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Fiduciary services for real estate in Fahrni: the practical guide

Delegate, digitalise or do it all yourself? Around fiduciary services in Fahrni, every SME draws its own line. The reference points below — federal law, cantonal practice and lessons from the field — help you place the cursor well.

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 Fahrni.

Art. 957a CO requires complete, truthful and systematic recording of transactions, each entry backed by a supporting document. For fiduciary services, that means in practice: no movement without a receipt, and an audit trail that can be reconstructed at any time — including during a VAT or AHV inspection.

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 business in Fahrni can combine the models: internal day-to-day entry, monthly external supervision, closing and taxes with the specialist — fiduciary services splits very well.

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.

A well-ordered closing file speeds everything up: bank statements at the closing date, a signed inventory, final AHV/LPP/accident settlements, new or amended contracts, and support for the accruals. Fiduciary services in Fahrni then finishes in days, not weeks.

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Digitalising fiduciary services: what actually works

Accounting digitalisation always follows the same path: capture documents at the source (photo or PDF upload), let automatic recognition extract supplier, amount, date and VAT, approve the proposed entries, then archive each document linked to its entry. Every step removes a re-keying — and therefore an error source.

The winning pair for fiduciary services: a single inbox (e-mail, scan, photo) and one simple rule — no document sits more than a few days without a proposed entry.

Fahrni: what changes, what does not

Working with a fiduciary from Fahrni no longer depends on geography: the documents of a business in Fahrni are shared online, while the canton Bern keeps its own deadlines for the tax return.

Fahrni requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 3617 as everywhere else, and a well-kept digital file transfers smoothly to any auditor in the canton.

Frequently asked questions

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 Fahrni.

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 Fahrni.

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.

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 Fahrni can therefore archive fully digitally.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

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

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