Bookkeeping for tradespeople in Tartegnin without the stress: how it works
Bookkeeping for tradespeople in Tartegnin 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 bookkeeping
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 bookkeeping converges on those three pages, in Tartegnin too.
One simple principle drives bookkeeping: 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.
A well-structured SME chart of accounts
The test of a good chart of accounts is a single question: can the owner find the margins in three clicks? If not, the chart serves the tax office but not the business — even in Tartegnin.
For bookkeeping, 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.
Outsource bookkeeping or keep it in-house?
Splitting roles clearly avoids duplication: the company captures documents and approves payments; the fiduciary checks postings, closes the year and defends the file before the authorities. Each side does what it does best — and nobody keys the same invoice twice.
For bookkeeping, a quarterly 30-minute check-in with the fiduciary beats an annual marathon: questions get handled while they are small.
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 bookkeeping, two dates lock themselves in every year: the January salary declaration and the general meeting within six months — everything else is planned around them.
Tartegnin: what changes, what does not
Tartegnin (postal code 1180, canton Vaud) applies the same federal rules as the rest of the country: what changes in Tartegnin are the cantonal counterparts — tax administration, compensation office, commercial register.
Federal deadlines do not move in Tartegnin: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 1180 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.
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 Tartegnin as anywhere.
How long must records related to bookkeeping 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 Tartegnin can therefore archive fully digitally.
Do you need a fiduciary for bookkeeping, 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 Tartegnin.
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 Tartegnin.
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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates bookkeeping for businesses in Tartegnin: 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.