Important information about the GmbH
You want to set up a limited liability company (GmbH)? Or you have questions on specific topics? We'll help you take this big step with a template for a certificate of incorporation, a first-time register entry, articles of incorporation, and declarations of acceptance for managing directors and auditors. We'll also provide a template for opting out of an audit as well as a stock ledger template and information about the transfer of basic shares.
But first we’ll answer the most important questions.
What is a GmbH? And what are the pros and cons of founding one?
A GmbH is a private limited company founded by one or more people and which can only be held liable up to the amount of the company’s assets. This is at least CHF 20,000.
What is a limited company?
For a limited company, the focus is on shareholdings of a certain financial or material asset.
What does private mean here?
This means that the company is not simply a holding company, thus the partners are bound by a duty of loyalty and cannot be excluded.
How much money do I need to found a GmbH?
A GmbH can be founded with a minimum of just CHF 20,000 in share capital. The liability of the GmbH is then limited to the share capital. The founding costs amount to around CHF 3,000.
What are the advantages of a GmbH?
- The required share capital of only CHF 20,000
- Liability is limited to this capital
- It is possible to split the earnings to reduce progressive taxation
- The share capital can be contributed through material assets (a company car, for example)
- Can be founded by one person
- The company name can be freely selected (with the suffix “GmbH”)
What are the disadvantages of a GmbH?
- Relatively high administration costs (compared to a sole proprietorship)
- Partners don’t receive any unemployment benefits
- Double taxation: The GmbH pays taxes on the net profit and the partners on the distributed earnings as income.
Detailed information and the abovementioned templates and checklists are available here free of charge for download: