Tax advisory automation in Arbon 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 Arbon.
The Swiss legal frame for tax advisory
Whether a business sits in Arbon or elsewhere in Switzerland, the same federal law applies — one of the strengths of the Swiss system for tax advisory. Cantonal differences concentrate on taxation (rates, filing deadlines); bookkeeping itself follows art. 957 ff. CO everywhere.
The good news: the Swiss frame is stable and predictable. Structure tax advisory once — chart of accounts, document flow, calendar — and the same organisation pays off for years.
Year-end closing: how the mechanics work
The income statement reads as a cascade: gross margin, operating result, financial result, extraordinary result. Each level answers a different question — mixing levels blurs the steering.
For an SME in Arbon, 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 Swiss SME's accounting calendar
The typical annual cycle: monthly or quarterly AHV instalments, VAT returns (quarterly under the effective method, semi-annual under the net tax rate), the final salary declaration in January, closing in the first half-year, then the tax return and the annual VAT reconciliation. Each link depends on the quality of the previous one.
For tax advisory, two dates lock themselves in every year: the January salary declaration and the general meeting within six months — everything else is planned around them.
Swiss VAT: rates, threshold and filings
Since 1 January 2024, Swiss VAT rates are 8.1% (standard), 2.6% (reduced — food, books, medicines) and 3.8% (accommodation). Registration becomes mandatory from CHF 100,000 of worldwide annual turnover. For tax advisory, step one is therefore checking the threshold and choosing the right reporting method.
For an SME in Arbon, electronic filing of VAT returns has been mandatory since 1 January 2025; the tax administration's online portal is also where extensions are requested and past periods consulted. Combined with accounts that prepare the return automatically, tax advisory stops being a quarterly chore.
Arbon: what changes, what does not
Arbon (postal code 9320, canton Thurgau) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Arbon are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.
For a business in Arbon, that means VAT returns identical to anywhere in Switzerland, but a tax return and family allowances governed by the canton Thurgau.
Frequently asked questions
How long must records related to tax advisory 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 Arbon can therefore archive fully digitally.
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 Arbon.
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 Arbon.
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 Arbon as anywhere.
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