Accounting outsourcing deadlines in Mergoscia: what every SME should know
Between VAT, social contributions and the year-end close, a Swiss SME juggles dozens of deadlines a year. This page focuses on accounting outsourcing in Mergoscia: what the law requires, what can be automated, and when to delegate.
The Swiss legal frame for accounting outsourcing
In Switzerland, the duty to keep accounts stems from art. 957 ff. of the Code of Obligations. Legal entities (Sàrl, SA) and sole proprietorships with at least CHF 500,000 in revenue keep full accounts: balance sheet, income statement and notes. Below that threshold, a simplified record of income, expenses and assets is sufficient.
The law also settles the form: accounts may be kept in a national language or in English, on paper or electronically (art. 957a para. 5 CO). That pragmatism lets accounting outsourcing run entirely on digital tools — no paper binder is required.
Digitalising accounting outsourcing: what actually works
The classic digitalisation traps are avoidable: scanning without quality control (unreadable records), stacking disconnected tools (double entry in disguise), or neglecting access rights. One single flow from document to entry, with clear roles, beats five shiny apps.
The winning pair for accounting outsourcing: a single inbox (e-mail, scan, photo) and one simple rule — no document sits more than a few days without a proposed entry.
Outsource accounting outsourcing or keep it in-house?
Outsourcing accounting outsourcing to a fiduciary frees up time and secures compliance; keeping it in-house preserves a continuous view and costs less in fees. The best answer is often hybrid: the company captures and digitises as it goes, the fiduciary supervises, closes the books and represents the company before the authorities.
For accounting outsourcing, a quarterly 30-minute check-in with the fiduciary beats an annual marathon: questions get handled while they are small.
Year-end closing: how the mechanics work
Companies exceeding two of three thresholds for two consecutive years — CHF 20 million balance sheet total, CHF 40 million revenue, 250 full-time positions — move to an ordinary audit. Below that, the limited audit applies, and companies with no more than ten full-time positions on annual average can opt out with the consent of all shareholders.
For accounting outsourcing, the golden rule is to discover nothing in January: every uncertainty (doubtful receivable, dispute, unsellable stock) must be identified before the closing date, not after.
Mergoscia: what changes, what does not
Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Mergoscia: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Ticino.
Federal deadlines do not move in Mergoscia: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 6647 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 Mergoscia as anywhere.
How much does accounting outsourcing cost in Mergoscia?
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.
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 Mergoscia.
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 Mergoscia: the CO dictates it, not the commune.
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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates accounting outsourcing for businesses in Mergoscia: 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.