Here are the 3 basic costs you have to consider before purchasing a ready-made company: purchase price, costs for the changes in the trade registry and basic operating costs. Purchase price - Depending on company profile, share capital, activity and legal form, the cost for a shelf company can vary significantly: For example, if the company holds a business license of some form, the price can be higher than the company without a business license.

Cost for changes in commercial registry

To officially own a company, apart from having a purchase agreement, in the case of a GmbH, you also need to register at the commercial registry as a shareholder of the company. The registration at the commercial registry also needs to be done for both AG and GmbH if you want to change the company name, seat, director and purpose. For an AG the share register must be updated and signed.

look at Company profile and filing history - This includes company name, seat, purpose and incorporation year. Do these fit your requirements, your future plans for activity and domicile? The fewer changes you need to make the better. Changing the name, domicile or purpose of the company will require Articles to be amended at a Swiss notary. Whilst F Trust can draft these and represent you at the notary, these are extra costs

What would be the benefits of purchasing a shelf company? Time saving – For example when you need a company to close an urgent deal, purchasing a shelf company might be a good solution as the process can be as fast as a day, as opposed to 10 days or more that it can take to incorporate a new one. Credibility – for example if you have been operating as a sole trader or out of another entity, and now decided to incorporate a company, but you do not want to appear as a newly incorporated company, purchasing a shelf company that has been around for a while may be an advantage.

Swiss VAT rates change in 2024 - According to Swiss referendum results in September 2022, one of the key changes is the increase of VAT rates in Switzerland as following: Standard rate - 7.7% to 8.1%, Reduced rate - 2.5% to 2.6%, Special rate for accommodation – 3.7% to 3.8%. The new VAT rates will be in force as of 1st January 2024.

“Swiss QR code” was introduced on 30th June 2020 as one of the Swiss payment methods and has been widely used in the country since then. Two years later, Switzerland is exclusively switching to QR bills and e-bills for payment transactions. Starting on 1st October 2022, it will no longer be possible to make transactions via the traditional red and orange slips (orange ISR / red IS); these will be replaced definitely by the QR invoices

A frequent question we are asked by clients considering starting their own business is which of the two to go for: a limited liability company (a GmbH in German, an Sarl, in French and Italian part of Switzerland) or a Sole Proprietorship, (an Einzelunternehmen in German, L'entreprise individuelle in French and Ditta individuale in Italian parts of Switzerland).

Company domicile, operational address or office spaces – as per needs of your business

Are you in the process of registering your Swiss company and looking for domicile solutions? Or looking to move your business to a new location? Whether a legal domicile, operational address, virtual office or working table, meeting room or the whole office space – we are able to assist you.

When is the deadline for submitting private tax return? Can I extend my private tax return submission deadline? Until when is the extension for a private tax return submission? How can I submit my private tax return?

One of the hassles of small-medium sized Swiss ecommerce companies is how to handle VAT when selling and delivering products to customers in other European countries. In this scenario, the VAT of the recipient country (known as import VAT) will need to be paid before the products can be delivered to the customers.

One of the hassles of small-medium sized Swiss ecommerce companies is how to handle VAT when selling and delivering products to customers in other European countries. In this scenario, the VAT of the recipient country (known as import VAT) will need to be paid before the products can be delivered to the customers.

Even though a company is registered as being ‘in liquidation’, it isn’t actually dissolved. The company must still fulfil some requirements to comply with liquidation status maintain good standing status in order for the authorities to finally delete the company.