Accounting outsourcing for startups in Aubonne: what every SME should know
Whether you run a Sàrl, an SA or a sole proprietorship in Aubonne, accounting outsourcing eventually lands on your desk. Here are the practical reference points — legal basis, deadlines and common pitfalls — to decide with a clear head.
The Swiss legal frame for accounting outsourcing
Whether a business sits in Aubonne or elsewhere in Switzerland, the same federal law applies — one of the strengths of the Swiss system for accounting outsourcing. Cantonal differences concentrate on taxation (rates, filing deadlines); bookkeeping itself follows art. 957 ff. CO everywhere.
Also worth knowing: accounts may be drawn up in the currency most relevant to the business; if that is not the franc, values must additionally be stated in CHF (art. 958d para. 3 CO). Internationally active companies gain books that match their economic reality.
Year-end closing: how the mechanics work
The closing turns day-to-day bookkeeping into annual accounts: balance sheet, income statement and notes (art. 958 CO). Mandatory stops: accruals and deferrals, depreciation, commercially justified provisions, inventory of stock and work in progress, then VAT and AHV reconciliations.
The timetable is tight: accounts drawn up and approved by the general meeting within six months of the year-end. For accounting outsourcing, chasing missing documents from January (bank statements, contracts, insurance settlements) avoids the last-minute sprint and auditor reservations.
A Swiss SME's accounting calendar
The professionals' trick: handle every deadline at D-30, not D-1. A VAT return prepared a month early leaves time to chase a missing document without penalty.
For accounting outsourcing, two dates lock themselves in every year: the January salary declaration and the general meeting within six months — everything else is planned around them.
Outsource accounting outsourcing 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 outsourcing lowers fees more surely than any negotiation.
In Aubonne, as everywhere, the right collaboration rhythm follows the activity: monthly for payroll and data entry, quarterly for VAT, yearly for the closing and tax advice.
Aubonne: what changes, what does not
Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Aubonne: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Vaud.
Federal deadlines do not move in Aubonne: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 1170 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 Aubonne as anywhere.
When must a business register for VAT?
As soon as its worldwide annual turnover reaches CHF 100,000 (CHF 250,000 for non-profit sports or cultural associations). Below that, voluntary registration remains possible and often makes sense to reclaim input VAT on investments. The threshold is federal: it applies in Aubonne as everywhere in Switzerland.
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 Aubonne, family allowances follow the canton's rates.
What are the legal obligations for accounting outsourcing 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 Aubonne: federal law applies.
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Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
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