Salary certificate deadlines in Aarau explained simply
Salary certificate deadlines in Aarau 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.
The Swiss legal frame for salary certificate
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 salary certificate, 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.
Salaries and social contributions: the rates to know
Every salary paid in Switzerland triggers joint contributions: AHV/IV/APG at 10.6% in total, i.e. 5.3% borne by the employer and 5.3% withheld from the employee; unemployment insurance at 2.2% (1.1% each) up to CHF 148,200 of annual salary. Add occupational pension (LPP credits of 7 to 18% of the coordinated salary depending on age, employer at least 50%), accident insurance (occupational accidents paid by the employer) and family allowances.
An often underestimated point: self-employed status is granted by the compensation office — or not. Whoever invoices essentially one main client risks requalification as an employee, with contribution arrears charged to the principal. Clarifying AHV status before starting avoids that trap.
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 Aarau) and internal (closing, general meeting within six months). Mixing them up is the leading cause of delays.
For salary certificate, two dates lock themselves in every year: the January salary declaration and the general meeting within six months — everything else is planned around them.
Digitalising salary certificate: what actually works
Access for the fiduciary, the auditor and employees is set by roles: view, enter, approve, close. Well-set rights protect the data and speed up collaboration.
The selection criterion for a tool is not the length of its feature list but the robustness of the daily flow: reliable bank imports, VAT computed correctly (8.1 / 2.6 / 3.8%), a complete audit trail from document to entry, and a clean export for the auditor or fiduciary. Everything else is secondary.
Aarau: what changes, what does not
Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Aarau: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Aargau.
Aarau requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 5000 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 Aarau, family allowances follow the canton's rates.
How much does salary certificate cost in Aarau?
It depends on document volume, the number of salaries and VAT complexity — no serious figure can be quoted without examining the file. Two levers cut the bill everywhere: digitised, well-filed receipts and software that prepares entries instead of having them re-keyed.
How long must records related to salary certificate 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 Aarau can therefore archive fully digitally.
Does MyFiducia.ai work for a business based in Aarau?
Yes: the platform runs online, the rules applied are federal (VAT, CO, AHV), and the file can be shared with any fiduciary. A business in Aarau manages its documents, VAT and exports exactly as anywhere in Switzerland.
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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates salary certificate for businesses in Aarau: AI-read documents, posting suggestions, VAT and exports ready for your fiduciary. Try the platform or browse our other guides.
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