Opening an account in Switzerland is a little different from doing so in most juridictions. The Swiss are particular about who uses their banking system and prefer to open an account for someone who has been referred by someone they know.

Winterman Asset Management SA maintains relationships with a number of private Swiss banks. We are able to assist in the opening of a Swiss bank account on your behalf with well known large commercial Swiss banks or smaller well established private banks.

The Swiss banking system is world renowned for its strict confidence and bank secrecy is not lifted for tax enquiries. This is because failure to report income or assets is not considered a crime in Switzerland.

As such, neither the Swiss government, nor any other government, can obtain information about your Swiss bank account. They must first convince a Swiss judge that you have committed a serious crime punishable by the Swiss Penal Code. We strongly recommend, however, that you implement tax planning structures that mitigate your tax burden in a legal fashion to avoid any problems with your national tax authorities.

Bank secrecy will not be lifted for private matters such as inheritance or divorce if you have kept your Swiss banking information strictly confidential. It is up to plaintiffs to prove that the Swiss bank account exists if they wish the judge to pursue the case. In this respect, the numbered numbered Swiss bank account provides the maximum degree of confidentiality. 

Please view our Frequently Asked Question page for further information, or contact us. You will find our fees extremely competitive for the work we undertake on your behalf.