuals, some locations offer particularly striking options for wealthy retirees.  For example several cantons, including the canton of Berne, have no inheritance tax – thus wealthy citizens are free to pass their assets on to their family. 

Lump-sum taxation is another unique and advantageous option for foreign-born individuals relocating to Switzerland, and is particularly interesting for EU citizens.  Lump-sum is only an option for foreign citizens who will not be economically active in Switzerland, so it is well-suited for retirees, or for those whose business is outside of Switzerland.  In a lump-sum taxation arrangement, an annual payment can be negotiated with the government based on your standard of living in Switzerland, rather than on the usual income-and-assets model.  This allows for considerable financial privacy if you desire it, because it does not require disclosure of income or assets, and can also mean enormous annual savings, particularly for citizens of certain EU countries.  Certain other countries (for example Germany and the United States) levy significant exit taxes on individuals who wish to relocate (whether to Switzerland or elsewhere), but the savings involved in a lump-sum or other Swiss tax ruling can easily make the move worthwhile. 
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St Moritz at night

Taken altogether, the many attractive features of Switzerland mean that successful, financially independent individuals like entrepreneurs, sportsmen and artists can establish a new home in one of the most desirable locations in the world, and save their own money by doing it.   Businesses can also benefit from relocating, and set themselves up in one of the most advantageous and business-friendly climates in the world.  The move to Switzerland is not right for everybody, but it is probably more practical than you think.  Details are highly personal and individualized, so it is best to discuss your situation with a firm specializing in relocation tax law, for example the Berne-based firm Relocation Switzerland. They are a “One-Stop-Shop” for relocation services and they take pride in handling every important matter, acting as a reliable and discrete partner for clients who might wish to relocate to Switzerland.

. Link to authors relocation website:  Relocation Switzerland . Links to other related sites and resoursces: La Suisse - The Switzerland The Tourists Haven’t Discovered…And Where Foreigners Are Allowed To Own -La Suisse - The Switzerland The Tourists Haven’t Discovered…And Where Foreigners Are Allowed To Own - Switzerland isn’t just for the mega-rich, and not all Swiss properties cost more than $1 million. In the Villars-sur-Ollon area, bijou studio apartments sell for just over $100,000. And while you won’t see “Heidi Homes” in IL’s Pocket Money Real Estate, a three-bedroom chalet in Gryon could be yours for 360,000 Swiss francs. At current exchange rates that’s $262,350. Built way back in 1733, this postcard-pretty chalet is 1,600 square feet. Thanksgiving In Switzerland - Thanksgiving In Switzerland - Overseas for the holidays and you want to recreate the atmosphere of home. Many people have experienced this dilemma and there can be no holiday more alien to Europeans than Thanksgiving. Read about how Bonnie introduces and then inculcates her European guests into the traditions of Thanksgiving. First Read Manufacturer's Instructions - First Read Manufacturer's Instructions - Nobody likes moving day, and if you're living overseas, moving day can mean hell. Find out what a moving day is like in Switzerland with its multi-lingual population and electronics instructions. You'll see that moving in your own country is a lot easier than what you might find in your new home overseas - but moving will be part of the journey and fun. And Now for Something Completely Different... Freedom Ship - The World’s Biggest Ship—The World’s Newest Tax Haven? - And Now for Something Completely Different... Freedom Ship - The World’s Biggest Ship—The World’s Newest Tax Haven? - Mark Nestmann analyzes Freedom Ship's potential as a tax haven. Freedom Ship International, Inc. (FSI ) plans to offer the opportunity for an unprecedented lifestyle by constructing a sea-based, mobile, full-spectrum residential, commercial, and resort community on a mammoth, mobile, sea platform. The community will travel the entire globe over a two-year cycle, never leaving international waters. It will spend only 30% of its time in transit and the other 70% standing offshore points of interest. A fleet of aircraft and watercraft will ferry people from ship-to-shore, around-the-clock, residents for touring and business, and as many as 30,000 onshore guests and visitors daily. What is it's potential as a tax haven? Campione D'Italia by Roger Gallo - Campione D'Italia by Roger Gallo - Tax Havens are not all created equal: Campione D'Italia - The first pure haven we remember reading about was a city on the shores of Lake Lugano in Switzerland, called Campione D’Italia. We can’t recall where we first heard about Campione, because it was a number of years ago, but we do remember being fascinated with the anomalous nature of the city; yes even somewhat amazed that such a place could actually exist.

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