How to use the fiscal year and quarter calendar
- Enter the fiscal year you want and the month your fiscal year starts.
- Choose how the year is named: by the calendar year in which it ends or the one in which it starts.
- Optionally pick a date to find which fiscal year and quarter contain it.
- Read the start date, end date and number of days of each quarter, and the table of fiscal periods.
Formula
Fiscal year start = the first day of the start month, in the year before the label when named by the year it ends
Each quarter = 3 whole calendar months, starting from the start month
Fiscal period of a date = months since the start month, plus 1; quarter = (period - 1) / 3, rounded down, plus 1
Day counts include leap days. A fiscal year that starts in January matches the calendar year, so the naming rule does not matter.
A fiscal year that starts in October
Named by the year it ends, FY2026 runs from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026, which is 365 days. The quarters are October to December (92 days), January to March (90), April to June (91) and July to September (92).
February 14, 2026 falls in FY2026 Q2. October 1, 2026 is already in FY2027 Q1. Named by the year it starts, FY2026 would run October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027, and FY2024 would contain September 30, 2025 in Q4.
Why fiscal years differ
An organization picks a fiscal year that suits its business, so a school, a retailer and a government may each start in a different month. The first month is entirely a choice, as is whether the year is named for the year it ends or begins. The United States federal government, for example, begins its fiscal year on October 1 and names it by the year it ends.
When you report across organizations, check how each one names its years. Dates inside one calendar year can belong to two fiscal years.
Calendars with weeks
Some companies use a 52 or 53 week year that ends on a particular weekday, or quarters of 4, 4 and 5 weeks. This tool uses whole calendar months, so those calendars can differ by a few days. Ask your finance team for the exact dates when it matters.
For other date questions, the date calculator adds and subtracts time and the week number calculator finds week numbers. For holidays within a quarter, see the US federal holidays calendar.
Assumptions and limits
- The start month and naming rule are your choices. The example values are not claims about any organization.
- Quarters are three calendar months each, not 13 week periods.
- Dates are in the Gregorian calendar and the year can be between 1900 and 2200.
- Your organization's finance calendar is the authority for official dates.
Frequently asked questions
What are the fiscal quarters if the year starts in October?
Q1 is October to December, Q2 is January to March, Q3 is April to June and Q4 is July to September.
What does FY2026 mean?
It depends on the organization. It usually refers to the fiscal year ending in 2026, but some name it for the year it starts, so this tool lets you choose.
How do I find the fiscal quarter of a date?
Enter the date in the optional field. The tool counts the months since your fiscal year began and tells you the fiscal year and quarter.
Why do quarters have different numbers of days?
Each quarter is three calendar months, and months have 28 to 31 days. The October quarter has 92 days and the January quarter has 90 or 91.