Thurgau Wealth Tax Rates
Thurgau Wealth Tax: Rates & Municipal Multipliers
Thurgau applies a simple, flat wealth tax rate of 1.1‰ on taxable net wealth. The actual burden is then determined by the cantonal and communal Steuerfuss, resulting in effective rates of around 0.22–0.27% of taxable wealth in Frauenfeld across typical high-net-worth bands.
Wealth tax in the canton of Thurgau is levied on your taxable net wealth at 31 December. Taxable net wealth corresponds to your worldwide assets (for residents), minus deductible debts and the cantonal wealth allowances. Thurgau uses a proportional (non-progressive) wealth tax with a flat simple rate of 1.1‰ (0.11%) on taxable net wealth.
The wealth tax due is calculated using the formula:
Thurgau wealth tax = Taxable net wealth × 1.1‰ × Steuerfuss.
The Steuerfuss is expressed as a percentage of the simple tax and includes the cantonal share
(currently 109%) plus the communal share. Recent guidance and comparison tables place the combined
cantonal and communal wealth tax in Frauenfeld at roughly
0.22% of taxable wealth at CHF 500,000 and about
0.26–0.27% at CHF 1–3 million, excluding church tax.
Cantonal Simple Wealth Tax (Flat 1.1‰)
Unlike many cantons with progressive wealth tax bands, Thurgau has adopted a linear tariff. The Steuergesetz explicitly states that the simple wealth tax for natural persons is:
- 1.1‰ (0.11%) of taxable net wealth per tax year.
This flat rate applies to the entire taxable net wealth (after allowances and deductible debts), regardless of whether you hold CHF 200,000 or CHF 20 million. Any progression in the overall burden comes from the Steuerfuss chosen by each commune, not from the cantonal tariff itself.
The table below shows the simple cantonal wealth tax (100% simple tax) at selected levels of taxable net wealth. These figures are before multiplying by the cantonal and municipal Steuerfuss.
| Taxable Net Wealth (CHF) | Simple Wealth Tax @ 1.1‰ (CHF) | Average Cantonal Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Up to allowance threshold | 0 | 0% |
| 100,000 | ≈ 110 | 0.11% |
| 500,000 | ≈ 550 | 0.11% |
| 1,000,000 | ≈ 1,100 | 0.11% |
| 3,000,000 | ≈ 3,300 | 0.11% |
These values show only the simple wealth tax on taxable net wealth. The actual bill in a given commune is higher once the combined cantonal and municipal Steuerfuss is applied.
Cantonal & Municipal Steuerfüsse in Thurgau
The actual wealth tax payable is determined by multiplying the simple tax by the combined Steuerfuss (cantonal + municipal, excluding church). For wealth tax on natural persons, Thurgau applies the formula:
Total wealth tax (excl. church) ≈ Simple tax × Gesamtsteuerfuss,
where Gesamtsteuerfuss is expressed as a percentage of the simple tax (e.g. 253% = factor 2.53).
Key parameters and ranges:
- Cantonal Steuerfuss: currently 109% of the simple tax for natural persons.
- Communal elements: communes add their own percentage to the cantonal share, so that the total Steuerfuss for wealth tax typically lies between about 140% (low-tax communes) and roughly 270% (higher-tax communes), excluding church.
- This implies a combined cantonal + communal multiple in the ballpark of ~1.4× to ~2.7× the simple tax.
Recent guidance for the 2023/2024 period provides indicative total Steuerfüsse (cantonal + municipal, excluding church) for selected Thurgau communes:
| Municipality (examples) | Indicative Total Steuerfuss* | Approx. Multiple of Simple Tax | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frauenfeld (capital) | ≈ 253% | ≈ 2.53× | Capital; comparative tables show wealth tax of ~0.22–0.27% of taxable wealth in common HNW bands. |
| Weinfelden | ≈ 246% | ≈ 2.46× | District centre; slightly lower total factor than Frauenfeld. |
| Kreuzlingen | ≈ 241% | ≈ 2.41× | Lakeside city; somewhat below the capital’s factor. |
| Romanshorn | ≈ 270% | ≈ 2.70× | Harbour city on Lake Constance; towards the higher end of the range. |
| Aadorf / Münchwilen | ≈ 260–263% | ≈ 2.60–2.63× | Industrial and commuter communes; above-capital factors. |
| Low-tax communes (e.g. Warth-Weiningen) | ≈ 140–160% (indicative) | ≈ 1.4–1.6× | Strongly competitive overall tax burden; very low municipal share and attractive for wealth tax. |
*Total Steuerfuss refers to the combined cantonal and municipal wealth tax (excluding church) as a percentage of the simple tax. A total of 253% means that the final ordinary wealth tax equals 2.53× the simple 1.1‰ tax. Exact Steuerfüsse are set annually and may differ by tax year and taxpayer category.
Combined Effective Burden — Examples
For Thurgau residents, the combined cantonal and communal wealth tax (excluding church) can be approximated as:
Total wealth tax ≈ Taxable net wealth × 1.1‰ × Total Steuerfuss,
with the Total Steuerfuss expressed as a factor (e.g. 2.53 in Frauenfeld).
The examples below compare a low-tax setting with a total factor of ~1.45× (e.g. Warth-Weiningen or similar) and a capital setting with a factor of 2.53× (Frauenfeld). They assume that taxable net wealth already reflects the Thurgau wealth allowances and ignore church tax.
| Taxable Net Wealth (CHF) | Low-tax Commune (factor ≈ 1.45) | Frauenfeld (factor ≈ 2.53) | Approx. Effective % Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500,000 | Simple: 500,000 × 1.1‰ = 550 → 550 × 1.45 ≈ CHF 800 | 550 × 2.53 ≈ CHF 1,390 | ~0.16% vs. ~0.28% |
| 1,000,000 | Simple: 1,000,000 × 1.1‰ = 1,100 → 1,100 × 1.45 ≈ CHF 1,595 | 1,100 × 2.53 ≈ CHF 2,780 | ~0.16% vs. ~0.28% |
| 3,000,000 | Simple: 3,000,000 × 1.1‰ = 3,300 → 3,300 × 1.45 ≈ CHF 4,785 | 3,300 × 2.53 ≈ CHF 8,350 | ~0.16% vs. ~0.28% |
Independent comparisons for a married couple without children in the capital Frauenfeld show wealth tax of approximately CHF 2,226 at CHF 1 million, CHF 7,791 at CHF 3 million and CHF 13,358 at CHF 5 million — corresponding to effective rates of roughly 0.22–0.27%, consistent with a total factor around 2.5× the simple 1.1‰ rate.
Notes & Caveats
- Allowances & family situation: Thurgau grants significant wealth tax allowances: typically CHF 200,000 for jointly taxed spouses or partners, CHF 100,000 for other taxpayers, plus CHF 100,000 per child. Below the combined allowance, no wealth tax is due. See Allowances & Deductions.
- Debt reduces the base: Mortgages, investment loans and other enforceable debts outstanding on 31 December are deductible when computing net wealth. For cross-canton or cross-border situations, wealth is allocated using interkantonale Steuerausscheidung. See Allowances.
- Valuation rules: Assets are generally valued at year-end fair value or at cantonal tax values. Real estate is assessed based on official market-value oriented figures issued by the Thurgau tax administration; movable assets such as securities follow year-end market prices. See Valuation Rules.
- Church tax: Recognised religious communities levy church taxes as additional Steuerfüsse on the same simple tax. These are not included in the examples above and apply only to members.
- Year-specific parameters: While the 1.1‰ simple rate has been stable since the introduction of the linear wealth tax, the total Steuerfüsse by commune and the wealth allowances are periodically adjusted. Always check the current-year Wegleitung, Steuergesetz and Steuerfuss table when modelling scenarios.