Wealth management and optimization in Switzerland: concrete strategies for entrepreneurs, self-employed, and HNIs in Geneva (2025)
Protecting and optimizing wealth is a major challenge for entrepreneurs, self-employed, and high-net-worth individuals in Switzerland, particularly in Geneva, a renowned international financial center. With economic instability, changes in regulatory environment, and innovations in management, wealth strategy now requires a global, coordinated, and secure approach.
In this practical guide, Ark Fiduciaire offers a complete overview of current solutions, details the risks to avoid, provides concrete examples adapted to the Geneva region, and highlights new opportunities related to transmission, tax optimization, and asset structuring.
I. Understanding the fundamentals of wealth management in Switzerland
1. A rapidly changing context
- Strengthened regulations: Compliance requirements (finance, taxation, transmission), anti-money laundering (AML), and increased transparency require constant vigilance.
- Cross-border challenges: Geneva’s proximity to France and international clientele face specific tax issues (e.g., cross-border wealth taxes, exit tax, tax treaties).
- Digitalization of assets: Multiplying digital management channels and ensuring data security and governance.
2. Key players: fiduciaries, private banks, family offices
- Role of the fiduciary: Audit, coordination, tax and legal advice, structure optimization, and consolidated reporting.
- Family office: For HNIs, centralized management, oversight of financial, real estate, and philanthropic assets.
II. Efficiently structuring your wealth in 2025
1. Choosing legal and tax vehicles
- Setting up holding or operating companies: Differentiating between business activity and personal wealth. Tax advantages for holding shares (Art. 69 ff. LIFD).
- Foundations, trusts, and hybrid structures: Family or philanthropic foundations and trusts (where applicable) offer resilient, protected transmission solutions, provided the legal framework is adapted.
- Risk protection: Shareholder agreements, pension contracts, mandate in case of incapacity.
2. Tax optimization of income and wealth
- Smart remuneration planning: Salary/dividend arbitration, occupational pension (3rd pillar, supplementary LPP).
- Anticipate transmission: Gifting, dismemberment of ownership, usufruct, anticipating cantonal inheritance tax, optimizing taxation when selling or transferring a business.
Concrete example: structuring an SME with several international shareholders
- How to avoid double taxation on dividend distributions.
- Secure transmissions in the event of death or disputes.
III. Securing and enhancing assets: beyond taxation
1. Diversification of assets
- Real estate: Direct or via a real estate company, advantages and points of attention in Geneva (regulations, property tax, PEB, tenancy law).
- Private equity, art, cryptocurrencies: Risk assessment, Swiss regulatory aspects (FINMA, MROS), specific tax considerations.
2. Governance and consolidated reporting
- Implementing digital tools for consolidated financial and wealth reporting (e.g.: Odoo integration for multi-asset reporting).
- Control of bank and non-bank flows, AML compliance.
IV. Wealth transfer: planning ahead for better protection
1. Estate planning
- Preparing or updating wills: New possibilities in 2025 with the adaptation of Swiss inheritance law (provisions on statutory shares).
- Mandate in the event of incapacity and joint ownership agreements.
2. Entrepreneurs and self-employed
- Sale or family transfer of business: ideal timing, transfer value (independent valuation), taxation on latent capital gains, cantonal tax relief schemes (e.g.: Art. 20a LHID on business transfers in Geneva).
V. Mistakes to avoid and best practices
Common mistakes
- Neglecting estate planning
- Not updating legal documents or key contracts
- Poor assessment of international exposure
- Underestimating cybersecurity for digital assets
Ark Fiduciaire checklist (2025)
- Annual consolidated analysis of your assets in Geneva and abroad
- Review the compatibility of existing structures with Swiss law
- Complete tax coordination with your fiduciary and banks
- Prepare for transfer or sale of business at least 5 years before due date
- Cost and risk control (regular wealth audit)
VI. Support from Ark Fiduciaire: calm, tailored management
At Ark Fiduciaire, we leverage our local and international expertise for entrepreneurs, self-employed and HNIs to guarantee you:
- Human, responsive, and confidential support
- Tailored solutions (holding, tax optimization, family office)
- Secure digital tools for consolidated reporting
- A network of partners (private banks, notaries, lawyers, real estate experts)
Contact us for a personalized audit or an initial confidential consultation.
Wealth management demands anticipation, method, and expert advice: invest in peace of mind for your future and that of your loved ones.