What is financial accounting primarily concerned with?

Financial accounting is primarily concerned with external reporting based on standardized rules. This aspect focuses on creating financial statements that present the organization’s financial position, performance, and cash flows to external parties such as investors, creditors, regulators, and other stakeholders. These financial statements must comply with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), ensuring consistency and comparability across different companies.

The emphasis on external reporting distinguishes financial accounting from managerial accounting, which is more concerned with internal reporting for management decisions. While tax preparation plays an important role in overall accounting, it is not the primary focus of financial accounting, which aims to provide an accurate depiction of the organization’s financial health rather than specifically addressing tax obligations. Human resource expenses and management relate to operational aspects and personnel management, which are typically part of managerial accounting rather than financial accounting's primary objectives.