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LPP pension reporting legal basis in Thun without the stress: how it works

Swiss accounting law (art. 957 ff. of the Code of Obligations) sets a precise frame, yet day-to-day practice often stays fuzzy. This guide walks through what actually matters for a business based in Thun.

The Swiss legal frame for LPP pension reporting

A small business does not mean small obligations: from the first salary or the first VAT return, mistakes get expensive — in Thun as anywhere.

For LPP pension reporting, 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

Absences are managed upstream: illness, accident, military service or maternity trigger allowances (APG, insurance) that replace part of the salary. Clean absence records are the basis of correct settlements, in Thun as elsewhere.

A thirteenth salary, where agreed, is accrued month by month — forget it and December reveals a charge of one-twelfth of the payroll, in Thun as everywhere.

A Swiss SME's accounting calendar

January: salary declaration to the compensation office and salary certificates. End of February, May, August, November: quarterly VAT returns (effective method), each to be filed and paid within 60 days after the quarter ends. Within six months of year-end: approved annual accounts. Then: the tax return under cantonal deadlines, with extensions possible.

Handing deadline monitoring to a tool is no luxury: automatic reminders, a status per obligation, and an “all green” view that clears the mind. What matters is not who ticks the box — but that the box exists and everyone can see it.

Two people reviewing numerical reports

Digitalising LPP pension reporting: 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.

Migrate in stages: supplier invoices first (high volume, immediate gain), then receivables with the QR-bill, finally payroll and the closing. At each stage, comparing one month before/after is enough to prove the gain — no theoretical promises needed.

Thun: what changes, what does not

Thun (postal code 3600, canton Bern) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Thun are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.

Thun requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 3600 as everywhere else, and a well-kept digital file transfers smoothly to any auditor in the canton.

Frequently asked questions

How long must records related to LPP pension reporting 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 Thun can therefore archive fully digitally.

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 Thun.

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 Thun as anywhere.

How much does LPP pension reporting cost in Thun?

It depends on document volume, the number of salaries and VAT complexity — no serious figure can be quoted without examining the file. Two levers cut the bill everywhere: digitised, well-filed receipts and software that prepares entries instead of having them re-keyed.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates LPP pension reporting for businesses in Thun: AI-read documents, posting suggestions, VAT and exports ready for your fiduciary. Try the platform or browse our other guides.

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