Tilinpäätösohjeistus

Tilinpäätösohjeistus refers to the guidelines and instructions related to the preparation and presentation of financial statements. In Finland, these instructions are primarily governed by accounting legislation, particularly the Finnish Accounting Act (Kirjanpitolaki) and related decrees. These laws dictate the principles and formats that companies must follow when producing their annual financial statements.

The purpose of tilinpäätösohjeistus is to ensure that financial statements are prepared in a consistent, comparable, and understandable manner. This uniformity is crucial for stakeholders, including investors, creditors, tax authorities, and management, to accurately assess a company's financial performance and position. The guidelines cover aspects such as the recognition of income and expenses, valuation of assets and liabilities, and the structure of the balance sheet, income statement, and notes to the financial statements.

For publicly listed companies and larger corporations, compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is often required in addition to national legislation. Finnish accounting standards provide a framework for smaller entities, while IFRS offers a more detailed and principles-based approach for international comparability. The tilinpäätösohjeistus ensures that these varying requirements are met, promoting transparency and reliability in financial reporting.