
Social security contributions for daycare centres in Morcote explained simply
Between VAT, social contributions and the year-end close, a Swiss SME juggles dozens of deadlines a year. This page focuses on social security contributions in Morcote: what the law requires, what can be automated, and when to delegate.
The Swiss legal frame for social security contributions
AHV audits and VAT audits follow the same logic: start from the documents, trace to the entries, check consistency. A business in Morcote with a clean audit trail sails through these exercises.
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.
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 Morcote) and internal (closing, general meeting within six months). Mixing them up is the leading cause of delays.
For social security contributions, year-end is prepared in October: last invoices, investment decisions, provisions to assess — December is too late to act, January is for recording.
Outsource social security contributions 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.
For social security contributions, the internal-external duo works when both sides see the same file: same entries, same documents, same deadlines. Misunderstandings are born from parallel copies.

Salaries and social contributions: the rates to know
Two of these contributions are set by law: AHV/IV/APG at 5.3% and unemployment at 1.1%, both payable by the employer. The others — LPP, accident insurance, possibly daily sickness benefits and family allowances — depend on the insurer, the industry and the pension plan. The total surcharge usually falls between 12 and 20% of gross pay, and employee deductions between 10 and 15%: these are orders of magnitude, not statutory rates.
For social security contributions, the monthly payslip is only the visible part: instalments to the funds, annual settlements and certificates form the real cycle, January to January.
Morcote: what changes, what does not
Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Morcote: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Ticino.
For a business in Morcote, that means VAT returns identical to anywhere in Switzerland, but a tax return and family allowances governed by the canton Ticino.
Frequently asked questions
What are the legal obligations for social security contributions in Switzerland?
The foundation is the Code of Obligations: proper bookkeeping (art. 957a CO), annual accounts (balance sheet, income statement, notes) and 10-year retention of books and records (art. 958f CO). VAT applies from CHF 100,000 of turnover, and social insurance settlements from the first employee. Nothing is different in Morcote: federal law applies.
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 Morcote as anywhere.
Which documents should be prepared for the year-end closing?
Bank and cash statements at the closing date, the inventory of stock and work in progress, final AHV/LPP/accident settlements, contracts signed or amended during the year, invoices straddling two years and the detail of accruals. With an up-to-date document archive, most of it is already there. The list is identical in Morcote: the CO dictates it, not the commune.
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 Morcote as everywhere in Switzerland.
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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates social security contributions for businesses in Morcote: 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.