Limited statutory audit for bakeries in Onex without the stress: how it works
Between VAT, social contributions and the year-end close, a Swiss SME juggles dozens of deadlines a year. This page focuses on limited statutory audit in Onex: what the law requires, what can be automated, and when to delegate.
Year-end closing: how the mechanics work
Depreciation follows rates accepted by tax practice (property, machinery, IT): staying within those ranges avoids reassessments. Exceeding them is justified — and documented, in Onex as anywhere.
For an SME in Onex, the closing is also decision time: distributions, provisions, investments to anticipate. A file ready in February leaves time to decide; one ready in June just endures.
The Swiss legal frame for limited statutory audit
In Switzerland, the duty to keep accounts stems from art. 957 ff. of the Code of Obligations. Legal entities (Sàrl, SA) and sole proprietorships with at least CHF 500,000 in revenue keep full accounts: balance sheet, income statement and notes. Below that threshold, a simplified record of income, expenses and assets is sufficient.
The good news: the Swiss frame is stable and predictable. Structure limited statutory audit once — chart of accounts, document flow, calendar — and the same organisation pays off for years.
A well-structured SME chart of accounts
The test of a good chart of accounts is a single question: can the owner find the margins in three clicks? If not, the chart serves the tax office but not the business — even in Onex.
For a business in Onex, comparability over time beats sophistication: a chart stable for five years beats a “perfect” one rebuilt every year. Banks and the tax administration read year-on-year movements first.
A Swiss SME's accounting calendar
Three families of deadlines shape the year: federal (VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January), cantonal (tax return, extensions depending on the canton, including in Onex) and internal (closing, general meeting within six months). Mixing them up is the leading cause of delays.
For limited statutory audit, two dates lock themselves in every year: the January salary declaration and the general meeting within six months — everything else is planned around them.
Onex: what changes, what does not
Onex (postal code 1213, canton Geneva) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Onex are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.
Onex requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 1213 as everywhere else, and a well-kept digital file transfers smoothly to any auditor in the canton.
Frequently asked questions
Which social contributions does a Swiss employer pay?
AHV/IV/APG: 5.3% employer share (the same is withheld from the employee); unemployment insurance: 1.1% each up to CHF 148,200 a year; occupational pension (LPP) by age and plan (employer at least 50%); occupational accident insurance paid by the employer; family allowances by canton. For an employer in Onex, family allowances follow the canton's rates.
What are the current Swiss VAT rates?
Since 1 January 2024: 8.1% (standard), 2.6% (reduced — for example food and medicines) and 3.8% (accommodation). Returns must be filed and paid within 60 days after the period ends (quarterly under the effective method, semi-annually under the net tax rate method). These federal rates apply unchanged in Onex.
How long must records related to limited statutory audit be kept?
Ten years from the end of the financial year concerned (art. 958f CO). Electronic retention is permitted if the integrity and readability of the records are guaranteed — a serious digital archive validly replaces paper binders. A business in Onex can therefore archive fully digitally.
When is entry in the commercial register mandatory?
A Sàrl and an SA only come into existence with their registration. A sole proprietorship must register from CHF 100,000 of annual revenue; below that, registration stays voluntary but adds credibility and protects the business name. Registration goes through the canton's commercial register office — for Onex too.
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