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Annual accounts comparison in Wängi: the practical guide

Between VAT, social contributions and the year-end close, a Swiss SME juggles dozens of deadlines a year. This page focuses on annual accounts in Wängi: what the law requires, what can be automated, and when to delegate.

Year-end closing: how the mechanics work

The closing turns day-to-day bookkeeping into annual accounts: balance sheet, income statement and notes (art. 958 CO). Mandatory stops: accruals and deferrals, depreciation, commercially justified provisions, inventory of stock and work in progress, then VAT and AHV reconciliations.

The notes complete the figures: valuation principles, liabilities towards pension institutions, contingent liabilities, or the number of full-time positions. Careful notes reduce questions from the auditor and the banks.

A well-structured SME chart of accounts

Account labels deserve as much care as numbers: “Third-party fees” says nothing, “Fiduciary fees” and “IT fees” say everything. Meaningful labels cut posting errors and make dashboards readable without a glossary.

Standard numbering also enables automation: stable posting rules (same supplier, same account) make data entry predictable and the audit faster. Avoid changing the chart of accounts mid-year — migrate at the closing date, with a documented mapping table.

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.

Handing deadline monitoring to a tool is no luxury: automatic reminders, a status per obligation, and an “all green” view that clears the mind. What matters is not who ticks the box — but that the box exists and everyone can see it.

Pen pointing at a bar chart on paper

The Swiss legal frame for annual accounts

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. Annual accounts sits squarely within this frame, including for companies based in Wängi.

Art. 957a CO requires complete, truthful and systematic recording of transactions, each entry backed by a supporting document. For annual accounts, 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.

Wängi: what changes, what does not

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

Wängi requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 9545 as everywhere else, and a well-kept digital file transfers smoothly to any auditor in the canton.

Frequently asked questions

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 Wängi: the CO dictates it, not the commune.

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 Wängi as anywhere.

How long must records related to annual accounts 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 Wängi 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 Wängi.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates annual accounts for businesses in Wängi: 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.