Real estate accounting step by step in Hilterfingen explained simply
Whether you run a Sàrl, an SA or a sole proprietorship in Hilterfingen, real estate 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 real estate accounting
Swiss accounting law has been unified in the Code of Obligations since 2013: the same bookkeeping rules (art. 957a CO) and retention rules (art. 958f CO — 10 years for books, vouchers and reports) apply regardless of legal form. Real estate accounting sits squarely within this frame, including for companies based in Hilterfingen.
Art. 957a CO requires complete, truthful and systematic recording of transactions, each entry backed by a supporting document. For real estate accounting, 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.
Outsource real estate accounting or keep it in-house?
A good test before choosing: ask the fiduciary HOW it wants to receive the documents. A precise answer (formats, frequency, platform) says more than any brochure — including in Hilterfingen.
For real estate accounting, a quarterly 30-minute check-in with the fiduciary beats an annual marathon: questions get handled while they are small.
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 Hilterfingen) and internal (closing, general meeting within six months). Mixing them up is the leading cause of delays.
For real estate accounting, year-end is prepared in October: last invoices, investment decisions, provisions to assess — December is too late to act, January is for recording.
A well-structured SME chart of accounts
Nearly all Swiss SMEs rely on the standard SME chart of accounts (Sterchi/Käfer): classes 1 (assets) to 9 (closing), with revenue in class 3 and expenses in classes 4 to 6. Using this standard structure makes conversations with your fiduciary, auditor and tax administration far easier.
In an SME in Hilterfingen, the chart of accounts is also a delegation tool: clear posting rules let a non-accountant prepare most entries without error.
Hilterfingen: what changes, what does not
Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Hilterfingen: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Bern.
For a business in Hilterfingen, that means VAT returns identical to anywhere in Switzerland, but a tax return and family allowances governed by the canton Bern.
Frequently asked questions
How long must records related to real estate accounting 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 Hilterfingen can therefore archive fully digitally.
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 Hilterfingen.
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 Hilterfingen: the CO dictates it, not the commune.
What is simplified bookkeeping and who can use it?
Sole proprietorships and partnerships under CHF 500,000 of revenue may limit themselves to recording income, expenses and assets (art. 957 para. 2 CO). Once over the threshold — or upon founding a Sàrl or an SA — full accounts with balance sheet, income statement and notes become mandatory. The CHF 500,000 threshold is assessed the same way in Hilterfingen.
Also worth reading
In neighbouring municipalities
Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates real estate accounting for businesses in Hilterfingen: 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.