Fiscal Year Calculator

Fiscal year start and end dates and quarter ranges for any start month, with US, UK, Canadian and Australian conventions.

How to Use

  1. 1

    Enter the starting calendar year

    The calendar year in which the fiscal year begins (for US federal FY 2026, enter 2025).

  2. 2

    Select the fiscal year start month

    October for the US federal government, April for the UK government and Canada, July for Australia.

  3. 3

    Click Calculate

    The tool shows the FY label, the US-style name by end year, the start and end dates and all four quarter date ranges.

  4. 4

    Copy the result

    Click Copy to save the fiscal year summary to your clipboard.

By O.E. — Partner, chairman of the board and CEO of a metal products manufacturer for 21 years; the company exports to 45 countries.

Drafted with AI assistance; calculations checked against primary sources and tested with the site's own code. About FlowUtil

Last reviewed

How the Fiscal Year Is Calculated

The fiscal year starts on the 1st of the chosen month in the calendar year you enter and ends on the last day of the 12th month. Quarters are three calendar months each; month lengths, including February 29 in leap years, come from the real calendar.

Label: a January start gives "FY 2026"; any other start month gives both calendar years, "FY 2025/26". For non-January years the result also shows the name by end year ("Named by end year: FY 2026"), the convention of the US federal government and many US companies.

Fiscal years that start mid-month (the UK personal tax year, April 6 – April 5) and 52–53-week years, which end on the same weekday every year, are outside this calculator.

SymbolMeaning
Calendar yearThe year in which the fiscal year begins (1–9999)
Start monthFirst month of the fiscal year; it starts on day 1
FY endLast day of the 12th month
Q1–Q4Months 1–3, 4–6, 7–9 and 10–12 of the fiscal year

Which Values Should I Enter?

Always enter the calendar year in which the fiscal year begins. In the US, the federal fiscal year — and many US companies' — is referred to by the calendar year in which it ends: October 2025 to September 2026 is "FY 2026". In the UK, Canada and Australia both years are usually written ("2026–27").

OrganisationStart monthTo get…EnterResult
US federal governmentOctoberFY 2026 (Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026)2025, OctoberFY 2025/26 · named by end year FY 2026
Canada federal governmentApril2026–27 (Apr 1, 2026 – Mar 31, 2027)2026, AprilFY 2026/27
UK government financial year & corporation tax financial yearApril2026–27 (Apr 1, 2026 – Mar 31, 2027)2026, AprilFY 2026/27
Australia (financial year / income year)July2025–26 (Jul 1, 2025 – Jun 30, 2026)2025, JulyFY 2025/26
Calendar-year businessJanuaryFY 20262026, JanuaryFY 2026

The UK personal tax year runs 6 April – 5 April, so it cannot be calculated exactly here: entering April gives dates five days earlier than the real tax year.

Worked Examples

  1. 1US federal FY 2026: enter 2025 and October.

    Start October 1, 2025; end = last day of the 12th month (September 2026)

    FY 2025/26 (named by end year: FY 2026) · October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026 · Q4: July 1 – September 30, 2026

    A federal contractor whose award says "FY 2026 Q1" is talking about October–December 2025. Entering 2026 instead would give FY 2027 in US naming — a full year off.

  2. 2Australian financial year 2025–26: enter 2025 and July.

    Start July 1, 2025; end June 30, 2026

    FY 2025/26 · Q1: July 1 – September 30, 2025 · Q4: April 1 – June 30, 2026

    Individual tax returns for this year cover income earned in exactly this period.

  3. 3A retailer with a March start: enter 2027 and March.

    Start March 1, 2027; the 12th month is February 2028, a leap year

    FY 2027/28 · March 1, 2027 – February 29, 2028 · Q4: December 1, 2027 – February 29, 2028

    In a non-leap year the same Q4 ends on February 28.

Reading the Result

Quarter labels follow the fiscal year, not the calendar: for an October year, fiscal Q1 is calendar Q4.

The FY label (FY 2025/26) names both calendar years the period touches; "Named by end year" gives the US-style name (FY 2026).

Copy Result gives all dates as text, ready for a budget sheet or report.

Assumptions & Limitations

  • Day 1 startYears 1–9999; the fiscal year starts on the 1st of the chosen month.
  • No 52–53-week yearsYears that end on the last Saturday of a month (common in retail) move every year and are not calculated.
  • No tax deadlinesFiling dates depend on the country and the type of taxpayer and are not shown.

Common Mistakes

  • Entering the end yearFor US "FY 2026" enter the start year, 2025.
  • UK personal tax year on April 1It starts on April 6.
  • Calendar quartersQ1 is not January–March for a company whose fiscal year starts in another month.
  • Forgetting leap yearsA quarter or year ending in February 2028 ends on the 29th.

Sources

  1. 31 U.S. Code § 1102 — Fiscal year (Cornell LII) — begins October 1, ends September 30 of the following year
  2. IRS — Publication 538, Accounting Periods and Methods — calendar year, fiscal year, 52–53-week year
  3. Government of Canada — Financial Administration Act, section 2 — "fiscal year" April 1 – March 31
  4. Commonwealth of Australia — Acts Interpretation Act 1901, section 2B — "financial year" starts on 1 July
  5. UK Interpretation Act 1978, Schedule 1 — "financial year" = twelve months ending with 31st March
  6. GOV.UK — Corporation Tax rates and allowances — financial year starting 1 April
  7. GOV.UK — Self Assessment tax returns: deadlines — tax year 6 April – 5 April

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a fiscal year?

A 12-month period used for budgeting and financial reporting. The IRS defines it as 12 consecutive months ending on the last day of any month except December; a year ending December 31 is a calendar year.

When does the US government fiscal year start?

On October 1. It ends on September 30 of the following year and is named after the year in which it ends: FY 2026 runs from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026.

What is the UK fiscal year?

The UK government financial year and the corporation tax financial year run from April 1 to March 31. The personal tax year runs from April 6 to April 5.

What is the Australian financial year?

July 1 to June 30. The 2025–26 financial year runs from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026.

What is Canada's fiscal year?

For the federal government, April 1 to March 31 of the following year.

How are fiscal quarters determined?

Four consecutive three-month periods starting with the first month of the fiscal year. For an October year, Q1 is October–December.

Which year should I enter?

The calendar year in which the fiscal year begins. For US federal FY 2026, enter 2025 and October — the result also shows the US-style name, "Named by end year: FY 2026".

What is a 52–53-week fiscal year?

A year that always ends on the same weekday (for example the last Saturday of September), so it has 52 weeks in most years and 53 in some. This calculator does not compute those dates.