Introduction to Principal Financial Statements
The Principal Financial Statements (Statements) have been prepared to report the financial position and results of operations of the U.S. Department of State (Department). The Statements have been prepared from the books and records of the Department in accordance with formats prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in OMB Circular A-136, Financial Reporting Requirements. The Statements are in addition to financial reports prepared by the Department in accordance with OMB and U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) directives to monitor and control the status and use of budgetary resources, which are prepared from the same books and records. The Statements should be read with the understanding that they are for a component of the U.S. Government, a sovereign entity. The Department has no authority to pay liabilities not covered by budgetary resources. Liquidation of such liabilities requires enactment of an appropriation. Comparative data for 2006 are included.
The Consolidated Balance Sheet provides information on assets, liabilities, and net position similar to balance sheets reported in the private sector. Intra-departmental balances have been eliminated from the amounts presented.
The Consolidated Statement of Net Cost reports the components of the net costs of the Department's operations for the period. The net cost of operations consists of the gross cost incurred by the Department less any exchange (i.e., earned) revenue from our activities. Intra-departmental balances have been eliminated from the amounts presented.
The Consolidated Statement of Changes in Net Position reports the beginning net position, the transactions that affect net position for the period, and the ending net position. Intra-departmental transactions have been eliminated from the amounts presented.
The Combined Statement of Budgetary Resources provides information on how budgetary resources were made available and their status at the end of the year. Information in this statement is reported on the budgetary basis of accounting. Intra-departmental transactions have not been eliminated from the amounts presented.
Required Supplementary Information contains a Combining Schedule of Budgetary Resources that provides additional information on amounts presented in the Combined Statement of Budgetary Resources, and information on Stewardship Plant, Property and Equipment.
