What is a fiscal year?

A fiscal year (FY) is a 12-month period used for accounting and financial reporting. It may or may not align with the calendar year. Organizations choose a fiscal year that best matches their business cycle and reporting needs.

Why don't all companies use January–December?

Companies choose fiscal years that align with their business cycles. Retailers end after the holiday season (January or February), schools align with academic years (July), and governments may use October (US federal) or April (UK) based on legislative schedules.

What is the US government fiscal year?

The US federal government fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30. It is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Congressional budget cycles follow this schedule.

How do I determine which quarter I'm in?

Divide the fiscal year into four 3-month periods: Q1 is months 1–3, Q2 is months 4–6, Q3 is months 7–9, Q4 is months 10–12. Count from your fiscal year start month to determine which quarter contains the selected date.

Is fiscal year named by start or end?

Convention varies. The US government names fiscal years by the ending year (FY2026 ends in September 2026). Some corporations name by the starting year. Always check the specific organization's convention.

How does this affect tax filing?

Tax filing deadlines are based on fiscal year end dates. A company with a June fiscal year end files taxes based on the June 30 close, not December 31. The IRS allows almost any fiscal year end as long as it's consistently used.

Fiscal Year & Quarter Calculator

Determine the fiscal year and quarter for any date based on your fiscal year start month. Supports any start month for custom fiscal calendars.

Year

Month (1-12)

Day (1-31)

Fiscal Year Start Month

Calendar Detail

Fiscal Year

FY2026

Starts October | 365 total days

Fiscal Quarter

January - March

Month in FY

6 of 12

Month 3 of Q2

FY Progress

44.66%

Day 163 of 365

Days Left in FY

202

163 days elapsed

Quarter Progress

78.89%

Day 71 of 90 in Q2

Days Left in Quarter

71 days into Q2

Fiscal Year Progress

44.7%

78.9%

Fiscal Calendar - FY2026

Quarter	Month 1	Month 2	Month 3	Total Days
Q1	October (31d)	November (30d)	December (31d)	92
Q2 *	January (31d)	February (28d)	March (31d)	90
Q3	April (30d)	May (31d)	June (30d)	91
Q4	July (31d)	August (31d)	September (30d)	92

* Current quarter highlighted

Common Fiscal Year Starts

Start Month	Used By	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4
January	Calendar year companies	Jan-Mar	Apr-Jun	Jul-Sep	Oct-Dec
April	UK, India, Canada gov	Apr-Jun	Jul-Sep	Oct-Dec	Jan-Mar
July	Australia, NZ gov	Jul-Sep	Oct-Dec	Jan-Mar	Apr-Jun
October	US Federal government	Oct-Dec	Jan-Mar	Apr-Jun	Jul-Sep
February	Retail (NRF 4-5-4)	Feb-Apr	May-Jul	Aug-Oct	Nov-Jan

Planning notes, formulas, and examples

About the Fiscal Year & Quarter Calculator

The Fiscal Year & Quarter Calculator determines the fiscal year and quarter for any given date based on your organization's fiscal year start month. While many companies follow the standard January–December calendar year, many others use different fiscal year schedules—the US federal government starts in October, many educational institutions start in July, and retailers often start in February.

Knowing the correct fiscal year and quarter is essential for financial reporting, budgeting, tax compliance, and business planning. A date in September of one calendar year can fall in very different fiscal quarters depending on whether the fiscal year starts in January, July, or October.

This calculator lets you set any month as the fiscal year start and then determines the correct fiscal year designation and quarter number for any date. It supports all 12 possible start months and handles the year rollover correctly.

When This Page Helps

Different organizations use different fiscal year starting months, making fiscal year and quarter determination confusing. This calculator eliminates errors by correctly mapping any date to the right fiscal year and quarter based on your chosen start month.

How to Use the Inputs

Enter the date you want to classify (year, month, day).
Select or enter the fiscal year start month (1–12).
The calculator shows the fiscal year designation based on your chosen naming convention.
View which fiscal quarter the date falls in (Q1, Q2, Q3, or Q4).
See the date range for the current fiscal quarter.

Formula used

Months into fiscal year = (date_month − start_month + 12) mod 12
Fiscal Quarter = floor(months_into_FY / 3) + 1
Fiscal Year = calendar_year (if date_month ≥ start_month) or calendar_year (if start_month = 1) or calendar_year + 1 (if date_month < start_month)

Example Calculation

Result: FY2030, Q2

With an October fiscal year start (like the US government), March 2030 falls in fiscal year 2030. March is the 6th month of that fiscal year (Oct=1, Nov=2, Dec=3, Jan=4, Feb=5, Mar=6), so it falls in Q2 (months 4–6).

Tips & Best Practices

The US federal government fiscal year starts October 1 and is named for the year in which it ends.
UK tax year starts April 6, while UK government fiscal year starts April 1.
Many US companies use January, April, July, or October as fiscal year starts.
Retailers often use February 1 (e.g., Walmart) to capture the full holiday season in one FY.
Always clarify which fiscal year convention is being used in financial reports.
Some organizations name fiscal years by the ending year, others by the starting year.

Understanding Fiscal Years

A fiscal year provides a 12-month framework for financial accounting that may differ from the calendar year. This flexibility allows organizations to align reporting periods with their natural business cycles, making financial analysis more meaningful.

Common Fiscal Year Start Months

January: most common for calendar-year companies. April: UK government and many international organizations. July: educational institutions and some governments. October: US federal government. February: some retailers (to capture the full holiday season in one fiscal year).

Planning Around Fiscal Quarters

Budget allocations, quarterly earnings reports, and strategic planning all revolve around fiscal quarters. Knowing which quarter you"re in determines reporting deadlines, budget availability, and performance review cycles. For multi-national companies, different subsidiaries may use different fiscal year conventions.

Sources & Methodology

Last updated: February 8, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

A fiscal year (FY) is a 12-month period used for accounting and financial reporting. It may or may not align with the calendar year. Organizations choose a fiscal year that best matches their business cycle and reporting needs.