"Certain GL" reports is the issue. Specific reports are not meant to cross over fiscal year ends with Details. They show the Beginning balance (retained earnings) and then the Details from the specific period.
Run, for instance, reports from the Reports menu > Company & Financial, such as P&L Standard or Detail. If you want to cross fiscal year ends, which is Why you see Retained earnings, use instead, for example, P&L Standard, set for All Dates, Columns by Year. Or, P&L Detail, or Bal Sheet Detail for a date range. These work fine.
You have tons of other reports. The "GL" report is a clerical input review report. Not a financial perspective.