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Accounts receivable for real estate in Fischingen: what every SME should know

Delegate, digitalise or do it all yourself? Around accounts receivable in Fischingen, 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 accounts receivable

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

The good news: the Swiss frame is stable and predictable. Structure accounts receivable once — chart of accounts, document flow, calendar — and the same organisation pays off for years.

A well-structured SME chart of accounts

The same chart serves three readings: accounting (accuracy), tax (accepted adjustments) and management (margins by activity). Modern software produces all three views without double entry.

For accounts receivable, the right granularity is decisive: enough accounts to steer the business (margins by activity, expenses by nature), few enough that every entry finds its place without hesitation. The VAT accounts (input VAT, VAT due) deserve special care — they are the basis of the annual reconciliation.

Digitalising accounts receivable: 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 Fischingen 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 accounts receivable.

Pen pointing at a bar chart on paper

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.

The useful reflex: date every obligation the moment it arises. An employee hired means AHV/LPP deadlines created; VAT registration means a filing cycle set; a closing date fixed means backward planning of the close. Well organised, the accounts receivable calendar fills itself.

Fischingen: what changes, what does not

Fischingen (postal code 8374, canton Thurgau) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Fischingen are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.

Fischingen requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 8374 as everywhere else, and a well-kept digital file transfers smoothly to any auditor in the canton.

Frequently asked questions

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 Fischingen as anywhere.

How long must records related to accounts receivable 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 Fischingen can therefore archive fully digitally.

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 Fischingen.

What are the legal obligations for accounts receivable in Switzerland?

The foundation is the Code of Obligations: proper bookkeeping (art. 957a CO), annual accounts (balance sheet, income statement, notes) and 10-year retention of books and records (art. 958f CO). VAT applies from CHF 100,000 of turnover, and social insurance settlements from the first employee. Nothing is different in Fischingen: federal law applies.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

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    Accounts receivable for real estate in Fischingen