What is the day-to-day work of a trustee like?

The federal certificate in fiduciary services has been one of the best-known professional qualifications in Switzerland for over 30 years and offers interesting career opportunities. A fiduciary with a federally certified fiduciary diploma keeps the accounts for companies and private individuals and prepares the financial statements and tax returns. They also support companies in matters relating to auditing, company start-ups and succession planning. They work in an SME, fiduciary company, banking institution or public administration or run their own fiduciary office. You take on a qualified function in the entire field of fiduciary services and work independently. Fiduciaries provide comprehensive advice to clients - especially those from private households and SMEs. They clarify detailed questions and provide solution-oriented advice.

The tasks of a fiduciary with a federal certificate are:

• Operating and cost accounting, profit and loss account incl. balance sheet
• Operational and financial accounting
• Payroll accounting incl. settlement of social security deductions
• Tax returns for individuals and legal entities
• Value added tax settlements
• Investment calculations and financial plans
• Implementation of limited revisions
• Advising companies and private individuals on financial and tax matters, legal issues and personnel administration
• Advising companies on issues relating to company formation, company valuation, property management, restructuring and succession

Possible positions for a trustee are:

• Management position in a national or international trust or auditing company
• Management of a small to medium-sized fiduciary office
• Self-employment as a trustee

Target groups and skills: Who is the professional examination (BP) in fiduciary services suitable for? What qualities and skills are required?

The "Treuhänderin / Treuhänder" training course is suitable for:

• People who would like to develop further in the direction of fiduciary services after basic commercial training
• Professionals with a qualification as a fiduciary clerk who would like to take a career step by completing higher vocational training
• Employees in fiduciary and auditing companies or in public administrations
• Persons who wish to become self-employed through a trustee training course
• Self-employed persons who want to manage their company administratively themselves

Important qualities for the profession of "trustee" are

• Structured and analytical thinking
• Ability to build a relationship of trust
• Sense of responsibility and reliability
• Enjoy numbers and accounting
• Service awareness
• Good knowledge of business administration
• Good knowledge of accounting

Requirements for admission to the professional examination for fiduciaries with a federal certificate (BP):

The following requirements apply for admission to the federal professional examination "Fiduciary (BP)":

• Federal certificate of proficiency (EFZ), technical, vocational or high school diploma, technical high school diploma or equivalent certificate
• 4 years of professional experience
• Passed, valid admission examination (after the 1st or 2nd semester of the preparatory course) or an equivalent examination
• no entry in the central criminal record that cannot be reconciled with the purpose of the audit

The fiduciary course requires a high level of personal commitment and initiative. Depending on your knowledge, a refresher course in finance and accounting may also be useful.

Note: Professional practice for the professional examination for fiduciaries includes work in fiduciary and auditing, finance and accounting, taxation and business and management consultancy. This also includes other qualified activities related to the fiduciary field. The professional practice must have been completed within Switzerland (or Liechtenstein) by September 30 of the year of the main examination. The applicable conditions of the association are authoritative.

Subject matter and content of the fiduciary training:

The subject matter and content of the preparatory courses for the federal professional examination for fiduciaries with a federal professional certificate are based on the requirements of the sponsoring body of the professional examination, the sponsoring association consisting of Treuhandsuisse, EXPERTsuisse, Kaufmännischer Verband Schweiz and Schweizerische Steuerkonferenz.

The trustee training course is divided into two phases:

1. In the first two semesters you will deal with the subjects of the entrance examination:
   • Financial accounting
   • Taxes
   • Commercial law
   • Personnel administration
     
     
2. The focus is then on the subjects and content of the federal professional fiduciary examination:
   • Financial accounting and financial management
   • Operational accounting
   • Taxes
   • Revision
   • Business and economic consulting

Costs and financing of trustee training:

The costs vary depending on the provider and duration of the course. On average, the following costs can be expected for the trustee training course:

• Course fees:between CHF 10'800.- and CHF 22'000.-
  You will receive around 50% of this back from the federal government on application after the examination (regardless of the result)*.
  Note: Members of the Kaufmännischer Verband receive a member discount of 10% on the course costs. For more information please contacthere.
• Examination fees Admission examination:CHF 1,660 (plus costs for aids, as at 2023)
• Professional examination fees:CHF 1,800 (incl. costs for aids, as at 2023)
  The examination fee is set by the body responsible for the professional examination. It is paid by the candidate after admission has been confirmed.
• Extra costs:At some schools, the costs for teaching materials, training documents and simulation exams, for example, are not included in the course fees. Please contact the provider of your choice directly to find out what additional costs you can expect.

*Since 1.1.2018, preparatory courses for federal professional examinations such as fiduciary are financially supported by the federal government. Graduates of these courses can therefore be reimbursed up to 50% (max. CHF 9,500) of the course costs paid after taking the federal examination. In exceptional cases of hardship, the federal contributions are also paid out in advance.

Duration of study, number of teaching hours and learning effort involved in training to become a trustee:

• Training to become a trustee is classically structured and lasts 4 to 6 semesters while working. It comprises approx. 750 lessons.
• The lesson times vary depending on the provider of the trustee training. As a rule, the 6 - 8 lessons per week take place on one day or in the afternoon and evening or in the evening and on Saturdays or only on Saturdays.
• Many schools now offer a mix of face-to-face and online courses (online, hybrid teaching, blended learning) as well as self-study.
• Thanks to the extra-occupational concept of the continuing education course for trustees, you can immediately apply and deepen your knowledge in practice. Nevertheless, you should allow sufficient time for preparation and follow-up of the lessons and for self-study - how much depends on your previous knowledge, working style and learning speed. We recommend that you allow at least 4 hours per week as a precaution.

Note: Some schools offer so-called "taster lessons". This gives you the opportunity to gain an insight into the lessons and the learning atmosphere. These are important aspects on the way to successfully graduating as a trustee. It is best to contact the school of your choice directly.

Degree, diploma and title Fiduciary Specialist Certificate:

The professional examination to become a federally certified fiduciary takes place annually in each official language (German, French, Italian), provided that at least 5 candidates meet the admission requirements, otherwise every two years.
Candidates for the professional fiduciary examination are notified at least 4 weeks before the start of the examination. The invitation includes the examination program (with details of the place and time of the examination as well as permitted aids) and the list of experts.

The professional examination for the Technical Business Management Assistant qualification is divided into 2 steps and 4 and 5 examination parts respectively:

Step 1: Admission test- This consists of four written examinations of 75 minutes each in the following subjects:

• Law
  • Basic knowledge of the law from a theoretical and practical perspective.
  • In-depth knowledge of the areas of law relevant and important to the practice of trustees.
• Personnel administration
  • Basic knowledge of the fundamentals of personnel administration and labor law.
  • In-depth theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of social insurance and salary administration.
• Accounting basics
  • Building on the knowledge of double-entry bookkeeping (financial accounting)
  • In-depth knowledge of accounting during the financial year and when closing the accounts, taking into account the practice of the trustee
  • Good knowledge of real estate accounting
• Tax basics
  • Basic knowledge of tax law
  • In-depth knowledge of income and wealth tax for natural persons

Step 2: Federal professional examination- This consists of four written and one oral examination:

• Accounting (written/practical, 180 min.)
  • work on various tasks from financial and operational accounting and financial management
  • Focal points:
    • In-depth knowledge of financial accounting
    • Good knowledge of financing and investment theory as well as business accounting, in particular costing
• Taxes (written/practical, 100 min.)
  • work on various tasks in the area of taxes
  • Focal points:
    • In-depth knowledge of federal taxes on profit and capital (DBG/StHG) and value added tax
    • Basic knowledge of other federal taxes (in particular withholding tax and stamp duty) and canton-specific taxes (wealth tax, capital tax, inheritance tax, gift tax, transfer tax and property gains tax)
• Revision (written/practical, 100 min.)
  • work on various tasks in the field of auditing
  • Focal points
    • good knowledge of the issues, processes and audit procedures associated with the audit of financial statements and basic knowledge of other areas relating to auditing
    • independently and professionally conduct a limited audit of an SME in accordance with Swiss legal requirements, the standard for limited audits and other applicable professional standards
• Business and economic consulting (written/practical, 180 min.)
  • work on various tasks in the field of business and economic consulting
  • Focal points
    • In-depth knowledge of the practical activities of trustees
    • analyze a situation from different subject areas and from different perspectives, propose and implement networked solutions to problems
    • Comprehensive advice for private individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
• Management and business consulting (oral, 45 min.)
  • The oral examination takes the form of a consultation/customer meeting:
    • Assume the role of the advisor
    • Analyze complex tasks that fall within the area of activity of a trustee, develop professional solutions and present them to clients in an understandable way
    • a brief statement of the facts was submitted in writing
  • The subject of the examination is all examination topics in accordance with section 5 of the PO and section 3 of the doctoral regulations on the admission examination (with corresponding appendix)

Diploma and title "Fiduciary"

Successful graduates of the professional examination receive a federal professional certificate and may use the recognized and protected title "Fiduciary with a federal professional certificate".

• In French: "Agente fiduciaire avec brevet fédéral", "Agent fiduciaire avec brevet fédéral"
• In Italian: "Fiduciaria con attestato professionale federale", "Fiduciario con attestato professionale federale"
• In English: "Certified Fiduciary, Federal Diploma of Higher Education" (Attention: This is only a recommendation/translation and not a protected title)