Sole proprietorship step by step in Siselen without the stress: how it works
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 Siselen.
Choosing the structure: Sàrl, SA or sole proprietorship
Check the company name before any enthusiasm: availability in the commercial register, internet domain, possible trademark. Renaming later costs time and trust, in Siselen as elsewhere.
A Sàrl and an SA must also appoint an auditor, unless they opt out (no more than ten full-time positions on annual average and unanimous shareholder consent). Many young companies start without one, then appoint an auditor when growth or investors demand it.
Salaries and social contributions: the rates to know
Every salary paid in Switzerland triggers joint contributions: AHV/IV/APG at 10.6% in total, i.e. 5.3% borne by the employer and 5.3% withheld from the employee; unemployment insurance at 2.2% (1.1% each) up to CHF 148,200 of annual salary. Add occupational pension (LPP credits of 7 to 18% of the coordinated salary depending on age, employer at least 50%), accident insurance (occupational accidents paid by the employer) and family allowances.
For sole proprietorship, the practical challenge is the calendar: AHV instalments during the year, salary declaration to the compensation office in January, salary certificates for staff, and final LPP/accident settlements. A clean payroll base avoids unpleasant catch-up invoices.
The Swiss legal frame for sole proprietorship
Responsibility for the books is personal: in an SA, organising the accounting is one of the board's non-transferable duties (art. 716a CO); in a Sàrl, the managing directors carry the same duty. Outsourcing the execution never transfers that underlying responsibility, including for a company based in Siselen.
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.
Swiss VAT: rates, threshold and filings
A VAT return is prepared, not endured: clean VAT accounts, one code per rate and a monthly variance check make the deadline trivial — for registered businesses in Siselen too.
The net tax rate method simplifies life for small structures: one flat industry rate applied to turnover, with semi-annual filing. In exchange, input VAT is not deducted separately. The effective-versus-flat-rate choice should be reviewed periodically against the cost structure.
Siselen: what changes, what does not
Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Siselen: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Bern.
For a business in Siselen, that means VAT returns identical to anywhere in Switzerland, but a tax return and family allowances governed by the canton Bern.
Frequently asked questions
Does MyFiducia.ai work for a business based in Siselen?
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 Siselen manages its documents, VAT and exports exactly as anywhere in Switzerland.
What are the legal obligations for sole proprietorship 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 Siselen: federal law applies.
How long must records related to sole proprietorship 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 Siselen can therefore archive fully digitally.
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 Siselen: the CO dictates it, not the commune.
Also worth reading
In neighbouring municipalities
Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates sole proprietorship for businesses in Siselen: 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.