Fiscal year
A fiscal year is used in government accounting, which varies between countries, and for budget purposes. It is also used for financial reporting by businesses and other organizations. Laws in many jurisdictions require company financial reports to be prepared and published on an annual basis, but generally do not require the reporting period to align with the calendar year. Taxation laws generally require accounting records to be maintained and taxes calculated on an annual basis, which usually corresponds to the fiscal year used for government purposes. The calculation of tax on an annual basis is especially relevant for direct taxation, such as income tax. Many annual government fees—such as Council rates, license fees, etc.—are also levied on a fiscal year basis, while others are charged on an anniversary basis.
Some companies—such as Cisco Systems—end their fiscal year on the same day of the week each year, i.e. the day that is closest to a particular date. Under such a system, some fiscal years will have 52 weeks and others 53 weeks.
The calendar year is used as the fiscal year by about 65% of publicly traded companies in the United States and for a majority of large corporations in the UK. It's the case in many countries around the world with a few exceptions, for example, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.
Many universities have a fiscal year which ends during the summer to align the fiscal year with the academic year, and because the university is normally less busy during the summer months. In the northern hemisphere this is July to the next June. In the southern hemisphere this is calendar year, January to December. Some media/communication-based organizations use a broadcast calendar as the basis for their fiscal year.
The fiscal year is usually denoted by the calendar year in which it ends, so United States federal government spending incurred on 14 November would belong to fiscal year, operating on a fiscal calendar of October–September.
Chart of various fiscal years
Tax year
The fiscal year for individuals and entities to report and pay income taxes is often known as the taxpayer's tax year or taxable year. Taxpayers in many jurisdictions may choose their tax year. Some federal countries, such as Canada and Switzerland, require the provincial or cantonal tax year to align with the federal year. In the United States, most states retained a 30 June fiscal year-end date when the federal government switched to 30 September in 1976. Nearly all jurisdictions require that the tax year be 12 months or 52/53 weeks. However, short years are permitted as the first year or when changing tax years.Most countries require all individuals to pay income tax based on the calendar year. Significant exceptions include:
- Australia: individuals pay income tax based on the financial year of 1 July until 30 June.
- United Kingdom: the tax year for individuals begins on 6 April. This is due to Britain historically having a calendar year starting on Lady Day in the Julian calendar, which translated to 5 April when the Gregorian calendar was adopted in 1752, and which then became 6 April in 1800..
- United States: individuals may elect any tax year, subject to IRS approval.
Operation in various countries/region
In some jurisdictions, particularly those that permit tax consolidation, companies that are part of a group of businesses must use nearly the same fiscal year, with consolidating entries to adjust for transactions between units with different fiscal years, so the same resources will not be counted more than once or not at all.Afghanistan
In Afghanistan, the fiscal year was changed from 1 Hamal – 29 Hoot to 1 Jadi – 30 Qaws in 2011. The fiscal year runs with the Afghan or Solar Hijri calendar, because of the differing cycle of leap years in the Gregorian and Afghan calendars, there can be slight differences in the start date of fiscal years. As shown in the chart below, leap years will coincide in 2020 and 2024 but will desynchronize with the Gregorian calendar having a leap year in 2028 as opposed to the Afghan calendar's leap year of 2029.Correspondence of Solar Hijri and Gregorian calendars
| 33-year cycle | Solar Hijri year | Gregorian year | Solar Hijri year | Gregorian year |
| 1 | 1354* | 21 March 1975 – 20 March 1976 | 1387* | 20 March 2008 – 20 March 2009 |
| 2 | 1355 | 21 March 1976 – 20 March 1977 | 1388 | 21 March 2009 – 20 March 2010 |
| 3 | 1356 | 21 March 1977 – 20 March 1978 | 1389 | 21 March 2010 – 20 March 2011 |
| 4 | 1357 | 21 March 1978 – 20 March 1979 | 1390 | 21 March 2011 – 19 March 2012 |
| 5 | 1358* | 21 March 1979 – 20 March 1980 | 1391* | 20 March 2012 – 20 March 2013 |
| 6 | 1359 | 21 March 1980 – 20 March 1981 | 1392 | 21 March 2013 – 20 March 2014 |
| 7 | 1360 | 21 March 1981 – 20 March 1982 | 1393 | 21 March 2014 – 20 March 2015 |
| 8 | 1361 | 21 March 1982 – 20 March 1983 | 1394 | 21 March 2015 – 19 March 2016 |
| 9 | 1362* | 21 March 1983 – 20 March 1984 | 1395* | 20 March 2016 – 20 March 2017 |
| 10 | 1363 | 21 March 1984 – 20 March 1985 | 1396 | 21 March 2017 – 20 March 2018 |
| 11 | 1364 | 21 March 1985 – 20 March 1986 | 1397 | 21 March 2018 – 20 March 2019 |
| 12 | 1365 | 21 March 1986 – 20 March 1987 | 1398 | 21 March 2019 – 19 March 2020 |
| 13 | 1366* | 21 March 1987 – 20 March 1988 | 1399* | 20 March 2020 – 20 March 2021 |
| 14 | 1367 | 21 March 1988 – 20 March 1989 | 1400 | 21 March 2021 – 20 March 2022 |
| 15 | 1368 | 21 March 1989 – 20 March 1990 | 1401 | 21 March 2022 – 20 March 2023 |
| 16 | 1369 | 21 March 1990 – 20 March 1991 | 1402 | 21 March 2023 – 19 March 2024 |
| 17 | 1370* | 21 March 1991 – 20 March 1992 | 1403* | 20 March 2024 – 20 March 2025 |
| 18 | 1371 | 21 March 1992 – 20 March 1993 | 1404 | 21 March 2025 – 20 March 2026 |
| 19 | 1372 | 21 March 1993 – 20 March 1994 | 1405 | 21 March 2026 – 20 March 2027 |
| 20 | 1373 | 21 March 1994 – 20 March 1995 | 1406 | 21 March 2027 – 19 March 2028 |
| 21 | 1374 | 21 March 1995 – 19 March 1996 | 1407 | 20 March 2028 – 19 March 2029 |
| 22 | 1375* | 20 March 1996 – 20 March 1997 | 1408* | 20 March 2029 – 20 March 2030 |
| 23 | 1376 | 21 March 1997 – 20 March 1998 | 1409 | 21 March 2030 – 20 March 2031 |
| 24 | 1377 | 21 March 1998 – 20 March 1999 | 1410 | 21 March 2031 – 19 March 2032 |
| 25 | 1378 | 21 March 1999 – 19 March 2000 | 1411 | 20 March 2032 – 19 March 2033 |
| 26 | 1379* | 20 March 2000 – 20 March 2001 | 1412* | 20 March 2033 – 20 March 2034 |
| 27 | 1380 | 21 March 2001 – 20 March 2002 | 1413 | 21 March 2034 – 20 March 2035 |
| 28 | 1381 | 21 March 2002 – 20 March 2003 | 1414 | 21 March 2035 – 19 March 2036 |
| 29 | 1382 | 21 March 2003 – 19 March 2004 | 1415 | 20 March 2036 – 19 March 2037 |
| 30 | 1383* | 20 March 2004 – 20 March 2005 | 1416* | 20 March 2037 – 20 March 2038 |
| 31 | 1384 | 21 March 2005 – 20 March 2006 | 1417 | 21 March 2038 – 20 March 2039 |
| 32 | 1385 | 21 March 2006 – 20 March 2007 | 1418 | 21 March 2039 – 19 March 2040 |
| 33 | 1386 | 21 March 2007 – 19 March 2008 | 1419 | 20 March 2040 – 19 March 2041 |
Australia
In Australia, a fiscal year is commonly called a "financial year" and starts on 1 July and ends on the next 30 June. Financial years are designated by the calendar year of the second half of the period. For example, financial year 2017 is the 12-month period ending on 30 June 2017 and can be referred to as FY2016/17. It is used for official purposes, by individual taxpayers and by the overwhelming majority of business enterprises. Business enterprises may opt to use a financial year that ends at the end of a week, or opt for its financial year to end on a date that matches the reporting cycle of its foreign parent. All entities within the one group must use the same financial year.For government accounting and budget purposes, pre-Federation colonies changed the financial year from the calendar year to a year ending 30 June on the following dates: Victoria changed in 1870, South Australia in 1874, Queensland in 1875, Western Australia in 1892, New South Wales in 1895 and Tasmania in 1904. The Commonwealth adopted the near-ubiquitous financial year standard since its inception in 1901. The reason given for the change was for convenience, as Parliament typically sits during May and June, while it was difficult for it to meet in November and December to pass a budget.
The Financial year is split into the following four quarters
| Quarter | Period covered |
| Quarter 1 | 1 Jul – 30 Sep |
| Quarter 2 | 1 Oct – 31 Dec |
| Quarter 3 | 1 Jan – 31 Mar |
| Quarter 4 | 1 Apr – 30 Jun |
Austria
In Austria the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, the fiscal year is 01 July to the next 30 June.Belarus
In Belarus, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.Brazil
In Brazil, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.Bulgaria
In Bulgaria, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December, both for personal income tax and for corporate taxes.Canada
In Canada, the government's financial year is 1 April to 31 March.For individual taxpayers, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.
China
In China, the fiscal year for all entities is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December, and applies to the tax year, statutory year, and planning year.Colombia
In Colombia, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.Costa Rica
In Costa Rica, the fiscal year is 1 October to 30 September.Egypt
In the Arab Republic of Egypt, the fiscal year is 1 July to 30 June.France
In France, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December, and has been since at least 1911.Greece
In Greece, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, the government's financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March.However, a company incorporated in Hong Kong can determine its own financial year-end, which may be different from the government fiscal year.
India
In India, the government's financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March. It is abbreviated as a FY.Companies following the Indian Depositary Receipt are given freedom to choose their financial year. For example, Standard Chartered's IDR follows the UK calendar despite being listed in India. Companies following Indian fiscal year get to know their economical health on 31 March of every Indian financial or fiscal year.
The current fiscal year was adopted by the colonial British government in 1867 to align India's financial year with that of the British Empire. Prior to 1867, India followed a fiscal year that ran from 1 May to 30 April.
In 1984, the LK Jha committee recommended adopting a fiscal year that ran from 1 January to 31 December. However, this proposal was not adopted by the government fearing possible issues during the transition period. A panel set up by the NITI Aayog in July 2016, recommended starting the next fiscal year from 1 January to 31 December after the end of the current five-year plan.
On 4 May 2017, Madhya Pradesh announced that it would move to a January–December financial year, becoming the first Indian state to do so. But later it dropped the idea.
Indonesia
In Indonesia, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.Iran
In Iran, the fiscal year usually starts on 21 March and concludes on next year's 20 March inIreland
Until 2001, the fiscal year in Ireland was the year ending 5 April, as in the United Kingdom. From 2002, to coincide with the introduction of the euro, it was changed to the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December. The 2001 tax year was nine months, from April to December.Israel
In Israel, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.Italy
In Italy, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December. It was changed in 1965, before which it was 1 July to 30 June.Japan
In Japan the government's financial year is from 1 April to 31 March. The fiscal year is represented by the calendar year in which the period begins, followed by the word nendo ; for example the fiscal year from 1 April to 31 March is called –nendo.Japan's income tax year is 1 January to 31 December, but corporate tax is charged according to the corporation's own annual period.
Macau
In Macau, the government's financial year is 1 January to 31 December.Mexico
In Mexico, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.Myanmar/Burma
In Myanmar, the fiscal year is 1 October to 30 September.Nepal
In Nepal, the fiscal year is 1 Shrawan to 31 Ashad. Shrawan 1 roughly falls in mid-July.New Zealand
In New Zealand, the government's fiscal and financial reporting year is 1 July to the next 30 June and applies also to the budget. The company and personal financial year is 1 April to 31 March and applies to company and personal income tax.Pakistan
The Pakistani government's fiscal year is 1 July of the previous calendar year and concludes on 30 June. Private companies are free to observe their own accounting year, which may not be the same as government's fiscal year.Poland
In Poland, the fiscal year is from 1 January to 31 December.Portugal
In Portugal, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.Qatar
In Qatar, the fiscal year is from 1 January to 31 December.Romania
In Romania, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.Russia
In Russia, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.Singapore
The fiscal year for the calculation of personal income taxes is 1 January to 31 December.The fiscal year for the Government of Singapore and many government-linked corporations is 1 April to 31 March.
Corporations and organisations are permitted to select any date as the end of each fiscal year, as long as this date remains constant. However, new companies should consciously choose their financial year end to stretch as much as a duration of 12 months as possible.
South Africa
In South Africa, the fiscal year for the Government of South Africa is 1 April to 31 March.The year of assessment for individuals covers twelve months, 1 March to the final day of February the following year. The Act also provides for certain classes of taxpayers to have a year of assessment ending on a day other than the last day of February. Companies are permitted to have a tax year ending on a date that coincides with their financial year. Many older companies still use a tax year that runs from 1 July to 30 June, inherited from the British system. A common practice for newer companies is to run their tax year from 1 March to the final day of February following, to synchronize with the tax year for individuals.
South Korea
In South Korea, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.Spain
In Spain, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.Sweden
In Sweden, the fiscal year for individuals is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.The fiscal year for an organisation is typically one of the following:
- 1 January to 31 December
- 1 May to 30 April
- 1 July to 30 June
- 1 September to 31 August
Switzerland
In Switzerland, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.Taiwan
Taiwan, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December. However, an enterprise may elect to adopt a special fiscal year at the time it is established and can request approval from the tax authorities to change its fiscal year.Thailand
In Thailand, the government's fiscal year is 1 October to 30 September of the following year. For individual taxpayers it is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.Turkey
In Turkey, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.Ukraine
In Ukraine, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.United Arab Emirates
In the United Arab Emirates, the fiscal year is the calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, the financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March for the purposes of government financial statements. For personal tax purposes the fiscal year starts on 6 April and ends on 5 April of the next calendar year.Although United Kingdom corporation tax is charged by reference to the government's financial year, companies can adopt any year as their accounting year: if there is a change in tax rate, the taxable profit is apportioned to financial years on a time basis.
A number of major corporations that were once government-owned, such as BT Group and the National Grid, continue to use the government's financial year, which ends on the last day of March, as they have found no reason to change since privatisation.
The 5 April year end for income tax reflects the old civil and ecclesiastical calendar under which New Year began on 25 March. The difference between the two dates is accounted for by the eleven days omitted when Great Britain converted from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar in September 1752. At first sight the addition of eleven days to 25 March results in a tax year beginning on 5 April. However, the tax year previously actually began on 26 March. The taxes charged by the year applied to a year "from" 25 March and, under a legal rule of interpretation dating back to at least 1628, this meant the tax year began a day later on 26 March.
For a fuller explanation about the origin of the United Kingdom income tax year see the article on the Calendar Act 1750 under the heading.
United States
Federal government
The United States federal government's fiscal year is the 12-month period beginning 1 October and ending 30 September the following year. The identification of a fiscal year is the calendar year in which it ends; thus, the current fiscal year is, often written as "FY" or "FY", which began on 1 October and will end on 30 September.Prior to 1976, the fiscal year began on 1 July and ended on 30 June. The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 made the change to allow Congress more time to arrive at a budget each year, and provided for what is known as the "transitional quarter" from 1 July 1976 to 30 September 1976. An earlier shift in the federal government's fiscal year was made in 1843, shifting the fiscal year from a calendar year to one starting on 1 July.
For example, the United States government fiscal year for is:
- 1st quarter: 1 October – 31 December
- 2nd quarter: 1 January – 31 March
- 3rd quarter: 1 April – 30 June
- 4th quarter: 1 July – 30 September
State governments
- Alabama, ends 30 September
- Michigan, ends 30 September
- New York, ends 31 March
- Texas, ends 31 August
Among the inhabited territories of the United States, most align with the federal fiscal year, ending on 30 September. These include American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico is the exception, with its fiscal year ending on 30 June.