Advisor handing a document and pen to a client

Fiduciary services legal obligations in Krattigen: rules, deadlines, best practice

Whether you run a Sàrl, an SA or a sole proprietorship in Krattigen, fiduciary services eventually lands on your desk. Here are the practical reference points — legal basis, deadlines and common pitfalls — to decide with a clear head.

The Swiss legal frame for fiduciary services

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

The law also settles the form: accounts may be kept in a national language or in English, on paper or electronically (art. 957a para. 5 CO). That pragmatism lets fiduciary services run entirely on digital tools — no paper binder is required.

Digitalising fiduciary services: 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.

An SME in Krattigen that digitalises gains owner time first: less filing, fewer “where is that receipt?” questions, more attention to the trade — that is the real return of fiduciary services.

Outsource fiduciary services 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.

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.

Team analysing financial charts around a table

Year-end closing: how the mechanics work

The closing is prepared all year long: a monthly bank reconciliation and accruals tracked as you go turn the year-end into a formality, for businesses in Krattigen too.

The notes complete the figures: valuation principles, liabilities towards pension institutions, contingent liabilities, or the number of full-time positions. Careful notes reduce questions from the auditor and the banks.

Krattigen: what changes, what does not

Krattigen (postal code 3704, canton Bern) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Krattigen are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.

Federal deadlines do not move in Krattigen: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 3704 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.

Frequently asked questions

How long must records related to fiduciary services 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 Krattigen can therefore archive fully digitally.

Do you need a fiduciary for fiduciary services, or can you do it yourself?

Both are defensible. Below CHF 500,000 of revenue, a sole proprietorship may keep simplified accounts itself. As soon as payroll, VAT and a closing with tax stakes are involved, professional support prevents mistakes that cost more than the fees. With a shared platform, the fiduciary does not even need to be in Krattigen.

Effective VAT method or net tax rate: how to choose?

The effective method deducts actual input VAT and files quarterly; the net tax rate method applies a flat industry rate to turnover, semi-annually, with no separate input VAT deduction. The flat rate suits low-cost structures; as investments grow, the effective method usually wins again. The choice rests on the company's own figures, in Krattigen as anywhere.

Can fiduciary services be automated with AI?

Largely, yes: automatic document reading, posting suggestions, bank reconciliation via QR references and VAT exports. Human approval remains essential — AI prepares, the professional checks. That is exactly how MyFiducia.ai approaches fiduciary services.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates fiduciary services for businesses in Krattigen: 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.

    Fiduciary services legal obligations in Krattigen