Step-by-step plan for the annual accounts of a Dutch association, for the treasurer
A treasurer closes the records, prepares the balance sheet and the statement of income and expenses and presents them to the members' meeting within six months after the financial year (art. 2:48 DCC); for 2025 that is 30 June 2026. The records are kept for seven years (art. 2:10(3) DCC).
The short answer
A treasurer closes the records, prepares the balance sheet and the statement of income and expenses and presents them to the members' meeting within six months after the financial year (art. 2:48 DCC); for 2025 that is 30 June 2026. The records are kept for seven years (art. 2:10(3) DCC).
Updated 30 October 2026
The ten steps
- Close the books. All bank and cash movements of the financial year are processed; the bank balance agrees with the statement of the last day.
- Reconcile the membership fees. Who has paid, who is outstanding, who has already paid for the next season? See the worked example below.
- Book what belongs to the year, not to the payment date. Amounts still to be received and bills still to be paid belong in the financial year to which they relate; prepaid costs do not.
- Value the assets. Equipment at purchase price minus depreciation, canteen stock at purchase price.
- Record reserves and funds. What is freely available, what is reserved for a purpose, and on which decision does that rest?
- Prepare the balance sheet and the statement of income and expenses and put the previous year and the budget next to them. See the example.
- Write a short note: accounting policies, special income and expenses, appropriation of the balance.
- Have the board sign. All directors sign; if a signature is missing, the reason is stated (art. 2:48(1) DCC).
- Give the audit committee (kascommissie) access. It may ask for all information and see the cash; see what the audit committee does.
- Present everything to the members' meeting and keep the approved documents with the books and records for seven years (art. 2:10(3) DCC).
The timeline for financial year 2025
| Moment | Date | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| End of financial year | 31 December 2025 | The financial year is the calendar year unless the articles of association say otherwise (art. 2:10a DCC) |
| Prepare the documents and present them to the members' meeting | no later than 30 June 2026 | art. 2:48(1) DCC; the meeting may extend the period |
| Same for an association under Title 9 | no later than 30 June 2026, extendable by at most four months to 31 October 2026; adoption one month later | art. 2:49(1) and (3) DCC |
| Retention period for records and annual documents | seven years | art. 2:10(3) DCC |
Filing with the KVK only applies to an enterprise above € 7,5 million net turnover. Most associations do not have this step.
Worked example: membership fees that do not match the bank
Tennisvereniging De Vlakte (fictional) has 120 members with a rate of € 150 per year, so € 18.000 in membership fees for 2025. The bank account shows € 17.700 in fee receipts in 2025. Why is that not € 18.000?
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Received at the bank in 2025 | € 17.700 |
| Less: received in advance for 2026 (14 members × € 75 half-year payment) | − € 1.050 |
| Plus: 9 members who have not yet paid their 2025 fees (9 × € 150) | + € 1.350 |
| Income from membership fees for 2025 | € 18.000 |
The balance sheet shows a receivable of € 1.350 (the nine members) and a liability of € 1.050 (received in advance). This way the treasurer prevents the year from looking richer or poorer than it is.
Where treasurers often get stuck
- Accounting only for the bank account and forgetting the cash box or a second account.
- Holding a members' meeting without the committee having been able to see the documents.
- Not allocating the year's balance anywhere, so that the reserves on the balance sheet do not tie in with last year.
- Not keeping receipts and statements; the law requires seven years.
- Thinking that the articles of association say nothing about the period or the approval. Read them first.
How it works at Jaarrekening.io
Jaarrekening.io is built for legal entities under Title 9 Book 2 of the Dutch Civil Code. An association below the limit of article 2:360(3) DCC has no annual accounts route in the app; bookkeeping with the VAT return is there. The explanation above applies regardless of the software.
Sources
- Art. 2:10 DCC: records and retention period, text applicable from 1 July 2026 (wetten.overheid.nl)
- Art. 2:48 DCC: annual documents and audit committee, text applicable from 1 July 2026 (wetten.overheid.nl)
- Art. 2:49 DCC: association under Title 9, text applicable from 1 July 2026 (wetten.overheid.nl)
- KVK: Am I required to file my annual accounts?
Frequently asked questions
When must the treasurer have the annual accounts ready?
The board presents the balance sheet and the statement of income and expenses to the members' meeting no later than six months after the financial year (art. 2:48(1) DCC). For a calendar year that is 30 June, unless the meeting extends the period.
How long must an association keep its records?
Seven years (art. 2:10(3) DCC). That applies to the books, documents and other data carriers; the data may be kept on another carrier as long as it remains fully legible.
Must a treasurer sign the annual accounts?
All directors sign the documents; if a signature is missing, the reason is stated (art. 2:48(1) DCC). The law does not provide for one signatory for the whole board.
What is an amount still to be received at an association?
Income that belongs to the financial year but has not yet been paid, for example membership fees from members who are late. It appears as a receivable on the balance sheet and as income in the statement of income and expenses.
Must the annual accounts of a small association go to the KVK?
No, unless the association has a registered enterprise with net turnover of at least € 7,5 million in two consecutive financial years (art. 2:360(3) DCC).
Read more
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.
Get started