Limited statutory audit for garages in Weinfelden: rules, deadlines, best practice
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 Weinfelden: what the law requires, what can be automated, and when to delegate.
Year-end closing: how the mechanics work
The order of operations matters: reconciliations first (bank, cash, receivables, payables), then the closing entries, finally the VAT and AHV consistency checks. Reversing the order means starting over.
For limited statutory audit, the golden rule is to discover nothing in January: every uncertainty (doubtful receivable, dispute, unsellable stock) must be identified before the closing date, not after.
A Swiss SME's accounting calendar
The typical annual cycle: monthly or quarterly AHV instalments, VAT returns (quarterly under the effective method, semi-annual under the net tax rate), the final salary declaration in January, closing in the first half-year, then the tax return and the annual VAT reconciliation. Each link depends on the quality of the previous one.
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.
Outsource limited statutory audit or keep it in-house?
Splitting roles clearly avoids duplication: the company captures documents and approves payments; the fiduciary checks postings, closes the year and defends the file before the authorities. Each side does what it does best — and nobody keys the same invoice twice.
Changing fiduciary is not a drama: the accounting data belongs to the company, and a clean export (entries, chart of accounts, linked documents) allows a transition at year-end. A provider who locks in a client's data says a lot about how it works.
The Swiss legal frame for limited statutory audit
A small business does not mean small obligations: from the first salary or the first VAT return, mistakes get expensive — in Weinfelden as anywhere.
One simple principle drives limited statutory audit: every franc in or out must be explainable by a document, an entry and an account. All of Swiss accounting law fits inside that traceability requirement.
Weinfelden: what changes, what does not
Weinfelden (postal code 8570, canton Thurgau) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Weinfelden are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.
Federal deadlines do not move in Weinfelden: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 8570 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.
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 Weinfelden, family allowances follow the canton's rates.
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 Weinfelden too.
Effective VAT method or net tax rate: how to choose?
The effective method deducts actual input VAT and files quarterly; the net tax rate method applies a flat industry rate to turnover, semi-annually, with no separate input VAT deduction. The flat rate suits low-cost structures; as investments grow, the effective method usually wins again. The choice rests on the company's own figures, in Weinfelden as anywhere.
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 Weinfelden can therefore archive fully digitally.
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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
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