Statement of changes in equity: template with sample figures
One column per equity item, one row per type of movement: this is how you build the movement schedule of art. 2:378 DCC, with the legal reserve and the dividend in it.
The short answer
The statement of changes in equity shows per equity item the position at the start of the financial year, the additions and reductions by nature and the position at the end (art. 2:378(1) DCC). Medium-sized and large entities include it in full. A completed model follows below.
Updated 30 October 2026
Key facts
| Content | Opening, additions and reductions by nature, closing (art. 2:378(1) DCC) |
| Items | The seven items of art. 2:373(1) DCC, to the extent present |
| Small | Only for the revaluation reserve (art. 2:396(5) DCC) |
| Micro | Not applicable (art. 2:395a(6) DCC) |
| May be omitted for immateriality | Not permitted (art. 2:363(3) DCC) |
The example: Aalbers Software B.V.
Aalbers Software B.V. is a fictitious medium-sized software developer. In 2025 a lot happened in equity: the profit for 2024 was appropriated, a shareholder joined and the capitalised development costs increased. So every type of row occurs.
We do not provide a spreadsheet. You rebuild the table below yourself, with the formulas described further down.
Model: movement in equity in 2025
| Amounts in € | Share capital | Share premium | Legal reserve | Other reserves | Retained earnings | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position at 1 January | 50.000 | 200.000 | 180.000 | 640.000 | 310.000 | 1.380.000 |
| Profit 2024 to reserves | 0 | 0 | 0 | 190.000 | -190.000 | 0 |
| Dividend over 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -120.000 | -120.000 |
| Issue of shares | 5.000 | 95.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100.000 |
| Allocation to legal reserve | 0 | 0 | 40.000 | -40.000 | 0 | 0 |
| Result 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 365.000 | 365.000 |
| Position at 31 December | 55.000 | 295.000 | 220.000 | 790.000 | 365.000 | 1.725.000 |
Row by row
- Position at 1 January: the closing position of the adopted annual accounts for 2024, per item.
- Profit appropriation: the general meeting appropriates the profit determined by the adoption (art. 2:216(1) DCC). Here: 190,000 to the reserves and 120,000 dividend.
- Dividend: the decision only takes effect after approval by the board (art. 2:216(2) DCC).
- Issue: 5,000 nominal and 95,000 share premium. You state the manner of payment with it (art. 2:378(3) DCC).
- Legal reserve: whoever capitalises development costs keeps a reserve of the same amount (art. 2:365(2) DCC). The balance sheet item rose from 180,000 with 100,000 of new costs and fell by 60,000 of depreciation.
- Result 2025: the result after tax from the profit and loss account.
| Reconciliation | Calculation | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Items add up to the total | 55,000 plus 295,000 plus 220,000 plus 790,000 plus 365,000 minus 1,725,000 | 0 |
| Total column closes | 1,380,000 minus 120,000 plus 100,000 plus 365,000 minus 1,725,000 | 0 |
| 2024 profit fully appropriated | 310,000 minus 190,000 minus 120,000 | 0 |
| Reserve covers the capitalised costs | 220,000 reserve minus 220,000 development costs on the balance sheet | 0 |
| Equity above the restricted reserves | 1,725,000 minus 220,000 | 1.505.000 |
The last line is the room within which the general meeting can decide on a distribution: equity to the extent that it exceeds the reserves that must be kept under the law or the articles of association. In addition, the board tests whether the BV can keep paying its due debts.
The movement in a spreadsheet
- Columns: one per equity item you have, plus a total column with a SUM over the row.
- Rows: the opening balance (reference to last year's balance sheet), one row per type of movement (input) and the closing balance (SUM over the column).
- Input is only the movements that follow from a resolution or deed: appropriation, dividend, issue. The result refers to the profit and loss account.
- Check 1: the closing balance per column minus the balance sheet item is zero.
- Check 2: the legal reserve minus the capitalised development costs is zero.
The movement schedule per size class
| Class | Movement schedule | What is included |
|---|---|---|
| Micro | Not | Equity as a single item on the balance sheet (art. 2:395a(4) DCC) |
| Small | Only for the revaluation reserve | The equity items on the balance sheet and the retained part of the result (art. 2:396(3) DCC) |
| Medium-sized and large | In full | Also in the version for the KVK |
Even those who need not include the statement need it internally: without the movement a dividend decision cannot be supported.
Mistakes in the movement schedule
- Showing one line of movement per item. The law asks for the additions and reductions split by their nature.
- Putting the result of the financial year directly into other reserves while the balance sheet is drawn up before appropriation of result.
- Not letting the legal reserve follow the capitalised development costs. The room for dividend then looks larger than it is.
- Already recording a dividend decided after the balance sheet date as a reduction in this year.
Movement in equity in Jaarrekening.io
Jaarrekening.io prepares the movement from the opening and closing balances of the equity accounts in your XAF audit file or trial balance (Excel or CSV). What cannot be derived from the ledger, such as dividend, capital contributions and revaluations, you fill in yourself; an unexplained difference remains visible as other movement. You get access with your own account.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Is a statement of changes in equity mandatory for a small BV?
Only for the revaluation reserve, if the BV has one (art. 2:396(5) DCC). The other items do appear separately on the balance sheet. A micro BV shows equity as a single amount and has no movement schedule.
Which legal reserves are most common for a BV?
The reserve for capitalised formation and development costs (art. 2:365(2) DCC), the reserve for participating interests and the reserve for translation differences (art. 2:389(6) and (8) DCC) and the revaluation reserve (art. 2:390 DCC). Art. 2:373(4) DCC lists them all.
Where do I process a dividend decided after the balance sheet date?
In the statement of the year in which the decision is taken. In the annual accounts for the closed financial year the amount remains part of equity; you do state the proposed or decided appropriation if your class requires it.
Can the retained earnings column be negative?
Yes. In case of a loss there is a negative amount. If total equity becomes negative, assess whether the going concern assumption is still tenable (art. 2:384(3) DCC).
How does the statement tie in with the profit and loss account?
Through exactly one row: the result after tax for the financial year. All other rows are payments, distributions or shifts between items and do not run through the result.
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Preparing Dutch annual accounts?
Your first set of annual accounts is free, for every size class. Create an account and prepare the annual accounts of your Dutch company under Title 9 of Book 2 of the Dutch Civil Code.
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