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Online accounting for the self-employed in Paradiso: the practical guide

Swiss accounting law (art. 957 ff. of the Code of Obligations) sets a precise frame, yet day-to-day practice often stays fuzzy. This guide walks through what actually matters for a business based in Paradiso.

Digitalising online accounting: what actually works

A serious accounting document archive links every record to its entry, timestamps versions and logs access — exactly what Swiss bookkeeping regulation expects from probative electronic retention. Chronological filing by financial year becomes an automatic by-product.

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

QR-bills and friction-free collections

Supplier invoices benefit from the same standard: the QR code is read on receipt, the payment is staged in e-banking with the desired due date, and the expense entry is proposed with the correct VAT. The purchase-payment-posting chain takes three moves.

For the debtors of a business in Paradiso, nothing changes on the payer's side: scan the code, confirm, pay. On the online accounting side, everything changes: the collection entry proposes itself, the receivables ledger updates continuously and reminders go out on exact balances.

The Swiss legal frame for online accounting

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.

The good news: the Swiss frame is stable and predictable. Structure online accounting once — chart of accounts, document flow, calendar — and the same organisation pays off for years.

Collaborative desk with laptops and documents, top view

A well-structured SME chart of accounts

The same chart serves three readings: accounting (accuracy), tax (accepted adjustments) and management (margins by activity). Modern software produces all three views without double entry.

For a business in Paradiso, the Sterchi/Käfer structure also eases benchmarking: banks and fiduciaries reason on those standard classes to situate an SME's online accounting.

Paradiso: what changes, what does not

Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Paradiso: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Ticino.

Federal deadlines do not move in Paradiso: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 6900 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.

Frequently asked questions

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

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

Do you need a fiduciary for online 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 Paradiso.

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 Paradiso, family allowances follow the canton's rates.

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 Paradiso: the CO dictates it, not the commune.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates online accounting for businesses in Paradiso: 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.

    Online accounting for the self-employed in Paradiso