Pen pointing at a bar chart on paper

Sole proprietorship for e-commerce in Burtigny: what every SME should know

Whether you run a Sàrl, an SA or a sole proprietorship in Burtigny, sole proprietorship eventually lands on your desk. Here are the practical reference points — legal basis, deadlines and common pitfalls — to decide with a clear head.

Choosing the structure: Sàrl, SA or sole proprietorship

Settling in Burtigny does not change federal law, but the canton shapes what follows: profit and capital tax rates, family allowances, possible start-up support. Comparing seriously before fixing the seat can pay off — moving a company later costs more.

First accounting reflex for sole proprietorship: open the document numbering with the very first expense, even before registration. Founding costs are deductible — if documented.

Digitalising sole proprietorship: 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.

The winning pair for sole proprietorship: a single inbox (e-mail, scan, photo) and one simple rule — no document sits more than a few days without a proposed entry.

The Swiss legal frame for sole proprietorship

Three documents summarise the health of a Swiss business: the balance sheet (what it owns), the income statement (what it earns) and the notes (what else you should know). All the work of sole proprietorship converges on those three pages, in Burtigny too.

Late books show from the outside: poorly calibrated tax instalments, provisional filings, slow answers to the bank. Staying current is also a matter of image.

Team analysing financial charts around a table

Salaries and social contributions: the rates to know

Two of these contributions are set by law: AHV/IV/APG at 5.3% and unemployment at 1.1%, both payable by the employer. The others — LPP, accident insurance, possibly daily sickness benefits and family allowances — depend on the insurer, the industry and the pension plan. The total surcharge usually falls between 12 and 20% of gross pay, and employee deductions between 10 and 15%: these are orders of magnitude, not statutory rates.

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.

Burtigny: what changes, what does not

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

Federal deadlines do not move in Burtigny: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 1268 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.

Frequently asked questions

Effective VAT method or net tax rate: how to choose?

The effective method deducts actual input VAT and files quarterly; the net tax rate method applies a flat industry rate to turnover, semi-annually, with no separate input VAT deduction. The flat rate suits low-cost structures; as investments grow, the effective method usually wins again. The choice rests on the company's own figures, in Burtigny as anywhere.

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 Burtigny: federal law applies.

Do you need a fiduciary for sole proprietorship, or can you do it yourself?

Both are defensible. Below CHF 500,000 of revenue, a sole proprietorship may keep simplified accounts itself. As soon as payroll, VAT and a closing with tax stakes are involved, professional support prevents mistakes that cost more than the fees. With a shared platform, the fiduciary does not even need to be in Burtigny.

How much does sole proprietorship cost in Burtigny?

It depends on document volume, the number of salaries and VAT complexity — no serious figure can be quoted without examining the file. Two levers cut the bill everywhere: digitised, well-filed receipts and software that prepares entries instead of having them re-keyed.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

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    Sole proprietorship for e-commerce in Burtigny — Swiss guide