Sovereign Group

What It Is

Sovereign Group is an international corporate services firm with a dedicated Switzerland practice, based in Zug (one of Switzerland's most favorable tax cantons). The firm assists high-net-worth individuals and their families with residency and citizenship planning, immigration and relocation services, and tax advising. Unlike the immigration law firms that dominate this category, Sovereign Group positions itself for clients whose relocation is entangled with wealth planning, founders, business owners, and family offices seeking a stable jurisdiction from which to manage assets. The firm's Switzerland office sits at the nexus of two Swiss attractions: the country's residency regime that permits qualified non-gainful residents to pay tax based on living expenses rather than global income, and the canton system that lets residents pick a canton based on their tax priorities and lifestyle. Contact for a consultation is available through a contact form on the website, with the firm promising a response from a specialist within 24 hours.

For Someone Arriving

A foreigner arriving in Switzerland with substantial assets or a business faces a different set of questions than a salaried employee. Sovereign Group addresses them: How do I establish residency? Which canton offers the best tax terms for my situation? Can Switzerland's special lump-sum taxation regime work for me? How do I structure my company, trusts, or investments after I relocate? Can I set up a Swiss holding company or charitable foundation? A high-net-worth individual may not need an employment-based work permit at all; instead, they qualify for residency as a non-gainful resident, which opens the lump-sum taxation option (available only in certain cantons and subject to minimum asset thresholds). Sovereign Group's tax advisory and company formation services shepherd a relocator through that setup, which is not a simple administrative task but a multi-step legal and tax decision that must anticipate both Swiss and home-country tax implications. The firm can also advise on wealth management, insurance, and pensions after arrival, which many immigration firms do not touch. For someone managing substantial assets, this integrated approach reduces the complexity of coordinating separate advisors across multiple jurisdictions.

What The Page Details

Sovereign Group explains the lump-sum taxation regime in enough detail to ground a decision. In Zug canton specifically, a non-EU/EFTA citizen who qualifies for lump-sum taxation must declare a minimum income tax basis of CHF 1 million and a minimum wealth tax basis of CHF 20 million. This results in a total tax bill of approximately CHF 300,000 per year for income and wealth taxes combined, a specific figure drawn from Zug's published rates and the canton's actual calculation model. The regime differs by canton: different cantons publish their own minimums and resulting tax totals, which vary significantly depending on canton-specific rules. The firm emphasizes that the regime is "based on expenses" rather than global income or assets, which is the primary appeal for a wealthy person whose lifestyle spending is lower than their net worth or global income would suggest. The firm offers "residency and citizenship" services and "immigration and relocation services" but does not itemize what residency service includes beyond the taxation angle, for instance, whether it handles the cantonal registration, the police clearance, the cantonal immigration interview, or the residency application itself. The site names Private Client services (trust, trustee, foreign property ownership, foundations, pensions, wealth management, insurance) and Corporate Services (accounting, payroll, company secretarial, director services), both applicable to incoming high-net-worth residents. Sovereign Group operates offices globally, with Switzerland listed as one jurisdiction among 20-plus, and its site includes a contact form and a promise of response within 24 hours from a specialist in Switzerland.

What Remains Unclear

The site does not publish Sovereign Group's fees or fee structure for residency planning, tax advisory, or company formation. It does not state whether the firm handles the actual Swiss residence permit application or refers that work to immigration lawyers, nor whether it can advise on canton selection before a client commits to a move. It does not explain the minimum asset or income threshold below which lump-sum taxation is not available or worthwhile; CHF 1 million and CHF 20 million are the canton minima in Zug, but the firm does not advise whether those are practical thresholds for wealth. The site does not address whether lump-sum taxation can apply to someone who retains employment income abroad (a founder with dividend income, for instance, versus a fully retired relocator). It does not detail the timeline from inquiry to residency approval or the typical case complexity. It does not explain whether Sovereign Group handles appeals if a residency application is rejected or if tax authorities challenge the client's lump-sum declaration. The firm offers both UK and Swiss services (UK retirement planning, UK pension services) but does not separate or clarify the focus of its Switzerland office. Someone reading the page does not learn whether the firm prioritizes clients above a certain wealth threshold, whether it works only with business owners or includes simply high-earning employees, or whether it accepts clients seeking "just" tax planning without full relocation advisory.

Who It Suits

Sovereign Group suits a high-net-worth individual or business owner relocating from abroad and seeking to optimize Swiss residency and taxation in a single engagement. A founder selling a company abroad and relocating to Switzerland to manage the proceeds benefits from Sovereign Group's expertise in wealth structuring, trusts, and insurance. A business owner opening a Swiss subsidiary or establishing a Zug holding company can use the firm for company formation and tax planning. A family relocating to Switzerland for the lifestyle but wanting to minimize their global tax burden will find the lump-sum taxation regime explained and executable. The firm suits someone who views relocation as inseparable from wealth management and tax strategy, not just immigration and housing logistics. It does not suit a salaried employee on a work permit relocating for employment, since the firm is built around non-gainful residents and does not address employment-based residency (L/B/C permits, spousal visas). It does not suit someone seeking budget or basic guidance: Sovereign Group is a private client firm for high-net-worth individuals, and the site's tone and service mix reflect that focus. It does not suit someone without substantial assets, since lump-sum taxation minimums (CHF 1 million income, CHF 20 million wealth in Zug) gate access to the regime entirely.