SA incorporation for bars and cafés in Tentlingen: the practical guide
SA incorporation for bars and cafés in Tentlingen rests on three pillars: federal law that applies across Switzerland, cantonal deadlines worth knowing, and tools that eliminate re-keying. This guide puts it all in order, fact by fact.
Choosing the structure: Sàrl, SA or sole proprietorship
Settling in Tentlingen does not change federal law, but the canton shapes what follows: profit and capital tax rates, family allowances, possible start-up support. Comparing seriously before fixing the seat can pay off — moving a company later costs more.
SA incorporation starts on day one: founding capital, notary and register fees are the first entries. Opening a separate business bank account immediately — even for a sole proprietorship — saves hours of sorting private from business.
Salaries and social contributions: the rates to know
Family allowances are financed by the employer through a cantonal compensation fund — rates and amounts vary from canton to canton, including in Tentlingen. They come on top of the federal social insurances and appear on every payslip.
For SA incorporation, the gap between agreed gross and paid net surprises every new employer: simulate it BEFORE hiring to avoid misunderstandings with the future employee.
The Swiss legal frame for SA incorporation
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. SA incorporation sits squarely within this frame, including for companies based in Tentlingen.
The annual accounts (art. 958 CO) consist of the balance sheet, the income statement and the notes; they must be drawn up within six months of the year-end so the general meeting can approve them. A delay here cascades into the tax return and the final social insurance settlements.
Swiss VAT: rates, threshold and filings
The most frequent VAT mistakes are well known: the wrong rate among 8.1%, 2.6% and 3.8%, forgotten self-supplies, and a rushed annual reconciliation. Corrections are due at the latest in the return for the period containing the 180th day after the year-end — the earlier you correct, the less default interest runs.
For an SME in Tentlingen, 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, SA incorporation stops being a quarterly chore.
Tentlingen: what changes, what does not
Tentlingen (postal code 1734, canton Fribourg) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Tentlingen are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.
Federal deadlines do not move in Tentlingen: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 1734 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.
Frequently asked questions
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 Tentlingen.
How long must records related to SA incorporation 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 Tentlingen can therefore archive fully digitally.
Does MyFiducia.ai work for a business based in Tentlingen?
Yes: the platform runs online, the rules applied are federal (VAT, CO, AHV), and the file can be shared with any fiduciary. A business in Tentlingen manages its documents, VAT and exports exactly as anywhere in Switzerland.
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 Tentlingen, family allowances follow the canton's rates.
Also worth reading
In neighbouring municipalities
Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates SA incorporation for businesses in Tentlingen: 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.