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AHV settlement for architecture firms in Cuarnens: the practical guide

AHV settlement for architecture firms in Cuarnens raises the same questions for most Swiss SME owners: which obligations apply, which deadlines are running, which documents to prepare. This page covers the federal rules in force — without unnecessary jargon.

The Swiss legal frame for AHV settlement

AHV audits and VAT audits follow the same logic: start from the documents, trace to the entries, check consistency. A business in Cuarnens with a clean audit trail sails through these exercises.

For AHV settlement, 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.

A Swiss SME's accounting calendar

Every deadline has an owner: an obligation “of everyone” is kept by no one. Naming one person per deadline family (VAT, payroll, taxes) closes the gaps.

For AHV settlement, year-end is prepared in October: last invoices, investment decisions, provisions to assess — December is too late to act, January is for recording.

Outsource AHV settlement or keep it in-house?

Responsibility stays with the client: the fiduciary executes with care, but the signed accounts bind the company. Understanding what you sign is not optional.

Three signals say it is time to delegate more: missed deadlines (VAT, AHV), entries running months behind, or an owner spending evenings on receipts instead of the business. Conversely, an SME equipped with modern software can safely take day-to-day entry back in-house.

Handshake during a business meeting, top view

Salaries and social contributions: the rates to know

The salary certificate is an official tax document: it feeds the employee's tax return and serves as the reference in AHV and tax audits. Issued once a year, it must match payroll accounting and the declaration to the compensation office to the centime.

An employer in Cuarnens does well to fix payday on a set day of the month: funds, employees and cash flow organise around it, and AHV settlement becomes routine instead of a sprint.

Cuarnens: what changes, what does not

Working with a fiduciary from Cuarnens no longer depends on geography: the documents of a business in Cuarnens are shared online, while the canton Vaud keeps its own deadlines for the tax return.

Cuarnens requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 1148 as everywhere else, and a well-kept digital file transfers smoothly to any auditor in the canton.

Frequently asked questions

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 Cuarnens.

Does MyFiducia.ai work for a business based in Cuarnens?

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 Cuarnens manages its documents, VAT and exports exactly as anywhere in Switzerland.

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 Cuarnens: the CO dictates it, not the commune.

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 Cuarnens as anywhere.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates AHV settlement for businesses in Cuarnens: 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.

    AHV settlement for architecture firms in Cuarnens