Handshake during a business meeting, top view

SME chart of accounts for painting contractors in Coeuve: what every SME should know

SME chart of accounts for painting contractors in Coeuve raises the same questions for most Swiss SME owners: which obligations apply, which deadlines are running, which documents to prepare. This page covers the federal rules in force — without unnecessary jargon.

The Swiss legal frame for SME chart of accounts

In Switzerland, the duty to keep accounts stems from art. 957 ff. of the Code of Obligations. Legal entities (Sàrl, SA) and sole proprietorships with at least CHF 500,000 in revenue keep full accounts: balance sheet, income statement and notes. Below that threshold, a simplified record of income, expenses and assets is sufficient.

For SME chart of accounts, the classic early mistake remains mixing private and business: a dedicated bank account and documented private withdrawals eliminate half the discussions with the tax office.

A well-structured SME chart of accounts

A chart of accounts gets documented: one description line per account (what, when, VAT) is enough for two people to post the same way. It is the quality manual of SME chart of accounts, valid in Coeuve as anywhere.

Standard numbering also enables automation: stable posting rules (same supplier, same account) make data entry predictable and the audit faster. Avoid changing the chart of accounts mid-year — migrate at the closing date, with a documented mapping table.

Digitalising SME chart of accounts: 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 Coeuve as everywhere.

An SME in Coeuve 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 SME chart of accounts.

Advisor handing a document and pen to a client

A Swiss SME's accounting calendar

An accounting calendar only lives if it is shared: owner, in-house bookkeeper and fiduciary must see the same deadlines and the same status — the rule holds for every SME in Coeuve.

For SME chart of accounts, year-end is prepared in October: last invoices, investment decisions, provisions to assess — December is too late to act, January is for recording.

Coeuve: what changes, what does not

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

Federal deadlines do not move in Coeuve: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 2932 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.

Frequently asked questions

Does MyFiducia.ai work for a business based in Coeuve?

Yes: the platform runs online, the rules applied are federal (VAT, CO, AHV), and the file can be shared with any fiduciary. A business in Coeuve manages its documents, VAT and exports exactly as anywhere in Switzerland.

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 Coeuve.

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 Coeuve as everywhere in Switzerland.

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 Coeuve.

Also worth reading

In neighbouring municipalities

Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates SME chart of accounts for businesses in Coeuve: 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.