2 min read
Definition
The financial year end (or accounting reference date) is the date a company’s accounting period ends. It fixes the deadlines for statutory accounts and the corporation tax return.
In plain terms
It is your company’s financial "new year". Choosing it well — for example after your busy season, when stock is low and cash is high — can present the business at its best.
Why it matters for your company
A well-chosen year end simplifies stocktaking and can flatter the balance sheet lenders see. It can be changed, within limits. See interim accounts.
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