Fiduciary services for SA companies in Lancy explained simply
Delegate, digitalise or do it all yourself? Around fiduciary services in Lancy, 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 Lancy.
The annual accounts (art. 958 CO) consist of the balance sheet, the income statement and the notes; they must be drawn up within six months of the year-end so the general meeting can approve them. A delay here cascades into the tax return and the final social insurance settlements.
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 Lancy too.
A company in Lancy that presents clean, punctual annual accounts gains credibility — with its bank, its suppliers and the tax administration.
Digitalising fiduciary services: what actually works
Digitising does not mean hoarding PDFs: without the document-entry link, a digital file is as opaque as a box of archives — true in Lancy as everywhere.
Electronic archiving is fully recognised: Swiss bookkeeping regulation admits electronic retention of records provided integrity and readability are guaranteed for the 10 years of art. 958f CO. A paper binder is no longer an obligation — provided the archiving system is serious.
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.
Delays rarely come alone: neglected bookkeeping postpones the closing, hence the tax return, hence the recalculated instalments — and the business flies blind for months. Keeping the books current as you go is the only sustainable way to hold every cascading deadline.
Lancy: what changes, what does not
Lancy (postal code 1212, canton Geneva) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Lancy are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.
Lancy requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 1212 as everywhere else, and a well-kept digital file transfers smoothly to any auditor in the canton.
Frequently asked questions
Which social contributions does a Swiss employer pay?
AHV/IV/APG: 5.3% employer share (the same is withheld from the employee); unemployment insurance: 1.1% each up to CHF 148,200 a year; occupational pension (LPP) by age and plan (employer at least 50%); occupational accident insurance paid by the employer; family allowances by canton. For an employer in Lancy, family allowances follow the canton's rates.
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 Lancy.
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 Lancy too.
Which documents should be prepared for the year-end closing?
Bank and cash statements at the closing date, the inventory of stock and work in progress, final AHV/LPP/accident settlements, contracts signed or amended during the year, invoices straddling two years and the detail of accruals. With an up-to-date document archive, most of it is already there. The list is identical in Lancy: the CO dictates it, not the commune.
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