Everything that matters about AHV settlement paperless in Borex
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 Borex: what the law requires, what can be automated, and when to delegate.
The Swiss legal frame for AHV settlement
Whether a business sits in Borex or elsewhere in Switzerland, the same federal law applies — one of the strengths of the Swiss system for AHV settlement. Cantonal differences concentrate on taxation (rates, filing deadlines); bookkeeping itself follows art. 957 ff. CO everywhere.
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.
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.
For AHV settlement, the winning mechanics are simple: one single payroll database (salaries, rates, allowances), monthly slips generated from it, and an annual declaration that is little more than a sum. Painful catch-up invoices almost always stem from scattered data.
Digitalising AHV settlement: what actually works
Security is part of digitalisation: named access, tested backups, encryption of sensitive data. A digital accounting file is protected like a safe — because it is one.
The selection criterion for a tool is not the length of its feature list but the robustness of the daily flow: reliable bank imports, VAT computed correctly (8.1 / 2.6 / 3.8%), a complete audit trail from document to entry, and a clean export for the auditor or fiduciary. Everything else is secondary.
Outsource AHV settlement or keep it in-house?
Outsourcing AHV settlement to a fiduciary frees up time and secures compliance; keeping it in-house preserves a continuous view and costs less in fees. The best answer is often hybrid: the company captures and digitises as it goes, the fiduciary supervises, closes the books and represents the company before the authorities.
A business in Borex can combine the models: internal day-to-day entry, monthly external supervision, closing and taxes with the specialist — AHV settlement splits very well.
Borex: what changes, what does not
Working with a fiduciary from Borex no longer depends on geography: the documents of a business in Borex are shared online, while the canton Vaud keeps its own deadlines for the tax return.
Federal deadlines do not move in Borex: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 1277 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.
Frequently asked questions
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 Borex: federal law applies.
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 Borex.
How long must records related to AHV settlement 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 Borex can therefore archive fully digitally.
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 Borex as everywhere in Switzerland.
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MyFiducia.ai automates AHV settlement for businesses in Borex: 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.