Accounting records archiving legal obligations in Thurnen: rules, deadlines, best practice
Accounting records archiving legal obligations in Thurnen 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.
Digitalising accounting records archiving: 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 Thurnen as everywhere.
For accounting records archiving, migrating history must not block the start: begin on day one of the current financial year and import the history later if needed.
The Swiss legal frame for accounting records archiving
Swiss accounting law has been unified in the Code of Obligations since 2013: the same bookkeeping rules (art. 957a CO) and retention rules (art. 958f CO — 10 years for books, vouchers and reports) apply regardless of legal form. Accounting records archiving sits squarely within this frame, including for companies based in Thurnen.
Art. 957a CO requires complete, truthful and systematic recording of transactions, each entry backed by a supporting document. For accounting records archiving, that means in practice: no movement without a receipt, and an audit trail that can be reconstructed at any time — including during a VAT or AHV inspection.
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 Thurnen.
For a business in Thurnen, comparability over time beats sophistication: a chart stable for five years beats a “perfect” one rebuilt every year. Banks and the tax administration read year-on-year movements first.
Outsource accounting records archiving 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 accounting records archiving lowers fees more surely than any negotiation.
For accounting records archiving, the internal-external duo works when both sides see the same file: same entries, same documents, same deadlines. Misunderstandings are born from parallel copies.
Thurnen: what changes, what does not
Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Thurnen: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Bern.
Thurnen requires no special bookkeeping: the Code of Obligations applies at postal code 3127 as everywhere else, and a well-kept digital file transfers smoothly to any auditor in the canton.
Frequently asked questions
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 Thurnen.
Which social contributions does a Swiss employer pay?
AHV/IV/APG: 5.3% employer share (the same is withheld from the employee); unemployment insurance: 1.1% each up to CHF 148,200 a year; occupational pension (LPP) by age and plan (employer at least 50%); occupational accident insurance paid by the employer; family allowances by canton. For an employer in Thurnen, family allowances follow the canton's rates.
What are the legal obligations for accounting records archiving 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 Thurnen: federal law applies.
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 Thurnen as anywhere.
Also worth reading
In neighbouring municipalities
Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates accounting records archiving for businesses in Thurnen: 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.