Two people reviewing numerical reports

Sole proprietorship for architecture firms in Marchissy without the stress: how it works

Swiss accounting law (art. 957 ff. of the Code of Obligations) sets a precise frame, yet day-to-day practice often stays fuzzy. This guide walks through what actually matters for a business based in Marchissy.

Choosing the structure: Sàrl, SA or sole proprietorship

The choice of legal form turns on three axes: liability (limited to capital for Sàrl and SA, unlimited for the sole trader), taxation (economic double taxation of company profit and dividends versus direct income taxation) and pensions (the employee of their own Sàrl is subject to mandatory LPP; the self-employed insure voluntarily).

On the sole proprietorship side, the first financial year may be longer or shorter than a calendar year: choosing the first closing date wisely avoids a pointless mini-closing.

Swiss VAT: rates, threshold and filings

A VAT return is prepared, not endured: clean VAT accounts, one code per rate and a monthly variance check make the deadline trivial — for registered businesses in Marchissy too.

A business in Marchissy that crosses the threshold mid-year must register without delay: retroactive registration with interest always costs more than signing up on time.

Salaries and social contributions: the rates to know

Absences are managed upstream: illness, accident, military service or maternity trigger allowances (APG, insurance) that replace part of the salary. Clean absence records are the basis of correct settlements, in Marchissy as elsewhere.

For sole proprietorship, the practical challenge is the calendar: AHV instalments during the year, salary declaration to the compensation office in January, salary certificates for staff, and final LPP/accident settlements. A clean payroll base avoids unpleasant catch-up invoices.

Advisor handing a document and pen to a client

The Swiss legal frame for sole proprietorship

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. Sole proprietorship sits squarely within this frame, including for companies based in Marchissy.

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.

Marchissy: what changes, what does not

Working with a fiduciary from Marchissy no longer depends on geography: the documents of a business in Marchissy are shared online, while the canton Vaud keeps its own deadlines for the tax return.

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

Frequently asked questions

Does MyFiducia.ai work for a business based in Marchissy?

Yes: the platform runs online, the rules applied are federal (VAT, CO, AHV), and the file can be shared with any fiduciary. A business in Marchissy manages its documents, VAT and exports exactly as anywhere in Switzerland.

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 Marchissy: the CO dictates it, not the commune.

How much does sole proprietorship cost in Marchissy?

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 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 Marchissy as anywhere.

Also worth reading

In neighbouring municipalities

Switch to accounting that keeps itself up to date

MyFiducia.ai automates sole proprietorship for businesses in Marchissy: 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.

    Sole proprietorship for architecture firms in Marchissy