Financial year refers to a 12-month period over which a business operates. It is used by a business to calculate a budget along with profits and losses for the year, as well as for tax purposes. The financial year ends on different dates around the world. In Australia it is June 30, much of Europe is December 31, while the UK’s financial year ends on April 5.
A fiscal year refers to a one-year period used for budgeting and preparing financial statements for a business to provide to the government. The fiscal year is chosen by a business to report their financial information to the government. For example, a fiscal year can start with the calendar year on January 1 and finish on December 31, it can start in October and end in September, or run July to June.