Team analysing financial charts around a table

Real estate accounting for hair salons in Saint-Prex: the practical guide

Real estate accounting for hair salons in Saint-Prex rests on three pillars: federal law that applies across Switzerland, cantonal deadlines worth knowing, and tools that eliminate re-keying. This guide puts it all in order, fact by fact.

The Swiss legal frame for real estate accounting

AHV audits and VAT audits follow the same logic: start from the documents, trace to the entries, check consistency. A business in Saint-Prex with a clean audit trail sails through these exercises.

For real estate accounting, the classic early mistake remains mixing private and business: a dedicated bank account and documented private withdrawals eliminate half the discussions with the tax office.

Outsource real estate accounting or keep it in-house?

Outsourcing does not exempt you from understanding: an owner who can read the balance sheet and the income statement challenges the fiduciary better — and pays for advice, not re-keying.

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

For a business in Saint-Prex, an isolated delay can be caught up; a structural delay is paid in interest, fines and stress. The difference between the two: a system, not good intentions.

Handshake during a business meeting, top view

A well-structured SME chart of accounts

A good chart of accounts tells the story of the business: classes 1 and 2 describe what it owns and owes, class 3 what it sells, classes 4 to 6 what it consumes. Private accounts (sole proprietorships) and shareholder current accounts (Sàrl/SA) must stay spotless: they are the first thing examined in a tax audit.

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

Saint-Prex: what changes, what does not

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

Saint-Prex requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 1162 as everywhere else, and a well-kept digital file transfers smoothly to any auditor in the canton.

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 Saint-Prex, family allowances follow the canton's rates.

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 Saint-Prex.

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 Saint-Prex.

When is entry in the commercial register mandatory?

A Sàrl and an SA only come into existence with their registration. A sole proprietorship must register from CHF 100,000 of annual revenue; below that, registration stays voluntary but adds credibility and protects the business name. Registration goes through the canton's commercial register office — for Saint-Prex too.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates real estate accounting for businesses in Saint-Prex: 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.

    Real estate accounting for hair salons in Saint-Prex