Pursuant to the Customs Treaty of 1923 between the Principality
of Liechtenstein and the Swiss Confederation, the Swiss Federal Law on Stamp Duties also applies in
Liechtenstein. Swiss stamp duties are taxes on legal
transactions with certain instruments. Three types of stamp duties are distinguished: the securities
issue tax, the turnover tax, and the tax on insurance premiums. - The
stamp duty as securities issue tax applies to the establishment and increase of the nominal value of
domestic rights of participation, whether or not against payment (including shares, share certificates
of limited companies and of cooperative societies). The contributions rendered by shareholders to the
company without corresponding consideration are considered equivalent to the establishment of rights
of participation.
The rate of duty is 1% of the amount
received by the company as consideration for the rights of participation, but at least the nominal value
or the contribution rendered to the company; a general exemption limit of 250,000 Swiss francs applies.
Tax liability rests with the company issuing the rights of participation. - The
transfer against payment of ownership in certain instruments (such as bonds, shares, participation certificates,
shares in investment funds) are subject to the stamp duty as turnover tax, if one party or intermediary
is a domestic securities dealer.
The duty is calculated
on the basis of the payment and is 0.15% for instruments issued by a domestic issuer and 0.3% for instruments
issued by a foreign issuer. Tax liability rests with the domestic securities dealer. - In
general, all premium payments for policies belonging to the domestic portfolio of a supervised insurer
are subject to the tax on insurance premiums. In addition, premium payments for policies concluded by
a domestic policyholder with a foreign non-supervised insurer are subject to tax.
Due
to a comprehensive list of exemptions, generally only premium payments for liability and vehicle damage
insurance as well as for certain property insurance are still subject to tax, but not premium payments
for personal insurance. The tax is calculated on the cash premium and is in general 5%, 2.5% for single
premium redeemable life insurance. Tax liability rests with the domestic insurer or with the policyholder
who has concluded a policy with a foreign insurer. Stamp
duties  |
