Where Can I Get a Profit and Loss Statement? 5 Ways (With Cost and Time)

The Short Answer

You have five ways to get a profit and loss statement: make one yourself with a template, generate one from your bank statements with software, ask your bookkeeper, ask your accountant or CPA, or pull one from accounting software you already use. The right choice depends on how many transactions you have, how fast you need it, and what you're willing to spend.

The Five Ways, With Honest Cost and Time

1. Make one yourself with a template. Free. Download a free P&L template and fill in your income and expenses by category — best when your finances are simple. Plan on an hour or two a month.
2. Generate one from your bank statements with software. A few minutes and free to start. You upload the statements you already have and the AI categorizes every transaction — best when you have many transactions or need it fast.
3. Ask your bookkeeper. Minimal effort for you, commonly $200–$500+/month. Best if you already retain one.
4. Ask your accountant or CPA. Authoritative but a few hundred dollars and dependent on their turnaround. Best when a lender specifically wants a CPA-prepared statement.
5. Pull one from accounting software you already use. Free if you already keep books in QuickBooks, Xero, or Wave — just run the P&L report. Not worth setting up from scratch for a one-time need.

Who Prepares a Profit and Loss Statement?

Anyone can. A P&L is a document, not a certification — you can prepare it yourself from your bank statements or a template, or have a bookkeeper or CPA prepare it. For most self-employed people, a self-prepared P&L is accepted by lenders and works for tax prep, as long as it's accurate and consistent with your bank statements and tax returns. Some loan programs ask specifically for a CPA-prepared or CPA-reviewed statement, usually on larger or more complex files — your loan officer will tell you if that applies.

When Is a Profit and Loss Statement Required?

The most common situations:

• Loan and mortgage applicationsfor self-employed borrowers — the P&L stands in for pay stubs. See our guide to a P&L for a loan application.
• Apartment rentals— some landlords ask self-employed applicants for a P&L to verify income.
• Tax preparation— your P&L feeds your Schedule C or business return.
• Selling a business — buyers want to see profit and loss history.

Are Profit and Loss Statements Monthly or Yearly?

Either — a P&L can cover any period you choose: a month, a quarter, or a full year. Businesses often run a monthly P&L to track performance and an annual one for taxes. For loan applications, the usual ask is a year-to-date P&L plus the most recent full year, so the lender sees both your current trajectory and a full-year baseline.

Are Profit and Loss Statements Public?

For private companies and self-employed individuals, no — your P&L is private, and you share it only with the people you choose, such as a lender or your accountant. Public companies are different: they file an income statement (the same document) with the SEC in their quarterly and annual reports, so those are publicly available.

Are a Profit and Loss Statement and an Income Statement the Same Thing?

Yes. "Profit and loss statement," "P&L," and "income statement" are three names for the same report: revenue minus expenses over a period, ending in net profit. For the full breakdown of why the different names exist, see profit and loss vs income statement.