Sole proprietorship legal basis in Cologny: what every SME should know
Sole proprietorship legal basis in Cologny 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.
Choosing the structure: Sàrl, SA or sole proprietorship
Chronologically, incorporation follows a precise thread: choose the form and the company name, pay the capital into an escrow account (Sàrl/SA), notarised deed, entry in the commercial register, then AHV affiliation and the VAT check. The Confederation's online desk (EasyGov) walks founders through these steps.
Incorporating in Cologny opens the same toolbox: banks, funds, fiduciaries and online tools work everywhere — the choice of seat is strategic, not technical, for sole proprietorship.
Salaries and social contributions: the rates to know
A Swiss salary reads in three columns: gross, employee social deductions, employer contributions. Confusing them distorts cost prices — and quotes from businesses in Cologny.
For sole proprietorship, the monthly payslip is only the visible part: instalments to the funds, annual settlements and certificates form the real cycle, January to January.
Digitalising sole proprietorship: what actually works
Security is part of digitalisation: named access, tested backups, encryption of sensitive data. A digital accounting file is protected like a safe — because it is one.
The winning pair for sole proprietorship: a single inbox (e-mail, scan, photo) and one simple rule — no document sits more than a few days without a proposed entry.
The Swiss legal frame for sole proprietorship
Responsibility for the books is personal: in an SA, organising the accounting is one of the board's non-transferable duties (art. 716a CO); in a Sàrl, the managing directors carry the same duty. Outsourcing the execution never transfers that underlying responsibility, including for a company based in Cologny.
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 sole proprietorship run entirely on digital tools — no paper binder is required.
Cologny: what changes, what does not
Sole proprietorship, Sàrl or SA in Cologny: the AHV contact remains the competent compensation office, and taxes follow the scales of the canton Geneva.
Federal deadlines do not move in Cologny: VAT within 60 days, salary declaration in January, 10-year record retention — postal code 1223 changes nothing about those rules, only the sender's address.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a fiduciary for sole proprietorship, 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 Cologny.
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 Cologny.
Can sole proprietorship be automated with AI?
Largely, yes: automatic document reading, posting suggestions, bank reconciliation via QR references and VAT exports. Human approval remains essential — AI prepares, the professional checks. That is exactly how MyFiducia.ai approaches sole proprietorship.
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 Cologny: the CO dictates it, not the commune.
Also worth reading
In neighbouring municipalities
Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date
MyFiducia.ai automates sole proprietorship for businesses in Cologny: AI-read documents, posting suggestions, VAT and exports ready for your fiduciary. Try the platform or browse our other guides.
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