Tax advisory cost in S-chanf without the stress: how it works
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 S-chanf.
The Swiss legal frame for tax advisory
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. Tax advisory sits squarely within this frame, including for companies based in S-chanf.
The law also settles the form: accounts may be kept in a national language or in English, on paper or electronically (art. 957a para. 5 CO). That pragmatism lets tax advisory run entirely on digital tools — no paper binder is required.
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.
A clean closing pays beyond the legal duty: it conditions the tax return, bank discussions and the company's value in a succession. Hidden reserves (accelerated depreciation, provisions) remain admissible within cantonal tax limits — document them systematically.
Outsource tax advisory or keep it in-house?
The scope goes down in writing: who enters data, who approves payments, who answers the tax office, who keeps the originals. Every “we'll see” at the start becomes a December misunderstanding — in S-chanf as elsewhere.
A clear mandate agreement states who does what by when: document handover, posting deadlines, filing calendar, and responsibility for delays. A shared platform (same data, same document archive) between the company and its fiduciary eliminates binder ping-pong and duplicate entry.
Swiss VAT: rates, threshold and filings
Exports, services abroad, acquisition tax: as soon as anything international enters the picture, VAT gets demanding (place of supply, acquisition tax on services). Better to set the rules once with a professional than to correct three financial years.
For businesses in S-chanf, VAT is in practice the most audited tax: punctual returns consistent with the books markedly reduce the odds of a deep audit of tax advisory.
S-chanf: what changes, what does not
Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in S-chanf: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Grisons.
S-chanf requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 7525 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 S-chanf: the CO dictates it, not the commune.
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 S-chanf.
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 S-chanf too.
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 S-chanf can therefore archive fully digitally.
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