Accounting for Property Owners
- Professional services for property & rental firms
- Compliant, accurate, fully digital
- Accounting simplified — growth made easy
"Most property owners didn't get into real estate to become tax experts. That's where we come in."
– Marco Schoch, Co-CEO, Nexova AG
Nexova's accounting specialists have extensive experience with Swiss property owners. These businesses face challenges including VAT registration for short-term accommodations, complex depreciation schedules, per-unit income tracking, and varying cantonal tourism taxes. Property owners need partners who understand both the realities of managing rentals and the complexity of Swiss tax law. That's why they choose Nexova for streamlined accounting, proactive compliance, and clear reporting that helps them make informed decisions.
Here’s what Marco has to say about working with property clients at Nexova
Our services for property owners
End-to-end accounting tailored for real estate ownership and rentals
- Annual financial Statements
- VAT declarations
- Corporate tax declarations
- and much more
- Monthly payroll statements
- Social insurance declarations
- Withholding tax registrations
Easily calculate the cost
of your accounting here.
What makes the property industry unique?
Specialized support for property ownership and rental
Common accounting challenges for property owners
We help you solve these common problems
Tracking rental income per unit and per season
Calculating depreciation for real estate assets
Handling tourism levies and local rules
Managing VAT obligations for short-term stays
Payroll for part-time or seasonal staff
Lack of know-how for internal bookkeeping
Book a free initial consultation
with our experts.
Why property owners work with Nexova
Spend less time on spreadsheets and more time on building value
Your benefits with Nexova:
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Deep expertise in the real estate and rental industry
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Quick response times and proactive advice
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Transparent pricing, no hidden fees
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Digital tools that track income, expenses, and occupancy
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Clear financial reports for each property or region
Book a free initial consultation
with our experts.
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Cost control and transparency
Why Nexova
Trusted by companies across Switzerland
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with our experts.
Discover our expert articles
Up-to-date knowledge for your business
Coordination Deduction 2025: Complete Guide for Swiss Employers and Employees
Understanding the “coordination deduction” is vital for proper pension planning in Switzerland. The CHF 26,460 deduction (as of 2025) directly affects how much of your salary gets insured under the second pillar. This seemingly minor technical detail can have a major impact on retirement security and presents challenges for part-time workers and those with multiple employees. This guide covers everything you need to know about the coordination deduction: what it is, how it's calculated, whether employers can waive or reduce it, its impact on part-time workers and multiple job holders, and the implications of the failed BVG 21 reform.
Accounting for NGOs in Switzerland: Special Requirements and Standards
Non-profit organizations across Switzerland contribute tremendously through social services, humanitarian aid, and advocacy work. However, given their reliance on public donations, tax exemptions, and donor trust, these organizations face intense scrutiny and complex legal, tax, and financial obligations that often exceed those of for-profit companies. This comprehensive guide explores the key aspects of Swiss NGO accounting, including legal audit thresholds, SWISS GAAP FER 21 reporting standards, fund accounting principles, and effective grant management practices to ensure compliance and maintain transparency.
The Fiduciary Profession: Transformation in the Digital Era
The fiduciary – a profession that has been one of Switzerland’s most recognised qualifications for over 30 years! A quick glance at their core responsibilities explains why. Today’s fiduciary is far more than just a numbers expert. Instead, they combine competencies from a variety of fields such as financial accounting, tax consulting, and business advisory. For companies, they act as a trusted support in complex matters. Like many other industries, digital transformation has had a major impact on the fiduciary profession. Routine tasks can now be digitised with ease, allowing fiduciaries to focus on in-depth, future-oriented consulting. So what will the fiduciary’s career path look like in the future? And is this the right profession for you?
Optimizing Pension Fund Contributions with Voluntary Buy-Ins: A Guide for Swiss Employees
Voluntary buy-ins (also known as “purchases”) are one of the most effective tools to optimize your occupational pension contributions, reducing your tax burden today while strengthening your retirement benefits for the future. If you have a contribution gap in your 2nd pillar, it’s worth taking advantage of this opportunity for significant savings. This article explains how buy-ins work, when they’re allowed, and how to make the most of them — including timing strategies, tax planning tips, and combining them with Pillar 3a. Whether you’re mid-career or nearing retirement, understanding how and when to make a voluntary purchase can make a substantial difference to your long-term financial outcome.
Conversion of a sole proprietorship into a GmbH or AG
Many entrepreneurs begin their journey with a sole proprietorship. It's simple to set up, requires no minimum capital, and offers full control. But as the business grows, so do the legal, financial, and reputational demands. At some point, converting your company into another legal form – such as a GmbH or an AG – becomes a logical next step and offers numerous advantages. This article explains when and why converting your sole proprietorship makes sense, the legal mechanisms available for doing so, and how to complete the process correctly while avoiding unexpected tax consequences.
Value Added Tax Exempt and Zero-Rated Services: Important Information
As a rule, all entrepreneurs in Switzerland are subject to value added tax (VAT) if they meet the legal requirements. This means: Depending on the tax rate (8.1%, 3.8% or 2.6%), they add VAT to the invoice amount. However, this obligation does not apply to all deliveries or services! For you as an entrepreneur, it is essential to know what is included and what is not. In this article, we give you an insight into this topic. Among other things, we explain what VAT actually is, who is subject to it and what billing models exist.
Understanding Swiss Withholding Tax: What Is It, Who Pays It, and How do You Reclaim It?
Withholding tax (Verrechnungssteuer) is a distinctive feature of Switzerland’s fiscal system. It is a federal tax that is primarily designed to reduce tax evasion on capital income. Set at a standard flat rate of 35% (with some exceptions), it applies to dividends, interest, lottery winnings, and certain insurance benefits. It is withheld directly at the source and is usually refunded to the taxpayer if they correctly declare their investment income. In this article, we’ll break down how Swiss withholding tax works, which income it affects, how you can reclaim it, and what you should watch out for—whether you're a Swiss resident, an international investor, or a company operating in Switzerland.
Best Payroll Software for Swiss SMEs and Startups in 2025
Payroll is one of the most sensitive and complex areas of business administration in Switzerland. With numerous mandatory contributions (AHV, ALV, BVG, etc.), complex withholding tax rules, monthly declarations, and the need for year-end salary certificates, there's a lot to handle—especially for startups and SMEs with limited internal resources. Digital tools have emerged to simplify these tasks, reduce the risk of error, and help businesses stay compliant. But choosing the right software involves much more than simple feature comparisons. Implementation, configuration, and ongoing use all require the right expertise. In this article, we look at the evolution and advantages of digital payroll systems, the most important features these tools offer, common pitfalls and risks when using payroll software, a comparison of leading tools used by Swiss startups and SMEs, and why having the right fiduciary partner matters just as much as the software itself.
Best Occupational Pension Funds in Switzerland in 2025: A Practical Comparison for SMEs and Startups
Choosing the right occupational pension fund is an important strategic decision for companies. Swiss SMEs and startups that make smart choices in occupational pensions can reduce costs, enhance employee benefits, and boost long-term satisfaction. But with over 1,300 pension funds in Switzerland, how can you tell which ones stand out? This article compares six major collective pension foundations based on publicly available figures and rankings. Our goal is to provide a simplified but informative snapshot of the most relevant metrics for 2025, while keeping in mind that a deeper comparison is complex and depends heavily on individual company needs.
Managing Swiss Payroll in Global Companies: What You Need to Know
Switzerland continues to attract international businesses with its strategic location, political stability, and strong economy. Yet for multinational companies operating in or expanding to Switzerland, one complex issue that regularly proves difficult to handle is payroll accounting. Managing Swiss payroll requires precision, local expertise, and deep understanding of a multi-layered tax and social security system. This article explores why payroll is such a critical topic for international companies with Swiss employees, outlines the various challenges faced, and provides practical solutions to overcome them.
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As an internationally active biotechnology company that stands for innovation and the highest quality, we work exclusively with partners who meet our high standards. Nexova consistently impresses us with exceptional service quality, robust processes, and an impressive pace. The professional, solution-oriented, and efficient collaboration allows us to fully focus on our core business. Additionally, we would like to highlight the remarkable cost savings of 35% compared to in-house accounting. We particularly appreciate how Nexova quickly understands, develops, and promptly implements complex requirements – both within Switzerland and at our international subsidiaries. We can wholeheartedly recommend the Nexova team.
Nexova AG offers highly professional accounting services that have significantly enhanced our financial management at Learning Lab. Their team is precise and reactive, always delivering accurate and timely reports while promptly addressing our queries. With Nexova AG’s support, we manage our clients’ accounts and finances more efficiently. We highly recommend Nexova AG for their exceptional accounting services.
For us as a new catering company, it is essential that our trustee understands our specific needs and responds flexibly to our requirements. In Nexova AG, we have found the ideal partner who supports us competently in all fiduciary matters and actively promotes our growth.
Uncomplicated or serious? Or is it and? A young, clever team is at work here, offering excellent services, highly uncomplicated and competent. Instead of a prestigious reception, expensive offices and chocolates, there are fast services and competent services. For me as a one-man company, this is exactly what I need.
Arvy AG has found an exceptional partner in Nexova AG. Their very high level of expertise in FINMA-regulated industries ensures that our financial transactions are in safe and competent hands. What sets Nexova apart is their flat-rate pricing structure, which has helped us greatly with budgeting and financial planning. As a company committed to long-term success and integrity in investments, we are very satisfied with the services provided by Nexova AG.
For us as an EdTech startup, it is very important that our trustee is as digital and agile as we are. With Nexova AG, we have found the perfect partner who can actively support us in our growth.
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5.0 stars
Mr. Merz has a very broad knowledge and was able to help me with all my questions. The conversation was very pleasant and very informative for me. Thank you for your support.
Uncomplicated or serious? Both here. A young, smart team is at work here, offering excellent services, highly uncomplicated and competent. Instead of a prestigious reception area, expensive offices and a few small gifts, you offer fast and competent services. For me as a one-man company, this is exactly what I need.
I have been a Nexova customer for some time now and so far I am very satisfied! Thanks to the digital working methods and high responsiveness of the client managers, little time is lost in the daily process in particular. The prices are also very fair. Nexova handles the annual financial statements for me, including the tax balance sheet. The processes are standardized, which is a great advantage for audits (AHV and taxes). The two founders are two young, innovative guys and very serious.
The friendly and competent Nexova employee was able to answer my questions about company car taxation quickly and specifically. Thank you very much for this!
When I founded my company a year ago, I needed a reliable fiduciary partner. In addition to pure accounting, Nexova also offers me very good advice on all aspects of labor law. Thanks to the E-Post solution, I no longer even have to worry about my company mail and can focus purely on my service activities. My contacts at Nexova are always very friendly and pleasant to deal with. The complete package is simply TOP and I can only recommend Nexova!
Top company & friendly owners. A highly recommended trustee.
Very good and competent advice!
Professionally at a very high level. They are very good with Excel and could also support us with automation of processes.
I had a few questions about remote work and was advised super and free of charge. Thank you very much!
Very good service. Good and competent advice with friendly staff. I can definitely recommend
The Nexova team is very professional and I felt they always had my best interests at heart. I highly recommend Nexova and will continue to refer my clients to them and trust them with my business.
I am impressed with their outstanding service, especially in the field of accounting services, they demonstrate a professional approach and exceptional attention. As a lawyer, I have found Nexova to be a valuable partner in the financial world.
I had an excellent consultation with Nexova AG regarding withholding tax. Their expertise is remarkably extensive and their guidance was invaluable, I highly recommend their services. A first class experience.
The Nexova Team is an important partner to our startup, enabling us to pass all of our accounting, tax and payroll duties. We specially value their expertise with Startups and flexibility, which allows us to plan and manage our financials effectively and to focus on the bottom line of our operations.
We are very satisfied with Nexova as our trustee. Thanks to the Teams group chat, I can always count on very fast response times (of a few minutes). The Teams Chat group is great. With our old trustee, we had to write mails and always had to wait a long time for an answer and on top of that we were charged for every little question. Fortunately, this is not the case with Nexova.
Nexova solved my problem with a non-paying tenant quickly and efficiently. I was simply overwhelmed with the situation and glad for the competent legal advice. Nexova handled everything from the reminder with threat of termination, to representation in court, to the police eviction quickly, efficiently and also inexpensively. Many thanks for the valuable help.
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FAQ
Answers at a click
What accounting services do property owners need in Switzerland?
Property owners typically need help with tracking rental income and costs, preparing annual financial statements, managing VAT for short-term stays, and calculating depreciation. If staff are involved, payroll is also a key consideration. Nexova handles all of this digitally, with clear reporting for every unit or property.
Do I need to register for VAT if I rent out holiday apartments?
Yes, if your annual revenue from short-term rentals exceeds CHF 100,000, you must register for VAT. Most holiday rentals fall under the reduced VAT rate of 3.8% (as of 2025), which applies to accommodation services. This includes the provision of furnished apartments and breakfast.
Other services, such as parking, laundry, or equipment rental, may be subject to the standard VAT rate of 8.1% if they’re charged independently. Nexova helps you apply the correct rates, register when required, and handle all your VAT filings.
Can I deduct renovation or furnishing costs?
Yes. Many renovation and furnishing expenses can be deducted as maintenance costs or capitalized as investments, depending on their scope and purpose. Routine repairs are typically deductible as expenses immediately, while major upgrades or value-adding improvements are capitalized and then depreciated over time. Nexova helps assess each expense and applies the tax treatment that benefits you most, while ensuring full compliance with Swiss accounting standards and tax regulations.
How do I handle payroll if I hire a cleaner or property manager?
It depends on whether they’re an employee or a contractor. Employees require payroll setup, social insurance registration, and salary reporting. Contractors don’t, but proper documentation is still essential. Nexova helps you classify roles correctly and handles payroll or payment tracking as needed.
How is property depreciation handled for Swiss tax purposes?
Real estate can be depreciated over time using fixed rates set by the canton and based on property type. Depreciation reduces the taxable profit of your business, making it a key tool for long-term tax planning. Nexova tracks this accurately in your accounts and ensures it’s applied correctly in your annual filings.