Finance

Factoring is a form of financing where companies sell their receivables to a factoring company to obtain immediate liquidity. It is especially helpful for companies in growth, with long payment terms, or in crisis.

Leasing is similar to renting and preserves ownership with the leasing company, but can provide tax benefits and conserve liquidity. It is often more expensive than other financing options, however, it offers flexibility and adaptability.

As of September 30, 2022, PostFinance will replace red and orange payment slips with QR-bills and eBills to digitize payment transactions. Companies should immediately adapt their systems to benefit from the more efficient processing and administration.

Payment delays in SMEs can cause liquidity problems; preventive measures include customer reviews and personal conversations. In the event of non-payment, a request for enforcement should be considered.

Pillar 3a in Switzerland is used for supplementary retirement provision, where contributions are tax-deductible. The maximum allowable contributions are set annually by the Federal Office for Social Insurance.

The Swiss pension system relies on old-age, occupational, and private provision using pay-as-you-go and funded schemes. The first ensures existence, the second and third the standard and additional needs in old age.

The IASB proposes changes to IFRS 16 to clarify the assessment of assets and lease liabilities in sale-and-lease-back transactions. Comments on the changes are welcome until March 29, 2021.

The RAB is reducing its jurisdiction and will only supervise listed bonds, which does not affect investor protection. Foreign audit firms are subject to the RAB when they audit companies that are relevant to the capital market in Switzerland.

The State Secretariat for International Financial Matters has established a working group for Blockchain/ICO to evaluate the legal framework. The final report is scheduled for the end of 2018.