Annual closing for SMEs in Cudrefin explained simply
Between VAT, social contributions and the year-end close, a Swiss SME juggles dozens of deadlines a year. This page focuses on annual closing in Cudrefin: what the law requires, what can be automated, and when to delegate.
Year-end closing: how the mechanics work
The closing is prepared all year long: a monthly bank reconciliation and accruals tracked as you go turn the year-end into a formality, for businesses in Cudrefin too.
A company in Cudrefin that presents clean, punctual annual accounts gains credibility — with its bank, its suppliers and the tax administration.
The Swiss legal frame for annual closing
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.
Art. 957a CO requires complete, truthful and systematic recording of transactions, each entry backed by a supporting document. For annual closing, that means in practice: no movement without a receipt, and an audit trail that can be reconstructed at any time — including during a VAT or AHV inspection.
A well-structured SME chart of accounts
Nearly all Swiss SMEs rely on the standard SME chart of accounts (Sterchi/Käfer): classes 1 (assets) to 9 (closing), with revenue in class 3 and expenses in classes 4 to 6. Using this standard structure makes conversations with your fiduciary, auditor and tax administration far easier.
Suspense accounts (to clarify) are useful provided they are emptied monthly: a swelling “miscellaneous” account is the classic symptom of a chart that no longer fits the activity.
A Swiss SME's accounting calendar
Tax instalments are steered: too low, they set up a salty final bill; too high, they tie up cash. Adjusting them on current figures is a profitable reflex, in Cudrefin as anywhere.
For annual closing, year-end is prepared in October: last invoices, investment decisions, provisions to assess — December is too late to act, January is for recording.
Cudrefin: what changes, what does not
Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Cudrefin: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Vaud.
Cudrefin requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 1588 as everywhere else, and a well-kept digital file transfers smoothly to any auditor in the canton.
Frequently asked questions
What is simplified bookkeeping and who can use it?
Sole proprietorships and partnerships under CHF 500,000 of revenue may limit themselves to recording income, expenses and assets (art. 957 para. 2 CO). Once over the threshold — or upon founding a Sàrl or an SA — full accounts with balance sheet, income statement and notes become mandatory. The CHF 500,000 threshold is assessed the same way in Cudrefin.
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 Cudrefin.
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 Cudrefin too.
When must a business register for VAT?
As soon as its worldwide annual turnover reaches CHF 100,000 (CHF 250,000 for non-profit sports or cultural associations). Below that, voluntary registration remains possible and often makes sense to reclaim input VAT on investments. The threshold is federal: it applies in Cudrefin as everywhere in Switzerland.
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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates annual closing for businesses in Cudrefin: AI-read documents, posting suggestions, VAT and exports ready for your fiduciary. Try the platform or browse our other guides.
The application is operated in French.