Accounting: do it yourself or delegate to a fiduciary?

Keeping your accounts yourself: what this really involves

Managing your accounting in-house is much more than creating invoices. You must enter all accounting documents, record expenses, carry out bank reconciliations and prepare quarterly VAT returns.

The annual closing also requires particular attention: depreciation, provisions, adjustments. Not to mention the Swiss legal obligations defined by the Code of Obligations and the VAT Act.

This management requires time, rigour and specific skills to avoid costly errors.

The skills needed to manage your accounts

To keep your accounts yourself, you must master basic accounting principles: debit, credit, Swiss chart of accounts. Swiss VAT requires a precise understanding of rates (8.1%, 3.8%, 2.6%) and deduction rules.

You must also know how to prepare periodic returns and interpret a simplified balance sheet. Some aspects remain accessible to motivated entrepreneurs, but others require specific training.

To understand VAT return options, consult our guide on the effective method and flat rate.

The actual time to invest each month

For a micro-business with few transactions, allow 2 to 4 hours per month. An SME with more activity easily requires 8 to 15 hours monthly.

This time includes entering documents, filing paperwork, VAT returns, payment tracking and bank reconciliation. Add to this the peaks at year-end.

This time diverted from your core activity has an opportunity cost: every hour spent on accounting is an hour not billed to your clients.

Doing your accounts yourself: advantages and limitations

In-house accounting management presents real benefits, particularly financial ones. But it also involves constraints that must be measured objectively.

Here is a balanced analysis of both aspects to help you assess whether this option matches your situation and capabilities.

The advantages of in-house management

The direct saving is significant: between 1,500 and 5,000 CHF per year in external fiduciary fees avoided. You maintain total control over your financial data and a real-time view of your cash flow.

This autonomy facilitates quick decisions. You do not wait for feedback from a third party to know your situation. This option is particularly suitable for simple structures and entrepreneurs with solid accounting foundations.

The disadvantages and risks to consider

The risk of errors is real: incorrectly calculated VAT, forgotten provisions, incorrect depreciation. These errors can be costly in tax adjustments.

The time invested diverts your energy from the core activity. Administrative stress accumulates, especially during return periods. You also lose access to strategic advice from a professional.

Complexity increases with the growth of your business, making in-house management progressively less viable.

Delegating to a fiduciary: services and actual costs

A fiduciary takes charge of all or part of your accounting. The services offered vary according to mandates, from the minimal package to complete support.

Understanding what is included in standard services and what generates additional costs allows you to anticipate your annual budget and avoid unpleasant surprises.

What a standard fiduciary service includes

A basic mandate generally includes current bookkeeping, quarterly VAT returns, annual closing and basic tax advice.

Some services remain charged as extras: in-depth tax advice, structure optimisation, support during audits, company formation. Fiduciaries often offer à la carte services according to your needs.

Clarify the scope of the mandate from the start to control your budget.

Price range in Switzerland

For a self-employed person with a simple activity, allow 1,500 to 3,000 CHF per year. An SME with 2 to 5 employees will pay between 3,000 and 6,000 CHF annually.

Larger structures easily exceed 6,000 to 15,000 CHF, or more. The volume of transactions, the complexity of the activity and the frequency of services directly influence the rate.

Request several detailed quotes to compare offers and identify the best value for money.

Outsourcing your accounting: benefits and constraints

Delegating your accounting to a professional brings security and expertise, but also involves costs and a certain dependence.

Here is an objective analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing to help you weigh the pros and cons according to your situation.

The advantages of outsourcing

You benefit from professional expertise and guaranteed compliance with Swiss standards. The time saving is considerable: you focus on your core business whilst the professional manages the administrative work.

You also gain access to tax advice and optimisation opportunities. Legal security and peace of mind are worth the investment, especially for complex or rapidly growing structures.

The disadvantages of delegation

The monthly or annual cost represents a significant budget item, especially at start-up. You create a dependence on your service provider and must respect their processing deadlines.

Your view of your cash flow becomes less immediate. Regular communication is necessary to transmit documents and follow up on files. You also lose part of the direct control over your finances.

The choice of fiduciary is therefore crucial for effective collaboration.

Financial comparison: what is the true cost of each option?

Beyond fiduciary fees or time spent, each option involves direct and indirect costs that must be quantified to compare objectively.

Here is a detailed analysis of the actual costs of in-house management and outsourcing, with concrete examples according to business profiles.

Total cost of in-house management

Accounting software costs between 500 and 2,000 CHF per year. Add 300 to 800 CHF for continuing education to stay up to date. Personal time invested represents the heaviest item.

For a self-employed person billing 100 CHF/hour who devotes 4 hours monthly, that is 4,800 CHF in lost earnings annually. Not counting the potential cost of errors: VAT adjustments, penalties, corrections.

Realistic total for a self-employed person: 6,000 to 8,000 CHF/year in direct and indirect costs.

Total cost of outsourcing

The annual fees of an external fiduciary vary according to profile: 2,000 to 3,000 CHF for a simple self-employed person, 4,000 to 6,000 CHF for a small SME.

Add coordination time: approximately 1 to 2 hours per month to transmit documents and communicate with your fiduciary. You can maintain an invoicing tool in-house to keep control over collections.

Total for a self-employed person: 2,500 to 4,000 CHF/year, freeing up time for revenue-generating activities.

How to choose the best option for your situation?

There is no universal solution. The right choice depends on your profile, your skills, your available time and the complexity of your activity.

Here are practical recommendations according to situations to help you identify the option best suited to your business.

Profiles suited to in-house management

In-house management suits self-employed people with a simple activity, few transactions and solid accounting foundations. You must have available time and accept the administrative burden.

At start-up with a tight budget, it is a viable option. Use suitable tools to simplify: BePaid allows you to create compliant QR-invoices, track payments and automate reminders without technical skills.

This significantly reduces the complexity of daily invoicing.

Profiles requiring a fiduciary

A fiduciary becomes essential for SMEs with employees, complex structures (companies, significant VAT) or rapidly growing businesses.

If you operate in a regulated sector or if you have neither accounting skills nor time to devote, outsourcing is necessary. Legal security and access to strategic advice are well worth the investment.

The cost of a tax error often exceeds that of the annual fees of a competent fiduciary.

The hybrid solution: combining in-house and external

Many SMEs adopt an intermediate approach: daily management in-house (invoicing, payment tracking with tools like BePaid) and fiduciary for annual closing and tax advice.

This formula offers the best value for money: you maintain operational control and responsiveness whilst securing complex aspects. Reduced annual cost (1,000 to 2,500 CHF for closing alone) with peace of mind.

This is often the ideal compromise between autonomy and security.

The question of keeping your accounts yourself or delegating them to a fiduciary has no universal answer. Everything depends on your volume of activity, your skills, available time and your budget. For micro-businesses and self-employed people with a simple activity, in-house management remains viable and economical, provided you master the basics and accept devoting a few hours per month to it. More complex or rapidly growing structures will find more value in outsourcing, despite a higher cost.

The hybrid solution often represents the best compromise: manage invoicing and daily tracking yourself with suitable tools, whilst entrusting annual closing and tax returns to a professional. This approach combines cost control and legal security.

Whatever your decision, start by simplifying your invoicing. With BePaid, create your compliant QR-invoices in a few clicks, automate your reminders and keep control over your cash flow, without unnecessary complexity. Free version available to test without commitment.