Mindereinnahmen

Mindereinnahmen is a term used in accounting and public finance to describe revenues that fall short of what was forecasted or budgeted. It refers to a negative deviation between planned income and actual receipts, and can affect the overall balance of a budget or financial plan. While commonly discussed in government budgeting, the concept also applies to corporate forecasting and annual financial statements.

The causes of mindereinnahmen are varied. They include an economic slowdown that reduces tax and other revenue streams, changes in tax legislation or collection practices, delays in revenue collection, lower prices or volumes for commodity-related revenues, and speculative or optimistic forecasting. Measurement typically involves comparing forecasted revenue with actual revenue and expressing the shortfall as an absolute amount or as a percentage of the budget.

Implications of mindereinnahmen can be significant. Persistent shortfalls may create budget gaps, necessitating corrective actions such as cutting expenditures, reprogramming funds, utilizing reserve or contingency funds, or increasing borrowing. In the public sector, mindereinnahmen can affect service delivery, credit ratings, and fiscal sustainability, prompting reform of forecasting methods or revenue policy. In the private sector, they can lead to revised financial guidance and adjustments to investment plans.

Mitigation strategies include improving revenue forecasting accuracy, strengthening tax administration and collection, building and maintaining reserves, diversifying revenue sources, and implementing expenditure controls. Effective risk management and medium-term financial planning are commonly emphasized to cushion against future mindereinnahmen.