I Like Accounting

Governmental Funds

Lesson
Show/Hide Lesson

There are three basic categories of governmental funds:

  • Basic Governmental Funds - Used for basic governmental operations.
  • Proprietary Funds - Used for government services that are run like a business and that charge a fee to customers.
  • Fiduciary Funds - Financials that are managed by the government but belong to another party.

Each type has subtypes. Understanding the purpose of each will prove helpful when working with government financials.

Remember that basic governmental funds use the modified accrual basis of accounting, not the full accrual.

Question Some of the state government's accounting records seem to be missing labels.
What kind of fund's definition is as follows: It holds taxes that must be spent for a specific purpose.
Answer