Unabhängige Finanzberatung und Finanzplanung - FINBERG AG

Independent financial planning for life transitions

FINBERG AG is an independent financial and tax advisory based in Basel, explicitly framing their work around major life changes, particularly arriving in Switzerland as an expatriate. The site opens with a core principle: "Wenn sich Lebensverhältnisse verändern, Wohnsitze sich verlagern und Vermögen bewegt wird, entstehen neue finanzielle, steuerliche und vorsorgerechtliche Fragestellungen" (when life circumstances change, residences shift, and assets move, new financial, tax, and insurance questions arise). This is a direct acknowledgment that arrivals need specialized advice, and it is the anchor for their service positioning.

The practice combines three consultation areas: comprehensive financial and pension planning, proactive tax advice, and structured retirement and estate planning. They market this explicitly under "Expatberatung" (expat consulting) and "Auswanderungsberatung" (emigration planning), making clear they work with people in transition in both directions: those arriving to Switzerland and those leaving. For someone relocating to Switzerland, the focus on pension transfers, tax optimization on international assets, and navigating Swiss insurance and savings products is directly relevant.

The opening framing matters strategically: rather than positioning themselves as generalists, FINBERG positions their services around the specific life phases that create complex financial questions. An arriving expat faces exactly these phases, which is why this practice has built its core message around them. Someone moving to Switzerland with a spouse and children from different relationships, a property abroad, and an international pension, will recognize themselves in this description.

Arrival-specific services

FINBERG handles the technical questions arrivals face immediately: establishing a Swiss savings account structure, moving pension assets into Switzerland (or leaving them abroad and managing the tax consequences), understanding Swiss occupational pensions and mandatory insurance. The site lists "Finanz- und Pensionsplanung" (financial and pension planning) as their opening service, followed by tax advice, insurance planning, and estate planning.

The firm emphasizes integrated planning: they combine financial advice, tax optimization, and insurance strategy rather than siloing them. Their blog features articles directly relevant to arrivals with Swiss work permits: "Nachträglicher Einkauf Säule 3a mit B-Bewilligung" (making up Pillar 3a contributions after arriving on a B permit), "Kauf einer Immobilie in der Schweiz mit B- und C-Bewilligung" (buying property on a B or C permit), and "Grenzenlos in den Ruhestand" (cross-border retirement planning). These are not generic planning topics; they are specific to the Swiss permit system and the constraints arrivals face. Someone with a B permit (temporary residence, typically renewable annually) faces different property-ownership rules than someone on a C permit (settled resident status), and FINBERG's blog signals they understand both.

The depth of their expertise

The blog gives a sense of the firm's scope and where the real depth lies. Recent articles cover Swiss pension withdrawal rules on leaving the country, tax implications of the abolition of "Eigenmietwert" (imputed rental income on owner-occupied property), handling foreign savings accounts held after arrival, structural planning for patchwork families (Patchwork-Familien), and the interaction between Swiss and international inheritance law. The "Patchwork-Familien" mention is particularly telling: it signals they advise on complex family structures with children from different relationships and different countries of origin, where inheritance and estate planning get legally intricate.

Articles also address scenarios that arriving residents encounter: someone on a B permit buying a home, someone on a C permit (settled foreigner) planning for retirement and potentially leaving Switzerland, and families with children from previous relationships and international custody arrangements. The breadth of these topics suggests the practice has encountered and solved real arriving-expat scenarios.

They hold memberships in professional bodies (the site mentions this but does not list specifics), and some of their team members are identified by name and by initial, suggesting a team of several advisors rather than solo practitioners. The testimonials hint at their real-world work: one review mentions "Fabio" (likely Fabio Annen, one of their named staff) helping with mortgage advice and facilitating a property purchase process, another details Fabio coordinating pension transfers to Germany on leaving Switzerland, and a third describes outbound house calls for consultations, suggesting they invest time in understanding clients' full situations rather than office-only meetings.

Specific permit-holder focus

FINBERG's website addresses two Swiss residential permits by name: the B permit (temporary residence, typically for employed professionals working in Switzerland) and the C permit (settled foreigner status, usually granted after five to ten years of residence). This is not generic tax advice; the firm understands the specific constraints each permit carries for taxation, insurance, pension contributions, and property ownership. Someone arriving on a B permit and wondering whether they can buy an apartment, or how to structure Swiss and foreign pensions while working here temporarily, will find the firm understands the legal framework.

The mention of B and C permits signals they work across the tenure spectrum, from newcomers to long-term residents, and that they understand the different rules that apply at each stage. This is sophisticated positioning: many tax advisors in Switzerland work with whoever walks in the door; FINBERG has built their reputation around the specific legal constraints and financial planning questions that arise from being in a particular permit category.

What the site does not settle

The practice publishes no pricing, no service menus with fees, no indication of engagement models (retainer, hourly, project fees), and no statement of minimum engagement size. The blog demonstrates expertise but does not explain which of those topics they regularly advise on and which are editorial or educational. There is no client list or description of their typical client profile (business owners, high-net-worth individuals, mid-career arrivals, families, sole practitioners). The site does not state how many staff members work there, which languages they speak, how they prefer to communicate, or their typical response times. The website does not explain what "independent" means in their title, though it signals they have no ownership ties to a bank or insurance company.

There is also no description of fees, scope, or what kind of advance planning consultation might cost, or whether they take on small clients with modest assets or focus on high-net-worth planning. The call-to-action is simply to contact them for a consultation ("Kontakt aufnehmen"), without guidance on what to expect.

Who this firm suits

FINBERG is built for arrivals with moderate to substantial assets, pensions to restructure, and life situations complex enough to need coordination: someone moving to Switzerland with a foreign spouse and children from different relationships, someone who owns property abroad and has investments in multiple countries, someone on a B permit thinking about property purchase and long-term retirement planning. The explicit mention of B and C permit holders signals they work across the tenure spectrum, from new arrivals to established residents. The emphasis on German, French, and English-language consultation (the site is available in all three) makes this a fit for French or German-speaking arrivals as well as English speakers.

If you are arriving with a simple employment situation, no dependents, no property plans, and no existing pension or investments, you may not need this scope of advisory, and a simpler tax filing service might suit better. If you are navigating multiple countries, currencies, and permit categories while planning for retirement and property ownership, or if you have dependents and complex inheritance considerations, a consultation with FINBERG is worth scheduling.