Which accounts get closed at the end of a fiscal year?
The temporary accounts get closed at the end of an accounting year. Temporary accounts include all of the income statement accounts (revenues, expenses, gains, losses), the sole proprietor’s drawing account, the income summary account, and any other account that is used for keeping a tally of the current year amounts. Since the temporary accounts are closed at the end of each fiscal year, they will begin the new fiscal year with zero balances.
The accounts that do not get closed (their balances are carried forward to the next accounting year) are referred to as permanent accounts. The balance sheet accounts are permanent accounts.
About the Author: Harold Averkamp (CPA) has worked as an accountant, consultant, and university accounting instructor for more than 25 years.He is the creator of the AccountingCoach Pro which has been praised for its ability to simplify accounting in a way that anybody can understand.
![]() | Learn more about AccountingCoach Pro |


