This page inFRDEENAR

Pen pointing at a bar chart on paper

Salary certificate in Switzerland in Gerlafingen: the practical guide

Salary certificate in Switzerland in Gerlafingen 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

Responsibility for the books is personal: in an SA, organising the accounting is one of the board's non-transferable duties (art. 716a CO); in a Sàrl, the managing directors carry the same duty. Outsourcing the execution never transfers that underlying responsibility, including for a company based in Gerlafingen.

Late books show from the outside: poorly calibrated tax instalments, provisional filings, slow answers to the bank. Staying current is also a matter of image.

Digitalising salary certificate: what actually works

Automation is judged on the exceptions: what happens when the document is unreadable, the supplier unknown, the amount divergent? A good tool isolates those cases and lets a human decide fast — precious for teams in Gerlafingen.

For salary certificate, migrating history must not block the start: begin on day one of the current financial year and import the history later if needed.

Outsource salary certificate or keep it in-house?

Responsibility stays with the client: the fiduciary executes with care, but the signed accounts bind the company. Understanding what you sign is not optional.

For salary certificate, a quarterly 30-minute check-in with the fiduciary beats an annual marathon: questions get handled while they are small.

Professional in a suit reviewing documents

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 employer in Gerlafingen does well to fix payday on a set day of the month: funds, employees and cash flow organise around it, and salary certificate becomes routine instead of a sprint.

Gerlafingen: what changes, what does not

Working with a fiduciary from Gerlafingen no longer depends on geography: the documents of a business in Gerlafingen are shared online, while the canton Solothurn keeps its own deadlines for the tax return.

For a business in Gerlafingen, that means VAT returns identical to anywhere in Switzerland, but a tax return and family allowances governed by the canton Solothurn.

Frequently asked questions

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 Gerlafingen.

Does MyFiducia.ai work for a business based in Gerlafingen?

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 Gerlafingen manages its documents, VAT and exports exactly as anywhere in Switzerland.

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 Gerlafingen can therefore archive fully digitally.

What is the difference between a limited and an ordinary audit?

The ordinary audit applies to companies exceeding, for two consecutive years, two of three thresholds: CHF 20 million balance sheet total, CHF 40 million revenue, 250 full-time positions. Others fall under the limited audit, and those with no more than ten full-time positions on annual average can opt out with all shareholders' consent. These federal thresholds do not depend on the registered seat — in Gerlafingen as anywhere.

Also worth reading

In neighbouring municipalities

Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates salary certificate for businesses in Gerlafingen: 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.

    Salary certificate in Switzerland in Gerlafingen