Annual accounts for startups in Mellikon: rules, deadlines, best practice
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 Mellikon.
Year-end closing: how the mechanics work
Companies exceeding two of three thresholds for two consecutive years — CHF 20 million balance sheet total, CHF 40 million revenue, 250 full-time positions — move to an ordinary audit. Below that, the limited audit applies, and companies with no more than ten full-time positions on annual average can opt out with the consent of all shareholders.
For an SME in Mellikon, the closing is also decision time: distributions, provisions, investments to anticipate. A file ready in February leaves time to decide; one ready in June just endures.
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 Mellikon, the Sterchi/Käfer structure also eases benchmarking: banks and fiduciaries reason on those standard classes to situate an SME's annual accounts.
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.
The Swiss legal frame for annual accounts
For an owner in Mellikon, the question is never “do we need accounts?” but “at what level of detail?”. The CO sets the floor; the bank, the tax office and the shareholders set the rest.
For annual accounts, 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.
Mellikon: what changes, what does not
Mellikon (postal code 5465, canton Aargau) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Mellikon are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.
For a business in Mellikon, that means VAT returns identical to anywhere in Switzerland, but a tax return and family allowances governed by the canton Aargau.
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 Mellikon: the CO dictates it, not the commune.
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 Mellikon, family allowances follow the canton's rates.
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 Mellikon.
How much does annual accounts cost in Mellikon?
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.
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