What is the balance sheet called in IFRS?

Asked by: Marley Koch  |  Last update: June 23, 2026
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Under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), the balance sheet is officially called the Statement of Financial Position, though the term "Balance Sheet" is still widely understood and used, with IAS 1 requiring this formal name for the report detailing assets, liabilities, and equity.

What is a balance sheet called in IFRS?

While both require a classified balance sheet, IFRS refers to it as the statement of financial position and presents equity before liabilities.

What is the difference between IFRS and GAAP balance sheet?

The Balance Sheet

The way a balance sheet is formatted is different in the US than in other countries. Under GAAP, current assets are listed first, while a sheet prepared under IFRS begins with non-current assets. The two standards also dictate different approaches to ordering categories on the balance sheet.

What are the 4 financial statements of IFRS?

To see the whole picture, you need to consider all four statements: income, balance, cash flow and retained earnings.

What is the official name of the balance sheet?

In financial accounting, a balance sheet (also known as statement of financial position or statement of financial condition) is a summary of the financial balances of an individual or organization, whether it be a sole proprietorship, a business partnership, a corporation, a private limited company or other ...

The BALANCE SHEET for BEGINNERS (Full Example)

37 related questions found

What is another name for a balance sheet?

A balance sheet is also known as a Statement of Financial Position or a Statement of Financial Condition, summarizing a company's assets, liabilities, and equity at a specific point in time, like a financial "snapshot". It's a core financial report alongside the income statement and cash flow statement, showing what a business owns versus what it owes.
 

What are three types of balance sheets?

The 3 types of balance sheets are:

  • Comparative balance sheets.
  • Vertical balance sheets.
  • Horizontal balance sheets.

What are the financial statements in IFRS?

Financial statements are written records that illustrates the business activities and the financial performance of a company. In most cases they are audited to ensure accuracy for tax, financing, or investing purposes.

What are the 4 pillars of IFRS?

The four pillars of IFRS S1 and S2 are governance, strategy, risk management and metrics and targets.

What are the 5 elements of IFRS?

According to IFRS, there are 5, namely Income Statement which aims to determine the profit or loss of a company, Statement of change in Equity which aims to determine changes in the capital of a company within a certain period, Statement of Financial Position which aims to show the financial position of a company in a ...

Is GAAP harder than IFRS?

IFRS is principles-based and offers flexibility, which can be beneficial for larger, more complex businesses. However, GAAP provides detailed, rules-based guidelines, making it easier for businesses with more straightforward reporting needs.

When did IFRS replace GAAP?

When will the changes come into effect? The FRC has decided to apply the new regime for financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2015, which will require 2014 comparatives to be restated. What is FRS 102? FRS 102 will replace almost all current UK accounting standards from 2015.

Does IFRS allow LiFO?

LIFO is banned under IFRS due to potential financial distortions. LIFO can understate company earnings and lead to outdated inventory values.

What is the difference between GAAP and IFRS balance sheet?

Balance Sheet

Balance sheets differ between companies that follow GAAP and those that follow IFRS. For example, current assets are displayed first in GAAP, while IFRS reports begin with non-current assets. Additionally, the IFRS and GAAP standards employ different approaches for categorizing items.

What are the 3 main financial statements?

The three main financial statements are the Income Statement (profitability over time), the Balance Sheet (assets, liabilities, equity at a point in time), and the Cash Flow Statement (cash movement from operations, investing, and financing activities), which together provide a comprehensive view of a company's financial health and performance. 

What are the 7 current assets?

The 7 common current assets are Cash & Equivalents, Marketable Securities, Accounts Receivable, Inventory, Operating Supplies, Prepaid Expenses, and Other Liquid Assets, representing items easily converted to cash (within a year) for short-term operations, crucial for liquidity. 

What is the IFRS 5 rule?

IFRS 5 applies to a non-current asset (or disposal group) that is classified as held for distribution to owners. A discontinued operation is a component of an entity that has either been disposed of or is classified as held for sale.

What is the IFRS checklist?

Disclosure checklists

Our disclosure checklist outlines the minimum disclosures required by IAS 34 'Interim financial reporting' and other IFRS Acocunting Standards published by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). It is intended for the use of existing preparers of IFRS financial statement.

What are the 3 P's of ESG?

The Ps refer to People, Planet, and Profit, also often referred to as the triple bottom line. Sustainability has the role of protecting and maximising the benefit of the 3Ps.

What are the 4 types of financial statements?

The four core financial statements are the Balance Sheet (snapshot of assets, liabilities, equity), the Income Statement (revenues, expenses, profit over time), the Cash Flow Statement (cash inflows/outflows over time), and the Statement of Shareholders' Equity (changes in owner investment over time), all crucial for understanding a company's financial health.
 

What is the IFRS 9 financial statement?

IFRS 9 allows companies to designate a financial liability as measured at FVTPL if it would eliminate or significantly reduce a measurement or recognition inconsistency (an 'accounting mismatch') which would otherwise arise from measuring assets or liabilities or recognising the gains and losses on them on different ...

Who uses IFRS to prepare financial statements?

ASPE was designed for private companies; IFRS Accounting Standards is to be applied by public companies and other publicly accountable enterprises.

What is a balance sheet now called?

Also known as a statement of financial position. In financial accounting, a balance sheet, or statement of financial position, is a summary of the value of all assets, liabilities, and ownership equity for an organization or individual on a specific date, such as the end of its financial year.

What is the golden balance sheet rule?

The golden balance sheet rule is a principle of finance that is used in particular in balance sheet analysis. It states that a company's fixed assets should be financed by long-term capital, i.e. equity and long-term debt.

What are the 5 basic types of accounts?

These can include asset, expense, income, liability and equity accounts. You may use each account for a different purpose and maintain them on your financial ledger or balance sheet continuously.