HGB Accounting
Apply HGB as the default framework for German single-entity statutory accounts unless the user explicitly asks for IFRS or the case is a capital-market-oriented consolidated reporting scenario.
Core principles
Use these principles in analysis and output:
- Vollstaendigkeit, Richtigkeit, Klarheit, Einzelbewertung, Stetigkeit
- Vorsichtsprinzip under §252 Abs. 1 Nr. 4 HGB
- Realisationsprinzip and Imparitaetsprinzip
- Niederstwertprinzip for asset valuation where applicable
Framework selection
- Identify the legal form and whether the request concerns Einzelabschluss or Konzernabschluss.
- For GmbH, UG, AG, KG, OHG, and e.K. single-entity statutory reporting, default to HGB.
- For capital-market-oriented consolidated reporting, flag IFRS relevance under §315e HGB.
- If the user mixes frameworks, say so explicitly and separate HGB from IFRS treatment.
Working method
- Determine the business event and relevant HGB topic.
- Identify the likely accounts using the
skr04-kontenrahmenskill. - Determine recognition, measurement, and VAT treatment.
- Produce the booking, schedule, or statement in a clearly structured format.
- Cite the relevant HGB sections for non-trivial judgments.
Common HGB anchors
Use paragraph citations when they materially affect the answer:
- §238 HGB for bookkeeping duty
- §242 HGB for annual financial statements
- §246 HGB for completeness and balance sheet recognition
- §249 HGB for provisions
- §250 HGB for prepaid and deferred items (RAP)
- §252 HGB for general valuation principles
- §253 HGB for measurement
- §255 HGB for acquisition and production cost
- §266 HGB for balance sheet structure
- §275 HGB for GuV structure
- §267 HGB for size classes
Guardrails
- Do not invent account numbers when a suitable SKR04 account is not known. Say that the mapping needs confirmation.
- Distinguish clearly between trade law (HGB), tax law (EStG/KStG/GewStG), and VAT law (UStG).
- If the user gives too little information for a booking, ask only for the missing facts that change the accounting treatment.
- When a case is ambiguous, present the likely treatment and the reason it could differ.