Tax deductions for Self-employed people: 5 deductions that many forget

Deductions from expenses are one of the easiest ways for self-employed people to reduce their taxable income and save taxes legally.

Yet we see the same problem over and over again.

Many self-employed people pay more taxes than necessary every year.

Not intentionally. But because they simply do not know or do not use certain tax deductions for the self-employed. Here are five important tax deductions for self-employed people in Switzerland that are often forgotten.

1. Working from home as a tax deduction for the self-employed

Do you regularly work from home?

A home office deduction can then be deducted for self-employed people.

If you have a separate study, you can tax deduct some of the following costs:

• rent

• incidentals

• internet

• stream

The key point is that the workplace is primarily used for your business.

The home office deduction is one of the frequently overlooked tax deductions for self-employed people.

2. Continuing education as a tax deduction

Many underestimate this point.

Continuing education can be an important tax deduction for self-employed people in many cases.

These include, for example:

• courses

• certificates

• Workshops

• conferences

It is only important that continuing education is directly related to your professional activity.

It can then reduce your taxable income.

3. Business vehicles as a tax deduction

Do you also use your smartphone for your business?

The business share of the costs can then be claimed as a tax deduction for self-employed people.

Typical examples:

• Cell phone bill

• mobile internet

• Business-relevant apps

A realistic division between private and business use is important.

4. Travel expenses: Important tax deductions for self-employed people

Many business expenses arise along the way.

For example with:

• Customer appointments

• conferences

• Business events

• business trips

In many cases, the following costs can be claimed as tax deductions for self-employed persons:

• haulage

• Flight or train

• Hotel nights

Most important tip:

No booking without proof of receipt. Therefore, the receipts must always be kept.

5. Pillar 3a as a tax deduction for the self-employed

Pillar 3a for self-employed people is one of the strongest instruments for saving taxes.

It allows you to do two things at the same time:

• You are building up your retirement plan

• You are reducing your taxable income

Pillar 3a is one of the most important tax deductions for self-employed people in Switzerland, especially for self-employed people without a pension fund.

Why many self-employed people pay too much tax?

Most founders don't intentionally pay too much tax.

The problem is often structural.

For example:

• important tax deductions for self-employed persons are not used

• The business structure is never reviewed

• Tax planning is missing

Small structural gaps can cost several thousand francs each year.

Conclusion

If you're self-employed, it's worth taking a closer look at your tax-deductible costs and deductions.

The most common forgotten deductions include:

• Home office costs

• Continuing education

• business phone

• travel expenses

• Pillar 3a Precautionary

If you use these tax deductions for self-employed people correctly, you can significantly reduce your taxable income.

And that's exactly why it's worth regularly checking your tax deductions as a self-employed person.