Everything that matters about tax advisory for restaurants
Delegate, digitalise or do it all yourself? Around tax advisory, every SME draws its own line. The reference points below — federal law, cantonal practice and lessons from the field — help you place the cursor well.
The Swiss legal frame for tax advisory
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.
One simple principle drives tax advisory: every franc in or out must be explainable by a document, an entry and an account. All of Swiss accounting law fits inside that traceability requirement.
Outsource tax advisory or keep it in-house?
A good test before choosing: ask the fiduciary HOW it wants to receive the documents. A precise answer (formats, frequency, platform) says more than any brochure.
You can combine the models: internal day-to-day entry, monthly external supervision, closing and taxes with the specialist — tax advisory splits very well.
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.
An SME that holds its calendar twelve months straight changes its position: fewer official reminders, easier extensions — and tax advisory stops being a source of worry.
Swiss VAT: rates, threshold and filings
Charging VAT is not a matter of style: the number, the correct rate, the tax amount — the tax administration checks the form as closely as the substance.
Also useful for tax advisory: some supplies are excluded from VAT (health, education, property rental) — with no corresponding input VAT right. Qualifying revenues correctly from the start avoids surprises.
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.
A company that presents clean, punctual annual accounts gains credibility — with its bank, its suppliers and the tax administration.
Frequently asked questions
Can tax advisory be automated with AI?
Largely, yes: automatic document reading, posting suggestions, bank reconciliation via QR references and VAT exports. Human approval remains essential — AI prepares, the professional checks. That is exactly how MyFiducia.ai approaches tax advisory.
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.
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.
What are the legal obligations for tax advisory in Switzerland?
The foundation is the Code of Obligations: proper bookkeeping (art. 957a CO), annual accounts (balance sheet, income statement, notes) and 10-year retention of books and records (art. 958f CO). VAT applies from CHF 100,000 of turnover, and social insurance settlements from the first employee.
Also worth reading
This guide by municipality
Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates tax advisory for Swiss SMEs: AI-read documents, posting suggestions, VAT and exports ready for your fiduciary. Try the platform or browse our other guides.
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