AHV settlement for IT companies in Arbon: rules, deadlines, best practice
Between VAT, social contributions and the year-end close, a Swiss SME juggles dozens of deadlines a year. This page focuses on AHV settlement in Arbon: what the law requires, what can be automated, and when to delegate.
The Swiss legal frame for AHV settlement
A small business does not mean small obligations: from the first salary or the first VAT return, mistakes get expensive — in Arbon as anywhere.
One simple principle drives AHV settlement: 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 AHV settlement or keep it in-house?
The Swiss fiduciary market is dense and governed by professional practice: industry standards, business secrecy, civil liability. Compare offers on three concrete criteria — exact scope (data entry? closing? payroll? VAT?), a named contact person, and the tools used. It prevents year-end misunderstandings.
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.
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 Arbon. They come on top of the federal social insurances and appear on every payslip.
A thirteenth salary, where agreed, is accrued month by month — forget it and December reveals a charge of one-twelfth of the payroll, in Arbon as everywhere.
A Swiss SME's accounting calendar
An accounting calendar only lives if it is shared: owner, in-house bookkeeper and fiduciary must see the same deadlines and the same status — the rule holds for every SME in Arbon.
For AHV settlement, two dates lock themselves in every year: the January salary declaration and the general meeting within six months — everything else is planned around them.
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.
Federal deadlines do not move in Arbon: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 9320 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.
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 Arbon: the CO dictates it, not the commune.
What are the legal obligations for AHV settlement 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. Nothing is different in Arbon: federal law applies.
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 Arbon, family allowances follow the canton's rates.
When must a business register for VAT?
As soon as its worldwide annual turnover reaches CHF 100,000 (CHF 250,000 for non-profit sports or cultural associations). Below that, voluntary registration remains possible and often makes sense to reclaim input VAT on investments. The threshold is federal: it applies in Arbon as everywhere in Switzerland.
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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates AHV settlement for businesses in Arbon: 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.