In the Canton of Uri the wealth tax (Vermögenssteuer) for natural persons is levied on the net wealth as at 31 December. According to the Uri direct tax law (StG) Art. 47–51 cover “Bewertung des Vermögens”. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} Assets are generally valued at fair market value, unless specific rules provide otherwise.

This means that all assets (movable and immovable, business assets, surrenderable life/rent-insurance policies) are included, and liabilities are deducted to arrive at net wealth. The taxable base is then reduced by cantonal allowances (e.g., CHF 211,500 for married couples, CHF 105,800 for others) before applying the simple wealth tax rate of 1.0 ‰ for the canton. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

1. General Valuation Principle

The law in Uri (§47 StG) states that, in principle, the assets are valued at their fair market value (Verkehrswert). :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3} Special methods may apply for real estate, agricultural/forestry use, business assets and insurance.

• General rule: Assets that the taxpayer owns or has beneficial use of are valued at fair market value as at end of tax period or when tax liability ends.
• Business assets: Business assets of the taxpayer (sole proprietorship/partnership) are valued at the amount used for income tax purposes (Art. 47 StG). :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
• Insurance policies, internet rights, etc: may be valued differently as per the law and admin practice.

2. Real Estate

Real estate (unbewegliches Vermögen) receives special treatment in Uri (Art. 48 StG). :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

2.1 Non-agricultural property

• For ordinary residential and commercial real estate the valuation principle is fair market value (Verkehrswert) as at year-end. The tax administration uses standard market comparisons.
• If the property has recently been constructed or renovated and no new official valuation exists, upward adjustments may apply until next assessment.

2.2 Agricultural and forestry property

• Art. 48(2–4) StG states that land and forest property subject to the federal agricultural land law (BGBB) and used for agriculture/forestry are valued at earnings value (Ertragswert). :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
• If agricultural land is held for investment rather than genuine agriculture, then the earnings-value method may not apply and market value may be used instead.

3. Listed Securities

While Uri does not publish a full separate regulation on listed securities valuation, the general fair-market value rule applies and practice follows the federal standard lists. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}

• Shares, bonds, ETFs and funds listed on an exchange are valued at their 31 December closing price.
• Foreign-currency securities are converted into CHF using the official year-end exchange rates published by the Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA).
• Where no market price exists (e.g., unlisted), the taxpayer must justify a reasonable fair value based on comparable firms or book value adjusted for hidden reserves.

4. Unlisted Shares & Private Companies

Unlisted participations (private company shares, GmbH or cooperative interests) in Uri follow the practitioner-method approach where no official value exists. Art. 51 StG covers this. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}

• If another canton has already determined an official tax valuation per share, Uri typically adopts that value.
• Otherwise, valuation is based on a combination of net asset value (book equity adjusted for hidden reserves) and earnings value (sustainable profit capitalised at an appropriate rate).
• Ensure consistency across shareholders and across years; prepare financial statements and a short valuation memo for submission if required by the Uri tax office.

5. Business Assets & Intangibles

Business assets (movable, intangible) of a taxpayer are valued at the income tax values (tax balance sheet values) in Uri. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}

• Machinery, inventory, operating vehicles, tools, intangible assets such as patents and trademarks are taken at their book value for income tax and used as the base for wealth tax.
• Hidden reserves are not automatically added back if accepted in the tax-accounting.
• Business real estate is treated consistent with the real estate section above.

6. Life & Annuity Insurance

Policies with surrender values are included in the wealth tax base under the general rule in Uri (Art. 46 StG covers the tax object and Art. 47 the valuation). :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}

• Life insurance and annuity policies with a surrender value are valued at their surrender value as at 31 December.
• Risk-only policies without surrender value are generally not included in the taxable base.
• Occupational pension assets (pillar 2) and tied 3a savings are typically exempt until payout (common Swiss practice).

7. Other Movable Assets

Other assets not specifically covered above must still be declared at their fair market value. Uri practice follows the general market-value rule. :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}

• Cash and bank deposits: nominal CHF balances at year-end.
• Receivables: nominal value; for doubtful receivables a lower value may be acceptable if properly documented.
• Cryptoassets: value at 31 December using recognised exchange or the FTA crypto list; convert foreign-currency holdings at official year-end FX rate.
• Precious metals: value at market rate on 31 December (e.g., LBMA for gold/silver if appropriate).
• Art, jewellery, collectibles: realistic market value; for substantial collections an appraisal may be requested by the tax office.
• Motor vehicles, boats, aircraft: fair market value. Household goods and personal effects are generally excluded unless unusually valuable.

8. Foreign Assets & Exchange Rates

Tax-residents in Uri are subject to wealth tax on their worldwide net wealth. Foreign assets must therefore be included. The valuation must be converted into CHF at official year-end FX rates. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}

• Foreign bank accounts and portfolios: use local year-end balances or market values; convert to CHF using FTA 31 December official exchange rates.
• Foreign real estate: value using local market value or official tax value accepted by the Uri tax administration; convert to CHF.
• Foreign insurance/pensions: savings-component policies taxed at surrender value; occupational pension entitlements exempt until payout.
• Keep documentation in foreign currency and proof of FX conversion in case of tax office queries.

9. Liabilities & Net Wealth

Wealth tax in Uri is based on net wealth. The process is described in Art. 50–51 StG: gross assets minus deductible liabilities equals net wealth; then deduct social allowances (Art. 56 StG). :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}

• Mortgages on Swiss and foreign real estate: deductible at their nominal balance as at 31 December.
• Bank loans, private loans, credit card balances: deductible if genuinely enforceable.
• Joint debts, guarantees and similar obligations: deductible only to the extent the taxpayer must economically bear them.
• Debts in foreign currency: convert into CHF using the same year-end FX rate as numerator assets.

After net wealth is calculated, Uri’s allowances (CHF 211,500 for married couples; CHF 105,800 for other individuals; CHF 31,700 per non-self-taxed child) are applied. :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}

10. Documentation & Verification

• Real estate: official valuation notices, purchase contracts, major renovation invoices and correspondence with the tax authority.
• Securities: year-end statements, portfolio valuations, FX evidence for foreign currency positions.
• Business assets: tax balance sheets, income statements and notes showing depreciation and hidden reserves.
• Insurance: year-end policy statements showing surrender values of life and annuity contracts.
• Foreign assets: local statements, valuation reports and proof of conversion into CHF at FTA year-end FX rates.
• Liabilities: mortgage statements, loan documents, bank confirmations of balances at 31 December.

11. Planning Takeaways

• Focus on property valuations: In Uri, property valuations (especially agricultural vs. non-agricultural) can materially affect wealth tax. Requesting a reassessment may be beneficial if current value is outdated or not market-consistent.
• Business assets position: As business assets are taken at income-tax values, accounting choices (depreciation, reserves, property holding structure) matter for the wealth tax base.
• Investments & portfolios: Given the general market-value rule for securities and crypto, use the FTA list and official exchange rates to avoid surprises.
• Leverage allowances effectively: With the significant allowances in Uri, optimizing debt allocation and timing of valuations around the year-end can reduce taxable base.
• Scenario modelling: Use the Wealth Tax Calculator for Uri to simulate the impact of major events (property purchase, business sale, inheritance) on your taxable wealth and tax burden.