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100+ Free Fachmann Finanz- und Rechnungswesen FA Practice Questions

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Key Facts: Fachmann Finanz- und Rechnungswesen FA Exam

NQF 6

Swiss Qualification Level

SBFI National Qualifications Framework

Grade 4.0

Minimum Passing Grade

Prüfungsverein FRF (Scale 1-6)

CHF 2,000

Federal Exam Fee

Prüfungsverein FRF Examination Regulations

50%

Federal Tuition Subsidy

SBFI Bundesbeiträge (Up to CHF 9,500)

840 min

Total Examination Time (14 Hours)

Prüfungsordnung FRF

100

Practice Questions

OpenExamPrep

The Swiss Federal Diploma in Finance and Accounting (Fachmann im Finanz- und Rechnungswesen FA) is a professional accounting qualification at NQF Level 6. Administered by Prüfungsverein FRF under SBFI oversight, it tests five core competency domains: Financial Accounting & Swiss GAAP FER, Management Accounting & Cost Control, Swiss Direct & Indirect Taxation, Payroll & Social Security, and Swiss Commercial Law.

Sample Fachmann Finanz- und Rechnungswesen FA Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your Fachmann Finanz- und Rechnungswesen FA exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under Art. 957a Para. 2 of the Swiss Code of Obligations (OR), which fundamental principle of proper bookkeeping requires that all transactions and economic events must be verifiable through clear accounting vouchers and records?
A.Principle of verifiability and audit trail (Nachprüfbarkeit / Belegnachweis)
B.Principle of historical cost (Anschaffungswertprinzip)
C.Principle of prudence (Vorsichtsprinzip)
D.Principle of materiality (Wesentlichkeitsprinzip)
Explanation: Art. 957a Para. 2 Ziff. 5 OR explicitly establishes the principle of verifiability (Nachprüfbarkeit) and the requirement of an unbroken audit trail supported by underlying vouchers ('keine Buchung ohne Beleg'). Every business transaction recorded in the financial ledger must trace directly to a verifiable external or internal voucher.
2A Swiss manufacturing AG purchases specialized production machinery on 1 July 2025 for CHF 240,000 net of VAT. In addition, the company incurs CHF 15,000 for freight and CHF 25,000 for foundation installation and technical calibration before operational commissioning on 1 October 2025. What is the maximum statutory acquisition cost (Anschaffungswert) to be capitalized under Art. 958a/960a OR?
A.CHF 280,000
B.CHF 240,000
C.CHF 255,000
D.CHF 265,000
Explanation: Under Swiss commercial law (Art. 960a OR), the acquisition cost includes the purchase price plus all directly attributable ancillary acquisition and installation costs required to bring the asset into operating condition. Adding purchase price (CHF 240,000) + freight (CHF 15,000) + installation/calibration (CHF 25,000) equals CHF 280,000.
3Under the Swiss Code of Obligations (Art. 960e Para. 3 OR) and Swiss tax law, what is the statutory treatment of hidden reserves (stille Reserven) created through unjustified excessive depreciation or inflated provisions in commercial financial statements?
A.They are permissible under Swiss commercial law to ensure the continuous prosperity of the enterprise, but must be disclosed in the notes if net dissolution significantly improves reported earnings
B.They are strictly prohibited in Swiss statutory commercial balance sheets and lead to immediate nullity of the financial statements
C.They may only be created with the prior written approval of the cantonal commercial register authority
D.They must be offset directly against paid-in share capital on the liabilities side of the balance sheet
Explanation: Swiss commercial accounting law allows the creation of hidden reserves for the purpose of securing the long-term prosperity of the company or equalizing dividends (Art. 960e Para. 3 OR). However, under Art. 959c Para. 1 Ziff. 3 OR, if the net dissolution of hidden reserves materially improves the presented financial result, the total amount of such net dissolution must be disclosed in the notes.
4When preparing a Swiss company's tax reconciliation, how should an accountant treat a flat-rate bad-debt allowance (Pauschal-Delkredere) whose percentage is based only on administrative practice?
A.Apply the rate accepted by the competent tax authority and separately substantiate identifiable individual default risks
B.Apply 5% to every domestic balance and 10% to every foreign balance in every canton
C.Deduct the full receivable balance whenever an invoice is overdue
D.Ignore all default risk until bankruptcy proceedings have ended
Explanation: Flat-rate tax allowances are matters of administrative practice and can vary by canton and by the characteristics of the receivables. The accountant should apply the competent authority's accepted rate and assess specifically identifiable credit risks separately rather than presenting one percentage pair as a universal Swiss rule.
5Under Swiss GAAP FER 2 (Balance Sheet and Valuation), how must inventories (Vorräte) be valued at the balance sheet date?
A.At the lower of cost (acquisition/production cost) or net realizable value (Niederstwertprinzip)
B.At fair value through profit or loss based on current market replacement cost
C.Strictly at historical acquisition cost without impairment testing
D.At standard cost with variance adjustments deferred over five years
Explanation: Under Swiss GAAP FER 2 (and FER Core), inventories must be valued at the lower of acquisition/manufacturing cost or net realizable value (Veräusserungswert abzüglich noch anfallender Kosten / Niederstwertprinzip). If market/realizable value is lower, an immediate impairment write-down is mandatory.
6A Swiss commercial enterprise sells a commercial building for CHF 1,800,000 on 30 June 2025. The historical acquisition cost was CHF 2,200,000, and accumulated commercial depreciation on the book value at the date of disposal was CHF 900,000. What is the realized gain or loss on disposal under Swiss OR?
A.Book gain (Buchgewinn / ausserordentlicher Ertrag) of CHF 500,000
B.Book loss (Buchverlust) of CHF 400,000
C.Book gain of CHF 900,000
D.Book loss of CHF 100,000
Explanation: The carrying book value of the building on the disposal date is Acquisition Cost (CHF 2,200,000) - Accumulated Depreciation (CHF 900,000) = CHF 1,300,000. Selling price (CHF 1,800,000) - Net Book Value (CHF 1,300,000) results in a realized book gain of CHF 500,000.
7Under Art. 959a Para. 1 OR, what is the mandatory statutory presentation order of assets on the commercial balance sheet?
A.Current assets (Umlaufvermögen) structured by liquidity, followed by non-current assets (Anlagevermögen)
B.Non-current assets (Anlagevermögen) structured by permanence, followed by current assets
C.Liquid assets, tangible assets, intangible assets, and receivables in alphabetical sequence
D.Monetary assets first, followed by non-monetary assets regardless of holding term
Explanation: Art. 959a Para. 1 OR specifies that the assets side of the Swiss balance sheet must present Current Assets (Umlaufvermögen) first—classified in order of increasing liquidity—followed by Non-Current Assets (Anlagevermögen). This contrasts with certain Anglo-Saxon and IFRS formats that start with non-current assets.
8A Swiss corporation prepares its cash flow statement (Geldflussrechnung) under Swiss GAAP FER 4. Which of the following items represents an inflow within Cash Flow from Financing Activities (Finanzierungstätigkeit)?
A.Proceeds from issuing a long-term bond (Anleiheemission)
B.Cash collections from customer receivables
C.Cash proceeds from the sale of an old production line
D.Dividends received from an equity investment
Explanation: Financing activities under Swiss GAAP FER 4 comprise transactions related to equity and debt funding. Proceeds from issuing bonds, capital increases, or bank loan disbursements represent financing cash inflows. Customer collections are operating activities, asset sales are investing activities, and dividends received are operating/investing activities.
9Under Swiss corporate law following the 2023 revision of the Code of Obligations (Art. 671ff revOR), what is the statutory allocation requirement for the Legal Retained Earnings Reserve (Gesetzliche Gewinnreserve)?
A.5% of the annual profit must be allocated until the combined legal capital reserve and legal retained earnings reserve reach 20% (or 50% for holding companies) of the share capital
B.10% of annual profit must be allocated unconditionally every year regardless of existing reserve levels
C.20% of net turnover must be allocated directly into equity reserves before dividend distribution
D.Legal reserves have been completely abolished in the 2023 revised company law
Explanation: Under Art. 672 revOR (effective 1 January 2023), 5% of the annual profit must be allocated to the legal retained earnings reserve (gesetzliche Gewinnreserve) until the legal capital reserve and legal retained earnings reserve together reach 20% of the share capital (or 50% for holding companies).
10A Swiss company has the following year-end figures: Cash and banks CHF 80,000, Short-term marketable securities CHF 40,000, Accounts receivable CHF 180,000, Inventories CHF 200,000, and Short-term liabilities CHF 250,000. What is the company's Quick Ratio (Liquiditätsgrad 2 / Acid Test)?
A.120%
B.48%
C.200%
D.80%
Explanation: Quick Ratio (Liquiditätsgrad 2) = (Cash + Marketable Securities + Receivables) / Short-term Liabilities × 100%. Calculating: (CHF 80,000 + CHF 40,000 + CHF 180,000) / CHF 250,000 = CHF 300,000 / CHF 250,000 = 1.20 or 120%. The standard target benchmark in Swiss financial analysis is ≥ 100%.

About the Fachmann Finanz- und Rechnungswesen FA Exam

The Fachfrau / Fachmann im Finanz- und Rechnungswesen mit eidgenössischem Fachausweis (Swiss Federal Diploma of Higher VET in Finance and Accounting) is Switzerland's benchmark professional credential for qualified accountants, financial controllers, and accounting managers. Governed by the Prüfungsordnung and Wegleitung issued by the Prüfungsverein FRF under SBFI supervision and positioned at Level 6 of the Swiss National Qualifications Framework, it certifies competence in Swiss Code of Obligations accounting law, Swiss GAAP FER financial reporting, cost and management accounting, taxation, social security and payroll administration, and commercial law. Note on format and language: the official federal examination is conducted in German, French, and Italian and consists of comprehensive written guided case studies rather than multiple-choice questions. This question bank is an English-language multiple-choice study adaptation created by OpenExamPrep—not an official translation and not a simulation of the exam format—that preserves authentic Swiss legal, financial, and tax terminology.

Assessment

Three guided written case-study parts under the official guide: Rechnungswesen (480 min, weight 3), Löhne und Versicherungen (180 min, weight 1), and Steuern (180 min, weight 1).

Time Limit

840 minutes (14 hours) of written examination time across the three parts

Passing Score

Overall grade of at least 4.0 (scale 1.0 to 6.0), where 4.0 is the pass mark under the Prüfungsordnung

Exam Fee

CHF 2,000 for first-time candidates; preparatory courses are eligible for the 50% Swiss federal tuition subsidy (Bundesbeiträge) (Prüfungsverein FRF (swissaccounting and Kaufmännischer Verband Schweiz), under SBFI supervision)

Fachmann Finanz- und Rechnungswesen FA Exam Content Outline

35%

Financial Accounting & Swiss GAAP FER

Swiss Code of Obligations accounting law (OR Art. 957-963b), Swiss GAAP FER core standards, closing entries, currency conversion, provisions, deferred items, cash flow statement, and financial statement analysis.

15%

Management Accounting & Cost Control

Cost accounting (Kostenarten-, Kostenstellen- und Kostenträgerrechnung), break-even analysis, contribution margin accounting (Deckungsbeitragsrechnung), job costing, standard costing, and operational budgeting.

20%

Swiss Direct, Cantonal & Value Added Tax

Direct Federal Tax (DBG), Cantonal/Communal Tax Harmonization (StHG) for individuals and legal entities, Swiss Value Added Tax (MWSTG), Withholding Tax (VStG), and basic Stamp Duties (StG).

15%

Payroll, Social Security & BVG Pensions

Swiss social insurance architecture (AHV, IV, EO, ALV, UVG, KVG, FAK), occupational pension schemes (BVG/LPP), gross-to-net payroll computation, cross-border withholding tax (Quellensteuer), and Swiss labor law.

15%

Swiss Commercial Law, OR & Compliance

Swiss Code of Obligations general contract law, sales and service contracts, company law (AG, GmbH), Debt Enforcement and Bankruptcy Act (SchKG), internal control system (IKS), and professional ethics.

How to Pass the Fachmann Finanz- und Rechnungswesen FA Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Overall grade of at least 4.0 (scale 1.0 to 6.0), where 4.0 is the pass mark under the Prüfungsordnung
  • Assessment: Three guided written case-study parts under the official guide: Rechnungswesen (480 min, weight 3), Löhne und Versicherungen (180 min, weight 1), and Steuern (180 min, weight 1).
  • Time limit: 840 minutes (14 hours) of written examination time across the three parts
  • Exam fee: CHF 2,000 for first-time candidates; preparatory courses are eligible for the 50% Swiss federal tuition subsidy (Bundesbeiträge)

Keys to Passing

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Fachmann Finanz- und Rechnungswesen FA Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master Swiss Code of Obligations accounting provisions (Art. 957-963b OR): Understand statutory minimum breakdown requirements, valuation rules for current and non-current assets, formation and dissolution of hidden reserves (stille Reserven), and legal reserves under Swiss corporate law.
2Understand Swiss GAAP FER Core Standards: Know the recognition criteria, valuation rules, and presentation requirements for Swiss GAAP FER 1 to 6 (Framework, Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement, Statement of Changes in Equity, and Notes).
3Calculate Swiss direct taxes accurately: Practice calculating taxable net profit starting from the commercial statutory accounts (Massgeblichkeitsprinzip), adding back commercially unjustified expenses (geschäftsmässig nicht begründeter Aufwand), and computing the participation relief (Beteiligungsabzug).
4Master Swiss VAT (MWSTG) mechanisms: Know the standard rate (8.1%), reduced rate (2.6%), and accommodation rate (3.8%), input tax deduction rules (Vorsteuerabzug), input tax corrections (Eigenverbrauch, Einlageentsteuern), and statutory turnover thresholds.
5Calculate Swiss payroll and social security: Master gross-to-net deductions for AHV/IV/EO (5.3% employee share), ALV (1.1% up to CHF 148,200), UVG non-occupational accident insurance, KTG sickness daily allowance, and BVG coordination deductions and age-graded retirement credits (Altersgutschriften).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Fachmann im Finanz- und Rechnungswesen mit eidg. Fachausweis?

The Fachfrau / Fachmann im Finanz- und Rechnungswesen mit eidgenössischem Fachausweis is a federally recognized qualification (Berufsprüfung) in Switzerland, accredited by the SBFI at Level 5 of the National Qualifications Framework. It is the premier standard credential for accounting, financial reporting, and payroll management in Swiss business practice.

Who organizes the Swiss Finance and Accounting Federal Examination?

The examination is conducted by the Prüfungsverein FRF (Verein für die Berufs- und höheren Fachprüfungen in Rechnungswesen und Controlling), representing swissaccounting (formerly veb.ch) and the Kaufmännischer Verband Schweiz, operating under the regulatory supervision of the SBFI.

What are the admission requirements for the Federal Examination?

Candidates must hold an EFZ commercial apprenticeship diploma, a gymnasiale Maturität, a Fachmittelschulausweis, or an equivalent higher qualification, accompanied by at least 3 years of qualified professional practice in accounting, fiduciary, or taxation. Candidates without standard VET credentials require at least 5 years of verified professional practice.

How is the Federal Examination structured and scored?

The examination consists of 14 hours of guided written cases: Rechnungswesen (8 hours, weight 3), Löhne und Versicherungen (3 hours), and Steuern (3 hours). An overall grade of at least 4.0 is required.

Are preparatory courses subsidized by the Swiss Federal Government?

Yes. Under the SBFI federal subsidy program for higher vocational education (Bundesbeiträge für eidgenössische Prüfungen), the Swiss Confederation reimburses 50% of eligible tuition costs (up to CHF 9,500 for Berufsprüfungen) directly to candidates after taking the official examination.

Why are practice questions provided in English on OpenExamPrep?

While the official Swiss exams are held in German, French, or Italian, many finance professionals in multinational corporations, private equity, and international fiduciary firms study concepts in English. This practice bank adapts the official Swiss competencies, legal rules (OR, DBG, StHG, MWSTG, BVG), and Swiss GAAP FER into rigorous English-language study questions.