Fiduciary services legal obligations in Pully: the practical guide
Whether you run a Sàrl, an SA or a sole proprietorship in Pully, 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
Swiss accounting law has been unified in the Code of Obligations since 2013: the same bookkeeping rules (art. 957a CO) and retention rules (art. 958f CO — 10 years for books, vouchers and reports) apply regardless of legal form. Fiduciary services sits squarely within this frame, including for companies based in Pully.
Also worth knowing: accounts may be drawn up in the currency most relevant to the business; if that is not the franc, values must additionally be stated in CHF (art. 958d para. 3 CO). Internationally active companies gain books that match their economic reality.
A Swiss SME's accounting calendar
The professionals' trick: handle every deadline at D-30, not D-1. A VAT return prepared a month early leaves time to chase a missing document without penalty.
For fiduciary services, two dates lock themselves in every year: the January salary declaration and the general meeting within six months — everything else is planned around them.
Outsource fiduciary services or keep it in-house?
Outsourcing does not exempt you from understanding: an owner who can read the balance sheet and the income statement challenges the fiduciary better — and pays for advice, not re-keying.
Changing fiduciary is not a drama: the accounting data belongs to the company, and a clean export (entries, chart of accounts, linked documents) allows a transition at year-end. A provider who locks in a client's data says a lot about how it works.
Year-end closing: how the mechanics work
The order of operations matters: reconciliations first (bank, cash, receivables, payables), then the closing entries, finally the VAT and AHV consistency checks. Reversing the order means starting over.
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.
Pully: what changes, what does not
Pully (postal code 1009, canton Vaud) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Pully are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.
Federal deadlines do not move in Pully: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 1009 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.
Frequently asked questions
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 Pully as everywhere in Switzerland.
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 Pully as anywhere.
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 Pully.
When is entry in the commercial register mandatory?
A Sàrl and an SA only come into existence with their registration. A sole proprietorship must register from CHF 100,000 of annual revenue; below that, registration stays voluntary but adds credibility and protects the business name. Registration goes through the canton's commercial register office — for Pully too.
Also worth reading
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