Everything that matters about balance sheet preparation for painting contractors in Salvan
Balance sheet preparation for painting contractors in Salvan raises the same questions for most Swiss SME owners: which obligations apply, which deadlines are running, which documents to prepare. This page covers the federal rules in force — without unnecessary jargon.
Year-end closing: how the mechanics work
The CO's accounting principles frame the closing: regularity, prudence and consistency of presentation (art. 958c CO), on the going-concern assumption (art. 958a CO). In practice, that means valuation methods kept constant from one year to the next — and documented whenever they change.
For an SME in Salvan, 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.
A well-structured SME chart of accounts
Shareholder current accounts demand strict hygiene: every private withdrawal documented, interest at the rates accepted by the tax administration, and a clean-up at closing.
The chart of accounts is also the hinge to VAT: every revenue account carries its rate (8.1%, 2.6%, 3.8% or exempt), every expense account its input-tax right. Set those attributes once in the tool and every subsequent return becomes reliable.
A Swiss SME's accounting calendar
January: salary declaration to the compensation office and salary certificates. End of February, May, August, November: quarterly VAT returns (effective method), each to be filed and paid within 60 days after the quarter ends. Within six months of year-end: approved annual accounts. Then: the tax return under cantonal deadlines, with extensions possible.
For balance sheet preparation, year-end is prepared in October: last invoices, investment decisions, provisions to assess — December is too late to act, January is for recording.
The Swiss legal frame for balance sheet preparation
For an owner in Salvan, the question is never “do we need accounts?” but “at what level of detail?”. The CO sets the floor; the bank, the tax office and the shareholders set the rest.
One simple principle drives balance sheet preparation: 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.
Salvan: what changes, what does not
Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Salvan: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Valais.
Federal deadlines do not move in Salvan: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 1922 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.
Frequently asked questions
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 Salvan too.
How long must records related to balance sheet preparation 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 Salvan can therefore archive fully digitally.
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 Salvan as anywhere.
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 Salvan, family allowances follow the canton's rates.
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