Glarus Wealth Tax Rates
Glarus Wealth Tax: Rates & Municipal Multipliers
See how Glarus’s cantonal wealth tax and the three municipal Steuerfüsse (Glarus, Glarus Nord, Glarus Süd) combine to produce a mid-low Swiss wealth tax burden.
In the canton of Glarus, wealth tax is levied on your taxable net wealth at 31 December. Taxable net wealth is your worldwide assets (for residents), less deductible debts and personal allowances. The canton applies a progressive simple wealth tax, and each municipality then applies its own tax rate (Steuerfuss) as a percentage of that simple tax. Recognised church communities can levy an additional church tax for members.
Independent comparisons put the combined wealth tax burden in the capital Glarus at roughly 0.29% of taxable wealth at CHF 1 million and around 0.34% at CHF 5 million, excluding church tax – placing Glarus in the mid-field nationally rather than among the high-tax cantons.
Cantonal Wealth Tax Tariff (Overview)
Glarus uses a progressive wealth tax tariff for natural persons. The detailed bands are published in the annual cantonal tax guidance (Wegleitung) and in the official tariff tables. While the precise per-mille rates vary by band and are periodically adjusted for indexation, the simple cantonal wealth tax remains moderate compared with many larger cantons.
The table below shows illustrative cantonal wealth tax amounts (simple tax, before municipal and church components) at selected wealth levels. They are designed to reflect the order of magnitude and progression commonly observed in Glarus; for filings, always rely on the official tariff or the cantonal tax calculator.
| Taxable Net Wealth (CHF) | Illustrative Cantonal Wealth Tax (CHF) | Approx. Average Cantonal % |
|---|---|---|
| Up to allowance threshold | 0 | 0% |
| 100,000 | ≈ 120 | ~0.12% |
| 500,000 | ≈ 600 | ~0.12% |
| 1,000,000 | ≈ 1,800 | ~0.18% |
| 3,000,000 | ≈ 5,400 | ~0.18% |
Cantonal figures above are indicative and correspond to the simple wealth tax before municipal and church components. Use the current-year Glarus wealth tax tariff or online calculator for exact amounts.
Municipal Steuerfüsse in Glarus
The canton of Glarus consists of just three municipalities following the territory reform: Glarus, Glarus Nord and Glarus Süd. Each municipality sets its own Gemeindesteuerfuss for income and wealth, expressed as a percentage of the cantonal simple tax. In recent years, the canton’s own tax rate has been around the high-50s percent of the simple tax, while municipal Steuerfüsse have been in the mid-50s to low-60s percent range, with small differences between the three communes.
The examples below show indicative municipal Steuerfüsse for natural persons, excluding church tax. Actual rates are decided annually at Landsgemeinde or municipal assembly and published by the canton and the communes.
| Municipality | Illustrative Municipal Steuerfuss | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Glarus | ≈ 0.56 | Capital municipality; municipal Steuerfuss recently reduced from around 0.61 to the mid-50s% while the cantonal rate was increased. |
| Glarus Nord | ≈ 0.60–0.63 | Large municipality in the north; recent budgets and press reports refer to a Steuerfuss in the low-60s% of the simple tax (including a small building tax component). |
| Glarus Süd | ≈ 0.63 | Southern municipality; municipal assemblies have repeatedly confirmed a Steuerfuss of around 63% of the simple cantonal tax. |
Municipal Steuerfüsse are expressed as a percentage of the simple cantonal tax (e.g. 0.63 = 63%). Church tax is levied separately for members of recognised religious communities and is not included in the figures above.
Combined Effective Burden — Examples
For residents of Glarus, the total wealth tax (cantonal + municipal, excluding church) can be approximated as:
Total wealth tax ≈ Cantonal wealth tax × (1 + Municipal Steuerfuss).
The table below uses the indicative cantonal amounts from above and compares a lower-tax setting (municipal Steuerfuss ≈ 0.55, closer to Glarus) with a higher-tax setting (≈ 0.63, closer to Glarus Nord / Süd). These ballpark totals are broadly consistent with external estimates that place the combined wealth tax in Glarus at about 0.29–0.34% of taxable wealth across the CHF 1–5 million range, excluding church tax.
| Taxable Net Wealth (CHF) | Municipality @ 0.55 | Municipality @ 0.63 | Approx. Effective % Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500,000 | ≈ 600 × 1.55 = CHF 930 | ≈ 600 × 1.63 = CHF 978 | ~0.19%–0.20% |
| 1,000,000 | ≈ 1,800 × 1.55 = CHF 2,790 | ≈ 1,800 × 1.63 = CHF 2,934 | ~0.28%–0.29% |
| 3,000,000 | ≈ 5,400 × 1.55 = CHF 8,370 | ≈ 5,400 × 1.63 = CHF 8,802 | ~0.28%–0.29% |
Notes & Caveats
- Allowance threshold: Wealth tax applies only above a modest allowance level (personal exemption plus family-related allowances). Below that threshold, no cantonal or municipal wealth tax is charged. Details are set out in the annual Glarus tax guidance for natural persons. See Allowances & Deductions.
- Debt reduces the base: Mortgages, investment loans and other enforceable debts outstanding on 31 December are deductible from gross assets when computing taxable net wealth. If you hold assets in multiple cantons or countries, wealth is allocated via Steuerausscheidung. See Allowances.
- Valuation rules: Bankable assets are generally taken at year-end market value; real estate is assessed according to cantonal valuation rules; interests in private companies follow specific valuation methodologies. See Valuation Rules.
- Church tax: Church tax is owed only by members of recognised religious communities and is charged as an additional percentage of the base tax. It is not included in the numerical examples above.
- Year-specific figures: Cantonal wealth tax tariffs and municipal Steuerfüsse are adjusted from time to time (for example, recent proposals to set the cantonal Steuerfuss around 58% and municipal rates in the mid-50s to low-60s% range). Always check the values for the specific tax year in question.