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Accounting benefits in Tannay: the practical guide

Whether you run a Sàrl, an SA or a sole proprietorship in Tannay, accounting eventually lands on your desk. Here are the practical reference points — legal basis, deadlines and common pitfalls — to decide with a clear head.

The Swiss legal frame for accounting

Three documents summarise the health of a Swiss business: the balance sheet (what it owns), the income statement (what it earns) and the notes (what else you should know). All the work of accounting converges on those three pages, in Tannay too.

The annual accounts (art. 958 CO) consist of the balance sheet, the income statement and the notes; they must be drawn up within six months of the year-end so the general meeting can approve them. A delay here cascades into the tax return and the final social insurance settlements.

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 Tannay) and internal (closing, general meeting within six months). Mixing them up is the leading cause of delays.

For accounting, deadline discipline is worth real money: default interest on late VAT, AHV adjustments, tax fines. A shared deadline calendar — fed by up-to-date figures — remains the simplest safeguard.

A well-structured SME chart of accounts

Concretely, accounting benefits from three tiers: balance-sheet accounts (classes 1-2) kept spotless for the closing, income accounts (classes 3-6) shaped for steering, and closing accounts (class 9) reserved for year-end entries. Each tier has its rhythm and its owner.

For a business in Tannay, comparability over time beats sophistication: a chart stable for five years beats a “perfect” one rebuilt every year. Banks and the tax administration read year-on-year movements first.

Handshake during a business meeting, top view

Outsource accounting or keep it in-house?

Outsourcing accounting to a fiduciary frees up time and secures compliance; keeping it in-house preserves a continuous view and costs less in fees. The best answer is often hybrid: the company captures and digitises as it goes, the fiduciary supervises, closes the books and represents the company before the authorities.

In Tannay, as everywhere, the right collaboration rhythm follows the activity: monthly for payroll and data entry, quarterly for VAT, yearly for the closing and tax advice.

Tannay: what changes, what does not

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

Federal deadlines do not move in Tannay: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 1295 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.

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 Tannay, family allowances follow the canton's rates.

Do you need a fiduciary for accounting, or can you do it yourself?

Both are defensible. Below CHF 500,000 of revenue, a sole proprietorship may keep simplified accounts itself. As soon as payroll, VAT and a closing with tax stakes are involved, professional support prevents mistakes that cost more than the fees. With a shared platform, the fiduciary does not even need to be in Tannay.

What are the legal obligations for accounting 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 Tannay: federal law applies.

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 Tannay as anywhere.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates accounting for businesses in Tannay: 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.