Accounts receivable for the self-employed in Roche (VD): rules, deadlines, best practice
Swiss accounting law (art. 957 ff. of the Code of Obligations) sets a precise frame, yet day-to-day practice often stays fuzzy. This guide walks through what actually matters for a business based in Roche (VD).
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 Roche (VD) as anywhere.
One simple principle drives accounts receivable: every franc in or out must be explainable by a document, an entry and an account. All of Swiss accounting law fits inside that traceability requirement.
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.
For accounts receivable, migrating history must not block the start: begin on day one of the current financial year and import the history later if needed.
Outsource accounts receivable or keep it in-house?
A fiduciary's cost depends first on the quality of the data received: digitised, filed, reconciled documents are processed fast; a box of loose receipts is billed by the hour. Improving the internal preparation of accounts receivable lowers fees more surely than any negotiation.
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.
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.
For accounts receivable, year-end is prepared in October: last invoices, investment decisions, provisions to assess — December is too late to act, January is for recording.
Roche (VD): what changes, what does not
Roche (VD) (postal code 1852, canton Vaud) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Roche (VD) are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.
For a business in Roche (VD), that means VAT returns identical to anywhere in Switzerland, but a tax return and family allowances governed by the canton Vaud.
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 Roche (VD) as anywhere.
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 Roche (VD) as everywhere in Switzerland.
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 Roche (VD): the CO dictates it, not the commune.
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 Roche (VD).
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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
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