Family allowance

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As family allowances are called in Switzerland cash benefits that are geared to parents. This is intended to partially offset the financial burden caused by one or more children.

definition

The concept of family allowances includes:

  • the child allowance, a monthly cash benefit per child up to the age of 16
  • the training allowance, a monthly cash benefit per child in training aged 16 to a maximum of 25 years
  • the birth allowance, a one-off cash benefit upon the birth of a child
  • the adoption allowance, a one-off cash benefit when taking in a child for later adoption

Legal basis

The cantons are generally responsible for family allowances. Thus there are 26 different cantonal regulations in which the type and amount of the allowances paid, the group of beneficiaries and the organizational structure of the family allowances are determined. Agricultural workers and federal staff receive family allowances, which are independent of the cantonal regulations.

The family allowances are based on the place of work principle . So it is not the canton in which you have your place of residence that is responsible, but the canton in which you work. There is no double payment because only one allowance of the same type can be paid for the same child.

In the federal referendum on November 26, 2006, the new federal law on family allowances was adopted. The Federal Council then decided to bring the law and the associated ordinance into force on January 1, 2009, so that the cantons have time to adjust their family allowance regulations.

With this new federal law, the sometimes considerable differences in family allowances have been reduced by setting new minimum standards. The cantons are still free to determine more generous solutions. The new federal law brought the following innovations (the figures mentioned adjusted as of 2015):

  • The employees receive a child allowance of at least CHF 200 per child up to the age of 16 and
  • an education allowance of at least CHF 250 per child aged between 16 and 25 years.
  • The amount of the allowance will be adjusted as soon as inflation has risen by 5 percentage points.
  • Part-time employees also receive a full allowance if they currently earn at least 7,050 francs a year.
  • Parents who are not in gainful employment are entitled to child allowances if they do not tax more than 42,300 francs per year as income.
  • Since January 1, 2013, self-employed persons have also been entitled to family allowances. A special regulation applies to those employed in agriculture.

In addition, the new federal law on family allowances clearly regulates which parent is entitled to the first claim. The aim of these regulations is to avoid receiving more than one allowance per child as far as possible. Entitlement has in this order:

1. The employed person 2. The person who has parental custody or who has held it until the age of majority. 3. In the case of joint parental custody or if none of the authorized persons has parental custody, the person who predominantly lives with the child or who lived until he or she comes of age is primarily entitled to a claim; In the event of separation or divorce, the main claim is who will look after the child. 4. If both parents live together with the child, which is the rule for married parents, who works in the child's canton of residence has priority. 5. works or works both neither of the parents in the canton of residence of the child, refers to family allowances who that higher AHV income of dependent has employment. 6. If both parents work or none of the parents work in the child's canton of residence, the family allowances are paid to those who have the higher income from self- employment that are subject to AHV .

In addition, the second beneficiary can claim a difference payment if they work in a different canton than the first beneficiary and the allowances in this canton are higher.

financing

The cantons regulate the financing. Today family allowances (except in the canton of Valais ) are financed exclusively by employers, usually in the form of wage percentages (no parity financing). In Valais, employees must also contribute to the financing in the form of 0.3 percent wage. The family allowances for inactive people are financed by the cantons; Under certain conditions, the cantons can introduce an obligation to pay contributions for those who are not gainfully employed, as is the case in the cantons AR, SO, TG and TI. The self-employed must join a family equalization fund in the canton of their place of business and must make contributions to their family equalization fund up to an income of up to 126,000 francs per year.

See also

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