In Basel-Landschaft, wealth tax is levied on net wealth (Reinvermögen): total worldwide assets minus deductible liabilities and cantonal tax-free allowances. The canton applies a progressive wealth tax tariff of roughly 1.1‰ to 3.3‰, so the way allowances and deductions are applied has a direct impact on the final tax bill.

The overview below reflects current practice under the Gesetz über die Staats- und Gemeindesteuern des Kantons Basel-Landschaft (StG BL), including the wealth tax reform approved in 2022 (higher allowances and reduced tariffs), and the guidance in the Baselbieter Steuerbuch (Band 1, Vermögen) and the official Wegleitung zur Steuererklärung.

Personal Allowances

Basel-Landschaft grants tax-free amounts on wealth (steuerfreie Beträge) under § 50 StG BL. These allowances reduce taxable net wealth and depend on the taxpayer’s personal situation as at 31 December of the tax year.

Amounts shown reflect the increased allowances applicable from the 2023 tax period onward (CHF 90,000 / CHF 180,000). They are based on § 50 StG BL and the Baselbieter Steuerbuch, Band 1, Ziff. 50 Nr. 1 “Steuerfreie Beträge”. The canton may update these figures in future tax years.

Debt Deductions

Wealth tax is calculated on net wealth. As of 31 December, taxpayers may deduct legally enforceable, documented liabilities from their gross assets. In Basel-Landschaft, deductible debts typically include:

• Mortgage balances on Swiss and foreign real estate in private ownership
• Bank loans, investment credit lines and margin loans
• Private loans, where written agreements and interest terms are documented
• Outstanding federal, cantonal and municipal tax liabilities

Foreign-currency debts are converted into CHF using the official year-end exchange rates recognised by the tax authorities (usually those published by the Federal Tax Administration).

Contingent or informal obligations (e.g. guarantees, sureties, letters of comfort) are not deductible until they become actual, enforceable liabilities.

Pension Assets & Retirement Accounts

As in most Swiss cantons, Basel-Landschaft treats certain retirement savings as exempt from wealth tax while they remain within the pension system:

• Assets in occupational pension schemes (2^nd pillar / BVG) are excluded from taxable wealth.
• Tied individual retirement accounts (pillar 3a) are likewise wealth-tax-exempt.

Non-tied savings and investment products (pillar 3b) remain fully taxable. Pension buy-ins and 3a contributions primarily reduce income tax; they influence wealth tax only to the extent that they shift funds out of taxable private accounts into exempt pension vehicles.

Valuation Adjustments

Under §§ 42–47 StG BL and the Baselbieter Steuerbuch, assets are generally valued at market value (Verkehrswert) as at year-end, with specific rules for certain asset classes:

• Household effects: normal household goods and personal belongings (Hausrat und persönliche Gebrauchsgegenstände) are exempt from wealth tax.
• Securities and funds: listed securities are valued at official year-end prices; for many funds and structured products, the tax authorities publish specific taxable values.
• Unlisted business interests: typically valued under practice methods combining capitalised earnings and net asset value; this can produce a taxable value below book equity in line with Swiss tax conference guidelines.
• Real estate: taxable based on the cantonal Katasterwert, which reflects both land and building value and is usually below full market value. For agricultural property, special rules and valuation methods apply.
• Life and annuity policies: policies with a surrender value are taxed on that value; non-surrenderable claims are generally excluded from the wealth tax base.
• Cryptocurrencies and digital assets: usually valued at the official year-end prices published by the Federal Tax Administration.

Marital Property & Family Context

Married couples and registered partners living in an undissolved partnership are generally taxed jointly in Basel-Landschaft. Their income and wealth are aggregated irrespective of the matrimonial property regime, and the higher CHF 180,000 wealth allowance applies to their combined net wealth.

The assets of minor children under parental authority are normally attributed to the parents’ tax return for wealth tax purposes. Where children live in the same household and are financially supported, this may be relevant for determining whether a single or widowed taxpayer qualifies for the higher allowance category.

Gifts, inheritances and other extraordinary inflows are added to taxable wealth as of 31 December, unless they fall under specific exemptions (e.g. certain pension or insurance benefits). Separate cantonal rules govern inheritance and gift tax and should be considered jointly with wealth tax planning.

Documentation & Compliance

The Basel-Landschaft tax administration expects clear, consistent documentation for both assets and liabilities declared for wealth tax, such as:

• Year-end bank and custody statements for cash, securities and fund holdings
• Mortgage and loan balance confirmations as at 31 December
• Written agreements and interest statements for private debts
• Pension fund statements (2^nd pillar) and pillar 3a account summaries
• Valuation reports or official tax values for real estate and private company holdings, where applicable

Ensuring that figures in the income tax and wealth tax sections (for example, for investment portfolios or rental properties) reconcile helps avoid follow-up questions and adjustments during assessment.

Planning Insights

• The recent wealth tax reform in Basel-Landschaft increased allowances and reduced top rates, but optimising net wealth around the CHF 90k / CHF 180k thresholds still produces recurring savings, especially for households close to these limits.
• Mortgages and investment loans can be used to lower taxable net wealth, but interest costs reduce overall returns and affect income tax. Any debt restructuring should be modelled across both wealth and income taxes.
• Holding large amounts of low-yield or non-productive assets (excess cash, collectibles) above the allowance thresholds can increase wealth tax disproportionately. Reallocating into diversified portfolios or tax-advantaged pension vehicles can improve both risk/return and tax outcomes.
• Intra-family planning (gifts, loans, early transfers of business interests or property) can shift wealth tax exposure between generations. Only properly documented arrangements are recognised, and they may also trigger inheritance or gift tax — coordinated planning is essential.