Team analysing financial charts around a table

Balance sheet preparation for beauty salons in Aigle explained simply

Delegate, digitalise or do it all yourself? Around balance sheet preparation in Aigle, every SME draws its own line. The reference points below — federal law, cantonal practice and lessons from the field — help you place the cursor well.

Year-end closing: how the mechanics work

The order of operations matters: reconciliations first (bank, cash, receivables, payables), then the closing entries, finally the VAT and AHV consistency checks. Reversing the order means starting over.

The notes complete the figures: valuation principles, liabilities towards pension institutions, contingent liabilities, or the number of full-time positions. Careful notes reduce questions from the auditor and the banks.

The Swiss legal frame for balance sheet preparation

Whether a business sits in Aigle or elsewhere in Switzerland, the same federal law applies — one of the strengths of the Swiss system for balance sheet preparation. Cantonal differences concentrate on taxation (rates, filing deadlines); bookkeeping itself follows art. 957 ff. CO everywhere.

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.

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 Aigle.

For a business in Aigle, 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.

Advisor handing a document and pen to a client

A Swiss SME's accounting calendar

Every deadline has an owner: an obligation “of everyone” is kept by no one. Naming one person per deadline family (VAT, payroll, taxes) closes the gaps.

For balance sheet preparation, year-end is prepared in October: last invoices, investment decisions, provisions to assess — December is too late to act, January is for recording.

Aigle: what changes, what does not

Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Aigle: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Vaud.

For a business in Aigle, that means VAT returns identical to anywhere in Switzerland, but a tax return and family allowances governed by the canton Vaud.

Frequently asked questions

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 Aigle, family allowances follow the canton's rates.

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 Aigle.

Do you need a fiduciary for balance sheet preparation, 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 Aigle.

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 Aigle.

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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates balance sheet preparation for businesses in Aigle: AI-read documents, posting suggestions, VAT and exports ready for your fiduciary. Try the platform or browse our other guides.

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    Balance sheet preparation for beauty salons in Aigle