Real estate accounting for architecture firms in Sissach: what every SME should know
Whether you run a Sàrl, an SA or a sole proprietorship in Sissach, 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 Sissach.
One simple principle drives real estate accounting: every franc in or out must be explainable by a document, an entry and an account. All of Swiss accounting law fits inside that traceability requirement.
A Swiss SME's accounting calendar
Every deadline has an owner: an obligation “of everyone” is kept by no one. Naming one person per deadline family (VAT, payroll, taxes) closes the gaps.
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.
Digitalising real estate accounting: what actually works
Security is part of digitalisation: named access, tested backups, encryption of sensitive data. A digital accounting file is protected like a safe — because it is one.
The selection criterion for a tool is not the length of its feature list but the robustness of the daily flow: reliable bank imports, VAT computed correctly (8.1 / 2.6 / 3.8%), a complete audit trail from document to entry, and a clean export for the auditor or fiduciary. Everything else is secondary.
Outsource real estate accounting 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.
A business in Sissach can combine the models: internal day-to-day entry, monthly external supervision, closing and taxes with the specialist — real estate accounting splits very well.
Sissach: what changes, what does not
Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Sissach: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Basel-Country.
Sissach requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 4450 as everywhere else, and a well-kept digital file transfers smoothly to any auditor in the canton.
Frequently asked questions
How much does real estate accounting cost in Sissach?
It depends on document volume, the number of salaries and VAT complexity — no serious figure can be quoted without examining the file. Two levers cut the bill everywhere: digitised, well-filed receipts and software that prepares entries instead of having them re-keyed.
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 Sissach.
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 Sissach can therefore archive fully digitally.
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 Sissach: the CO dictates it, not the commune.
Also worth reading
In neighbouring municipalities
Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates real estate accounting for businesses in Sissach: 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.