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Accounting template in Gempen explained simply

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 Gempen.

The Swiss legal frame for 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.

Late books show from the outside: poorly calibrated tax instalments, provisional filings, slow answers to the bank. Staying current is also a matter of image.

Outsource 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 Gempen can combine the models: internal day-to-day entry, monthly external supervision, closing and taxes with the specialist — accounting splits very well.

A Swiss SME's accounting calendar

The professionals' trick: handle every deadline at D-30, not D-1. A VAT return prepared a month early leaves time to chase a missing document without penalty.

For a business in Gempen, 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.

Pen pointing at a bar chart on paper

Digitalising accounting: what actually works

Artificial intelligence has changed the economics of accounting: automatic invoice reading reaches recognition rates that make manual entry marginal, and posting suggestions learn from corrections. The accountant does not disappear — the job shifts from data entry to control and advice.

For an owner in Gempen, a dashboard only has value if the data is fresh: automating data entry means, first of all, buying up-to-date information about your own business.

Gempen: what changes, what does not

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

For a business in Gempen, that means VAT returns identical to anywhere in Switzerland, but a tax return and family allowances governed by the canton Solothurn.

Frequently asked questions

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

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

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 Gempen.

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 Gempen.

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 Gempen as anywhere.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates accounting for businesses in Gempen: 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.