Tax and the City

Somewhere between dream properties and reality, there is a sentence many buyers don’t expect: You are not allowed to buy that. In this episode of Tax and the City, Julia Tatje speaks with Peter Bloemsma, founder of Swiss Advisory Services, about the reality behind buying property in Switzerland. Because in Switzerland, the question is often not can you afford it, but are you allowed to buy it. From Lex Koller restrictions to permit limits, residency status, and the myths around company structures, this conversation breaks down what actually determines whether a purchase is possible.

Somewhere between building a career, moving countries, and doing everything right, finances become that thing we deal with later. Later, when we know more. Later, when it feels easier. Later, when we finally have time. But later can be expensive. In this episode, Julia Tatje speaks with Cristina Jaeger, founder of Her Financial Freedom, about the real cost of waiting to invest and why even smart, successful women delay financial decisions. One number stands out: waiting just two years to invest 500 CHF per month can cost you around 50,000 CHF over 20 years. They talk about the emotional side of money, the hidden impact of pension gaps across countries, and what it actually takes to build financial confidence especially for internationally mobile women. Because this isn’t just about money. It’s about clarity, confidence, and starting before you feel ready.

Der Eigenmietwert wird abgeschafft - aber wann genau, und was bedeutet das für Entscheidungen, die du heute triffst? In dieser Folge von Tax and the City spricht Julia Tatje mit Bastian Thurneysen, Rechtsanwalt und Steuerexperte bei Burckhardt, über die häufigsten Fehler, die Wohneigentümer:innen gerade machen, und darüber, warum das Fenster für steuerliche Optimierungen kleiner wird - aber noch offen ist. Themen dieser Folge: Eigenmietwert und seine geplante Abschaffung, werterhaltende vs. wertvermehrende Investitionen, steuerliche Behandlung von Renovationen und Energiesanierungen, strategische Planung von Schuldzinsen, kantonale Unterschiede bei der Steuerveranlagung und was Wohneigentümer:innen jetzt noch konkret tun können, bevor das System wechselt. Julia Tatje ist Gründerin der taxum AG, einer Personal Tax Boutique in Zürich für Privatpersonen mit komplexen steuerlichen Situationen. Bastian Thurneysen ist Rechtsanwalt und Steuerexperte bei Burckhardt mit Fokus auf Steuer- und Immobilienrecht.

What happens to your tax situation, pension contributions, and social security when you leave a corporate career and go independent in Switzerland? In this episode of Tax and the City, Julia Tatje sits down with Xenia, a former global banking executive who spent 18 years in Zurich, to talk about what career reinvention actually looks like on paper - and why getting the structure right is what gives you the freedom to focus on the work itself. Topics covered include self-employment in Switzerland, managing multiple income streams compliantly, the difference between genuine self-employment and Scheinselbstständigkeit, social security obligations for independent professionals, pension planning outside a single employer, and how the right advisor reduces cognitive load, not just paperwork. Julia Tatje is the founder of taxum AG, a personal tax boutique in Zurich specialising in complex and cross-border tax situations for internationally mobile professionals. Xenia is a former banking executive turned independent professional, and living proof that reinvention is possible and manageable. For informational purposes only. Not legal or tax advice. Consult a qualified professional.

Americans in Switzerland think they've escaped the IRS. Swiss nationals with US stocks think estate tax doesn't apply to them. Green card holders think distance equals freedom. In this episode of Tax and the City, Swiss tax specialist Julia Tatje and US expatriate tax expert Darlene Hart dismantle the most costly cross-border tax myths -from FBAR traps hiding in joint credit cards, to Pillar 3a contributions that quietly increase your US tax bill, to estate tax bills landing on Swiss heirs who never set foot in America. Topics covered include US worldwide taxation for Americans and green card holders in Switzerland, Swiss-US tax treaty planning, FBAR reporting, Pillar 3a for US persons, 401(k) and IRA planning across borders, and US estate tax exposure for Swiss nationals investing in US stocks. Julia Tatje is the founder of Taxum AG, a personal tax boutique in Zurich specialising in complex cross-border tax situations. Darlene Hart is a US-qualified tax specialist based in Switzerland with decades of experience in expatriate taxation, treaty planning, and cross-border estate structuring. For informational purposes only. Not legal or tax advice. Consult a qualified professional.

In the very first episode of Tax and the City, meet the woman who makes taxes entertaining: Julia Tatje, founder of taxum Personal Tax Boutique in Zurich. In conversation with Alexandra Weck, Julia shares why she left her marketing career behind to do tax returns for international professionals and families – and why her clients say 15 minutes with her is better than a visit to the psychiatrist. Plus: What's the deal with imputed rental value, why Swiss tax returns aren't as scary as you think, and what surprising hobby does a tax advisor have?