Seizure: seizable assets, not the subsistence minimum
Updated on October 24, 2026
When enforcement may continue, the office seizes the debtor's assets that are not exempt. Wages are seized only for the part above the subsistence minimum set according to the family situation. Essential goods and certain social benefits are protected. The office draws up a record. The debtor must inform the office about their assets. Seizure does not immediately transfer ownership to the creditor. Exempt assets are listed in the Act on Fedlex, with cantonal rules on the subsistence minimum.
What the DEBA says
Hiding assets or giving the office false information is a criminal offence under enforcement law. A change in wages should be reported without waiting.