Canton Ticino (TI) is the southernmost Swiss canton and predominantly Italian-speaking. Like all Swiss cantons, it imposes its own cantonal and communal income taxes in addition to the federal income tax. This page provides an overview of how income tax works in Ticino and serves as the entry point to more detailed sections on tax rates, deductions, filing requirements, special rules, examples and a simplified income tax calculator.

Position of Ticino in the Swiss Tax System

Swiss income taxation operates at three levels:

• Federal level – direct federal income tax, harmonised nationwide.
• Cantonal level – each canton, including Ticino, sets its own income tax law and tariffs.
• Communal level – communes apply tax multipliers on top of cantonal tax.

In practice, residents of Ticino pay:

• Federal income tax based on the federal tariff, and
• Cantonal and communal income tax calculated under Ticino’s tax law, including the applicable communal multiplier.

Who Is Taxable in Canton Ticino?

As a rule, you are subject to income tax in Ticino if:

• You are resident in Ticino for tax purposes, or
• You have your main economic interest or source of income in Ticino, or
• You own or operate a business or permanent establishment in Ticino, or
• You own real estate located in Ticino.

Foreign nationals who are not yet fully integrated into the ordinary tax system may be subject to withholding tax (Quellensteuer) on employment income, with the possibility of a subsequent ordinary assessment in specific cases.

Sections of the Ticino Income Tax Guide

The Ticino income tax guide is divided into several core sections. You can access each section here:

• Ticino Income Tax Rates – how the cantonal and communal income tax is calculated, including the interaction between progressive tariffs and communal multipliers.
• Ticino Deductions – employment-related costs, social security and pension contributions, family-related deductions, property deductions and other key deduction categories.
• Filing Requirements – who must file a tax return in Ticino, deadlines, extensions, required documents and the interaction with withholding tax.
• Special Rules – particular rules for new arrivals and departures, cross-border workers, withholding tax, self-employment, real estate, investment income and international situations.
• Examples – simplified case studies showing how federal, cantonal and communal taxes combine for different profiles (single, families, expats, real estate owners, self-employed).
• Ticino Income Tax Calculator – a simplified calculator for estimating cantonal and communal income tax in Ticino, based on an approximate model.

How This Guide Relates to Other Ticino Tax Topics

Ticino income tax is only one part of the overall tax picture. For a complete view of the Ticino tax landscape, you may also wish to consult:

• Ticino Wealth Tax Guide – covering net wealth taxation and relevant valuation rules.
• Ticino Inheritance Tax Guide – focusing on inheritance and gift tax rules in the canton.
• Ticino Income Tax Service – if you are looking for professional support with your Ticino income tax return or planning.
• Ticino Inheritance Tax Service – for advisory and filing services in inheritance and gift tax matters.

Using the Ticino Income Tax Guide

You can use this guide in different ways:

• As an orientation tool if you plan to move to Ticino or are comparing cantons.
• As a technical reference if you want to understand how your income is taxed and which deductions may be available.
• As a starting point for professional advice, by combining the factual information here with tailored planning and compliance support.

For a full picture of your situation, the information in this guide should be read together with the Swiss-wide income tax overview, federal rules and, where relevant, the canton-specific guidance for wealth tax and inheritance tax.