Wealth and Inheritance in 21st-Century Switzerland

This project analyzes 16.7 million tax records from Bern and Lucerne (2002–2022) to document wealth, inheritance, and gifting patterns in Switzerland. Findings show that private wealth grows faster than income, is highly concentrated among the wealthy and elderly, and is transferred later in life. Rising inheritances increase the role of inherited wealth, while effective taxes on wealth and bequests have significantly declined.

Key takeaways

Switzerland’s private wealth is growing faster than incomes, and it is highly concentrated among the very wealthy and the elderly.

The final paper for this research will be published shortly.