Unfortunately, you cannot deduct tutoring and Gymnasium courses from your taxes. These costs are included in the so-called child deduction. However, you can also claim this if your child is already of legal age but is still in initial training.
Child deduction for parents in an intact marriage or widowed parents
If you are married or widowed, you can claim the following deductions for each child who is a minor at the end of the tax period, or for each child who is of legal age but still in initial vocational training and whose maintenance you mainly finance.
State tax deduction:
CHF 9,300 per child
Federal tax deduction:
CHF 6,800 per child
Child allowance for single parents
Full deduction for single parents
If you and the other parent have joint parental custody and you receive taxable child support payments, you can claim the full child deduction. If you have sole parental custody, you can claim the full child deduction.
For children of legal age who are in initial vocational training, you can claim the full child deduction if the other parent does not pay child support or if child support is paid but you are still primarily responsible for the child's maintenance.
State tax deduction:
CHF 9,300 per child
Federal tax deduction:
CHF 6,800 per child
Half deduction in cases of shared parental custody
If you and the other parent have joint parental responsibility and you do not receive any taxable maintenance payments for the child, you can claim half of the child deduction.
State tax deduction:
CHF 4,650 per child
Federal tax deduction:
CHF 3,400 per child
Child deduction for cohabiting parents
If you have sole parental custody or joint custody and you receive taxable maintenance payments for the minor child from the other parent, you can claim the full deduction.
If you and the other parent have joint custody and you do not deduct any child support payments made to the other parent, you can claim half of the deduction.
Child deduction for adult children in education
If the child is of legal age but still in initial vocational training, you can claim the full child deduction if you are primarily responsible for their maintenance. If both parents contribute to the child's maintenance, the child deduction is available to the parent who makes the higher financial contribution to the child's maintenance (usually the parent with the higher income).
Further information on tax deductions
Ähnliche Regeln gelten, wenn du nicht mit ihrem Kind zusammenlebst. Die Regulierungen findest du unter Steuerfreie Beträge (Sozialabzüge) Ziffer 24 (S.19)
Source
Guide to the tax return for the Canton of Zurich (Januar 2026)




