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What is required to form anonymous Swiss GmBH or AG ?

lostguy

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Jun 7, 2016
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I was wondering if it is possible to setup a anonymous Switzerland company - AG or GmbH never mind which one ?

I have read on some threads that it is possible but no one mentioning what is required to do so and where it is possible to setup the company like that?

Is it very expensive compared to a regular setup?
 
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It is not anonymous, an AG does not have a public register of shareholders (but it has a private one).

You need to contact a swiss based lawyer/accountant/truehand, and ask them to setup an AG for you (in their name) so your name is not in the incorporating docs, you then buy those shares.

-- You need one of the above service providers (5,000 CHF to setup the structure)
-- You need 100,000 CHF to deposit as share capital (can be used later and withdrawn)
-- You need a nominee director (5,000 CHF per year)
-- You need an accountant/truehand (3,000 CHF per year)

So you costs will be 8,000 CHF per year.

pro:
-- taxes are low as you can choose a good lowtax Canton,
-- you get very good privacy,
-- you get a very esthablised jurisdiction (an AG is nice to work with),
-- you get easy access to bank accounts.

con:
-- not for everyone (relatively expensive;
-- you need to be comfortable with swiss treuhands and nominees. (this is their core business so do not skip on price).
 
Is this only possible with a AG or also Gmbh ?
 
Set up a structure like this:

1. Normal Company (with nominated directors) 2. The company is owned by a Foundation (Mauritius) which is considered a "person" with rights and privileges just like a natural person. It has a board of directors, no UBO, only beneficiaries and a Founder who are legally separated from the Foundation assets. In this structure, you will not appear on any public records, nor private records...
 
Thank you and do you know if it is required to pay in the entire share capital of CHF 100,000 ? or are there some short cut's ?
 
You can buy an 'aged' AG strating from CHF 20,000
and this means you don't have to pay up the capital to the 100K ? 20K is all right?
 
Depending what you mean with anonymous, aside of above mentioned some service provider offer full fiduciary services (GmbH/AG) this work for serious business and provide highest anonymity.

Capital for AG you can also pay 20% or minimally CHF 50K in as cash and then CHF 50K or more trough properties, GmbH is possible without instead properties with the required values. The property (mobilities, licenses, trademark, land, software ...) value must be rated by a auditor (friendly price 300-500 but 2K seen too). When possible go the cash way.

Then as already mention you can buy a existing company (high risk) or look for a service provider that will incorporate with his money.

The pricing range is very wide, you will found cheaper solutions then above showed prices but much expensiver too.

The wrong service provider can cost you much more onend, so take care with who you work.

Avoid to use any of the service providers that advertise online for Switzerland. Go with real local long time provider only.
 
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Can someone of you guys experience in Swiss company registration mentioned one or two reliable service providers there to setup companies?
 
Depending what you mean with anonymous, aside of above mentioned some service provider offer full fiduciary services (GmbH/AG) this work for serious business and provide highest anonymity.

Avoid to use any of the service providers that advertise online for Switzerland. Go with real local long time provider only.

Only an AG/SA has bearer shares and provides a form of anonimity, ie. UBO hiding. A GmbH does not provide that.

You can either buy a AG (this has some risk with it, but the register will show a 'previous' incorporation data, so this might come in handy for solving 'some' issues you may have.

You can also buy a newly estheblished AG, which you buy from a Treuhand. The incororating docs (which are public record) will show the name of the Truehand as initial owner. They than sell you the shares and you are done. No public record of you available.

You can also use starup.ch, cheap incorporation mill, but there will be a trace (in the initial document) with your name.

So best advice: install Chrome, translate German into your home language and search for 'treuhand'. A local company is best, vistit a few of them and take the one you like. Make cost a secondary factor, personal relation is what counts in Switzerland.
 
You can set up a new AG or GMBH through a fiduciary services.
They will appear in public registers as owners of the new company, and your name will never appear.
Then they will provide a nominee swiss national/resident as director of the company. Swiss laws request at least one resident director.
In the case of nominee director the fiduciary will check carefully the management of company activity, so they will have executive control of bank account (sending and receiving funds), and issuing of invoices, you as UBO will give them instructions what to do but they will be able to refuse some actions or asking more info.
The problem with anonymity is with opening the bank account, now all banks in Switzerland want to know who is the real UBO of the company, this information will be kept secret, but in case of tax or criminal investigation coming from abroad they will declare everything, swiss privacy is only a sweet memory.
Price for incorporation of a new company varies from 5.000 to 8.000 swiss francs, and then you have to pay for fiduciary services, nominee director, registered office, accounting, tax and vat filing, everything will cost at least 10.000 francs per year.
 
Set up a structure like this:

1. Normal Company (with nominated directors) 2. The company is owned by a Foundation (Mauritius) which is considered a "person" with rights and privileges just like a natural person. It has a board of directors, no UBO, only beneficiaries and a Founder who are legally separated from the Foundation assets. In this structure, you will not appear on any public records, nor private records...
Interesting, do you know which banks in which country accept to open account with this set up ?
 
To setup a company in Switzerland is not worth any longer after they exchange information like any other EU country does. I know Switzerland is not part of the EU but they behave like they are :(

So what's over for rest of us is only to move their to get the tax benefits of a low tax carton.
 
To setup a company in Switzerland is not worth any longer after they exchange information like any other EU country does. I know Switzerland is not part of the EU but they behave like they are :(

So what's over for rest of us is only to move their to get the tax benefits of a low tax carton.
This is true, even Jersey would want to know who the UBO is when opening accounts. And they have now incorporated a private register that if any criminal charges ar levied , they will open it up to the authorities.
 
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Please stick to Switzerland in this thread or open a new one :)
 
Does some know how to keep your privacy with your Swiss GMBH ? I would like to setup something in Switzerland / Zug in order to avoid taxes and to have a save place for my business and money. I believe that Switzerland will be a save harbor if everything goes down the hills.

But I don't want my name to figure anywhere public if avoidable, someone know?